Ursula von der Leyen recognised as the most powerful woman by Forbes

German and European politician Ursula von der Leyen, who became the first female president of the European Commission, has topped Forbes’ ranking of the most powerful women in the world in 2023.

The second line of the rating, compiled by journalists of the publication, was taken by the head of the ECB Christian Lagarde. Kamala Harris, Vice-President of the United States, rounded out the top three.

In addition to them, the rating also included Italian Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni, American singer Taylor Swift, head of the U.S. Treasury Department Janet Yellen, American actress and TV presenter Oprah Winfrey and others.

In compiling the rating, such factors as wealth, media exposure, as well as the level of influence on public opinion and sphere of influence were taken into account.

Von der Leyen has been heading the European Commission since 1 December 2019. It is worth noting that her work in this post is often criticised. As analyst Natalia Yeremina reported earlier, the head of the EC is increasingly discontented in the EU.