Politicians have their work cut out to impress young women in the south-east, according to a new survey.

Cosmopolitan magazine surveyed 1,000 18 to 30-year-old women and found politicians have a huge perception problem.

While 58 per cent of female south-easterners plan to vote in the next general election, 59 per cent think the political system is broken and 25 per cent thing politicians are self-interested.

More than half would prefer to vote for foreign politicians or politicians who are dead.

Barack Obama topped the poll with 35 per cent, followed by Hilary Clinton with seven per cent and Margaret Thatcher on six per cent.

David Cameron and Nick Clegg came in with four per cent and one per cent respectively.

Magazine editor-in-chief Louise Court said: “British politicians have a huge disconnect with young women and have a big fight on their hands if they want to win the battle for the millennial vote.

“The sad reality is that more and more women will become disengaged as we reach the general election. I fear this means few will turn out at the ballot box.”

National Union of Students president, Toni Pearce, said: “I’ve always believed that it’s not that young people aren’t interested in politics; it’s just that many don’t find it very accessible at the moment.

“Our leaders just aren’t representative of the society we live in - men outnumber women four to one in Parliament and out of a cabinet of 23, only four are women.

“How can we trust their decision making on issues that affect us, when most of them probably won’t have any first-hand experience of them?

“If more young people vote, politicians will have no choice but to take notice and serve their interests, which is why everyone should get out to their polling station in the next general election and cast their vote.”