Forbes names Von der Leyen the most powerful woman in the world, joined by Taylor Swift and Rihanna on the list

Traditionally, as every year, Forbes has released its list of 100 most powerful women in the world. This year, the top of the list is occupied by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

She secured her place at the top of the 19th annual Forbes list of the 100 most powerful women in the world due to her leadership during the war in Ukraine, as well as her handling of the pandemic. Specifically, Forbes highlights that the day after the war began, she announced three major economic sanctions against Russia – a ban on transactions with the Russian central bank, the closure of airspace for Russian aircraft, and a ban on the operation of Kremlin-owned news agencies.

– Protecting our freedom has its price. This is our principle: freedom is priceless – said Ursula von der Leyen.

Women fighting for women’s rights

Her influence is unique, Forbes believes, as no one else on the list formulates policy on behalf of 450 million people. However, what makes Von der Leyen not unique is that all the women on the list act as fighters for democracy and equality, presenting themselves as a group of women who are fighting against the status quo.

And how do women stand on this issue this year? Not very well. American women have suffered a blow to their rights this year after the Supreme Court limited the right to abortion after two decades. In Iran, thousands of women marched in the streets protesting against laws that treat them as second-class citizens. The protester represented on this year’s list is Mahsa Amini (also known as Jina), whose death in September sparked an unprecedented revolution led by women.

The rest of the women on the list include 39 female executives, ten heads of state, and 11 billionaires who together are worth $115 billion.

The list is determined by four main indicators: money, media, influence power, and the spheres through which they achieve influence. Thus, Forbes considered the GDP and population of the countries represented for women in politics; for business leaders, revenues and number of employees; and for influential women in media, reach.

Here are the five most powerful women on the list:

1. Ursula von der Leyen

Von der Leyen was appointed President of the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, in July 2019 and is the first woman in that role.

2. Christine Lagarde

Lagarde became the first woman to head the European Central Bank on November 1, 2019. As the head of European monetary policy, Lagarde faces the pandemic and war crisis.

3. Kamala Harris

In early 2021, Harris became the Vice President of the United States. She is the first woman and the first Black person in that position.

4. Mary Barra

CEO of General Motors since 2014. She was the first woman to lead one of the three major automakers in the U.S. She has invested billions in electric vehicles, self-driving cars, and a ride-sharing service called Maven.

5. Abigail Johnson

Johnson has been the CEO of Fidelity Investments since 2014, and in 2016, she fully took over her father’s position.

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Forbes list: The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women

photo Forbes

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New and old faces

Over the 19 years that Forbes has published the list of the most powerful women in the world, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has held the top spot 15 times. Last year, the title of the most powerful went to billionaire MacKenzie Scott, who is the third richest woman in the world, due to the way she managed her money and her determination to donate that money in a significant and revolutionary way.

Some of the notable names that stand out on this year’s list include: Taylor Swift, who ranked 79th as she recently became the first artist in history to occupy the top ten spots on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Oprah Winfrey, who turned her talk show into a media and business empire, ranked 24th. The famous singer Rihanna ranked 73rd on the list as a billionaire thanks to the success of her cosmetics line Fenty Beauty. Also, the well-known Beyoncé Knowles ranked 80th, and the famous Harvard blonde, Reese Witherspoon, ranked 86th.