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World's 100 Most Powerful Women

Angela Merkel is No. 1, with Hillary Clinton in the second spot

By John Johnson,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 22, 2012 12:27 PM CDT

(Newser) – Forbes is out with its annual list of the world's 100 most powerful women, with the top 10 a mix of mostly familiar names from the worlds of politics, humanitarianism, and tech:

  1. Angela Merkel: The German chancellor is trying to reshape the European Union.

  1. Hillary Clinton: The secretary of state might be the most high-profile in US history.
  2. Dilma Rousseff: As president of Brazil, she presides over the world's eighth biggest economy, and one that's on the rise, to boot.
  3. Melinda Gates: She's co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and she vows to improve contraception options for women in the world's poorest countries.
  4. Jill Abramson: She became the first female executive editor at the New York Times.
Rounding out the top 10 are India's Sonia Gandhi, Michelle Obama, the IMF's Christine Legarde, Janet Napolitano, and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. Click for the full list.
No. 1: German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
No. 1: German Chancellor Angela Merkel.   (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
No. 2: Hillary Clinton
No. 2: Hillary Clinton   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
No. 3: Brazil President Dilma Rousseff
No. 3: Brazil President Dilma Rousseff   (AP Photo/Sang Tan)
No. 4: Melinda Gates
No. 4: Melinda Gates   (AP Photo/Carl Court, Pool)
No. 5: Jill Abramson of the New York Times, here with Dean Baquet, left, and Bill Keller.
No. 5: Jill Abramson of the New York Times, here with Dean Baquet, left, and Bill Keller.   (AP Photo/The New York Times, Fred R. Conrad)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 22 comments
oldcarl
Aug 22, 2012 2:50 PM CDT
This must have been compiled with help of liberal Democrats.  It seems if you had listed 200 women that Sarah Palin, Nikki Haley the SC governor, Janet Brewer the Arizona governor or any other conservative or Christian woman in the USA would not have been listed. Another case of only Liberals or progressives in America need be considered for this list. Most of the international women I know nothing about except the Queen who should rank near the top, way above the first lady who lives like she's queen. . But Janet Napolitano and her cohorts selling out our nation to illegals can make the list???   This isn't the America or world in which I grew up.
namvet
Aug 22, 2012 2:00 PM CDT
Actually I was thinking that Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada should be on that list.
namvet
Aug 22, 2012 1:59 PM CDT
I guess Melinda Gates will not be receiving a Christmas card from that idiot Akins in the near future.
World • US

 
Hillary Clinton • Angela Merkel • Jill Abramson • Melinda Gates • Dilma Rousseff • Forbes Most Powerful People

 
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