Mari Sato

Mari Sato (Born July 2, 1981) is a Santa Dominican politician who is serving as Prime Minister of Santa Dominica since 18 October 2017, and as Leader of the Liberal Democratic Party since 26 April 2017. She has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for Jackson North since 2014. She is the first non-white prime minister, the first prime minister of Asian descent, the second female prime minister, and the first prime minister to be the descendant of Japanese immigrants who settled in Santa Dominica during the Japanese occupation of 1941-45. She is described as socially progressive while remaining moderate on economic issues

Mari Sato was elected prime minister after a landslide victory for her Liberal Democratic Party in the 2017 General Election. She ousted Social Democratic prime minister Bernadette Keller, who left office with the worst approval rating for any prime minister. While her victory was not surprising, the opinion polls didn't expect a LibDem majority government. She served from 2017 to 2021 with a LibDem majority of +4. Following the January 2021 General Election, Sato and the LibDems lost their majority in the House of Commons and the Senate, and are currently short 2 seats of a majority. This puts Sato in a position where she may face a vote of no confidence in the coming months or years.

She was seen as a rising star on the Santa Dominican political stage, with many comparing her to people such as US President Barack Obama or UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. Her smart and politically savvy advertising campaign and her ability to win votes across the political spectrum has left her with generally high approval ratings.

Undoubtedly, the biggest challenge Prime Minister Sato has faced during her tenure has been the rise of the Santa Dominican Wall and the rise and fall of East Santa Dominica. Many acclaim her ability to reunify the country after the fall of the Wall in 2020 to be key to her becoming the first Liberal/LibDem prime minister to win a second term. Mari Sato is a widow, after losing her husband in a helicopter accident in September 2020, leading to an outpour of support by the Santa Dominican public and many of her political colleagues.