Who was named the world’s most powerful woman by Forbes in 2019?

Angela Merkel was named the world’s most powerful woman by Forbes in 2019.

Forbes placed Germany’s chancellor first in its annual ranking of the most powerful women. Merkel had held the chancellorship since 2005, making her one of the longest-serving national leaders in Europe and a central figure in European Union decision-making.

The Forbes list measured political influence, economic power, media reach and broader impact rather than personal wealth. Merkel’s position reflected Germany’s role as Europe’s largest economy and her influence over issues including the eurozone, migration, trade and international diplomacy.

Merkel was a physicist by training and entered politics after the reunification of Germany. She led the Christian Democratic Union for many years and remained chancellor until 2021. Forbes’ power ranking should not be confused with its billionaire or richest-person lists: the two lists measure different forms of prominence.