The most powerful woman in the world

(Baonghean) - Recently, Forbes magazine has just announced the list of "100 most powerful women in the world". Topping this list is German Chancellor Angela Merkel. By continuing to hold the number one position, Ms. Merkel has officially become the most powerful woman in the world for the 5th consecutive time.

The list of the world's most powerful women, compiled by Forbes magazine, was established in 2004. Every year, around mid-year, Forbes magazine publishes the list after the voting process has taken place. The voting criteria for this list include women in fields such as businesswomen, entertainment stars, philanthropists, key members of intergovernmental organizations, heads of state, and businesswomen. In addition, these figures also control a trillion in annual revenue and have a great influence on finance and international events.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Photo Internet

Speaking of Angela Merkel, Angela Dorothea Merkel was born on July 17, 1954. Her leadership ability and qualities were revealed from a young age, she became a member of the district committee and the secretary in charge of mass mobilization and propaganda at the Academy of Sciences when she was only in her twenties. In 1989, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Merkel joined the democratic movement, joining the newly founded Demokratischer Aufbruch Party. After the first democratic elections in East Germany, she became the deputy spokesperson of the pre-unification provisional government under the leadership of Lothar de Maizeiere. In the general election held in December 1990, after the country was reunified, Merkel was elected to the Bundestag.

Soon after, her party merged with the West German CDU, and Merkel became Minister for Women and Youth in Chancellor Helmut Kohl's cabinet. In 1994, Merkel was appointed Minister for the Environment and Nuclear Reactor Safety, a position that made her a household name and provided a platform for her political career. In 2005, she became the first woman to serve as German Chancellor, the first citizen of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) to lead a unified Germany, and the first woman to lead Germany since it became a modern nation in 1871.

As of 2006, she is also the youngest prime minister since World War II. There is little question about her influence as she presides over the world's fourth-largest economy and Europe's largest. "The fate of the eurozone rests on her shoulders. With the debt crisis in Greece and an interconnected economy, what she does in Europe affects us all," said Moira Forbes, deputy managing director of Forbes Media.

Coming in second after Mrs. Merkel is the Democratic Party's presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Many experts believe that Mrs. Clinton could take Mrs. Merkel's number one spot if elected US President in 2016. The remaining list also includes notable names such as Mrs. Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with her husband, billionaire Bill Gates, Chairwoman of the US Federal Reserve (Fed) Janet Yellen, CEO of General Motors Mary Barra, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde, President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff, CEO of Facebook Sheryl Sandberg, CEO of Youtube Susan Wojcicki and First Lady of the US Michelle Obama.

Nhat Minh

(According to Forbes)