The 21st century has seen some big changes in the world of politics. From new faces shaking things up to long-time leaders leaving their mark, there’s been no shortage of influential people making headlines. These leaders have shaped laws, started movements, and sometimes changed the course of history.
In this article, I’m counting down the top 17 political leaders who’ve had the biggest impact so far this century.
Barack Obama
Obama was the first Black president of the United States. He served two terms from 2009 to 2017. He introduced healthcare reform and helped the economy recover from a major crisis. Obama was known for his powerful speeches and his message of hope and change.
Angela Merkel
Merkel was Germany’s first female chancellor. She led the country for 16 years, from 2005 to 2021. She helped guide Europe through tough times, including a financial crisis and a refugee crisis. Merkel was often called the most powerful woman in the world.
Xi Jinping
Xi has been China’s leader since 2012. He’s made China stronger on the world stage and changed how the country is run. Xi has pushed for more Chinese influence around the world. He’s also known for his tough stance on corruption in China.
Vladimir Putin
Putin has been an influential figure in Russian politics since 2000. He’s been either president or prime minister the whole time. Putin has made Russia more powerful but has also been criticized for limiting freedoms. He’s known for his strong leadership style and influence on world events.
Narendra Modi
Modi has been the Prime Minister of India since 2014. He’s known for his significant economic changes and strong Hindu nationalist views. Modi has tried to make India a more prominent player on the world stage. He’s popular in India but also faces criticism for some of his policies.
Nelson Mandela
Mandela was South Africa’s first Black president, serving from 1994 to 1999. While most of his work was in the 20th century, his influence continued into the 21st. He worked to bring people together after apartheid ended. Mandela is remembered as a symbol of peace and forgiveness.
Theresa May
May was the UK’s Prime Minister from 2016 to 2019. She had the tough job of leading Britain through Brexit, the country’s exit from the European Union. May faced many challenges and eventually stepped down when she couldn’t get her Brexit deal approved.
Justin Trudeau
Trudeau has been Canada’s Prime Minister since 2015. He’s known for his liberal policies and focus on things like climate change and diversity. Trudeau is also famous for being the son of a former Prime Minister. He’s popular with many but has also faced some scandals.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan has led Turkey since 2003, first as Prime Minister and then as President. He’s made big changes to Turkey’s government and society. Erdogan has moved Turkey away from some Western allies and faced criticism for limiting freedoms in the country.
Donald Trump
Trump was the U.S. President from 2017 to 2021. He was known for his unusual style and use of social media. Trump introduced significant changes to trade and immigration policies. His time as president was often controversial and divided many people.
Jacinda Ardern
Ardern became New Zealand’s Prime Minister in 2017. She was one of the world’s youngest leaders and was known for her compassionate leadership style. Ardern led her country through tough times, including a terrorist attack and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emmanuel Macron
Macron became France’s President in 2017. He was young for a president and promised to change French politics. Macron has tried to make France stronger in Europe and the world. He’s faced challenges like protests and the COVID-19 crisis.
Aung San Suu Kyi
Suu Kyi led Myanmar’s move towards democracy after years of military rule. She won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work. But she later faced criticism for not speaking out against violence against the Rohingya people in Myanmar.
Benjamin Netanyahu
Netanyahu was Israel’s Prime Minister for many years, from 2009 to 2021. He was known for his tough stance on security issues. Netanyahu made peace deals with some Arab countries but was also criticized for his policies towards Palestinians.
Dilma Rousseff
Rousseff was Brazil’s first woman president, serving from 2011 to 2016. She tried to continue the previous president’s policies to help poor people. However, she faced problems with the economy and was eventually removed from office in a controversial process.
Hugo Chávez
Chávez was Venezuela’s President from 1999 until his death in 2013. He was known for his socialist policies and his criticism of the United States. Chávez used Venezuela’s oil wealth to fund social programs, but his policies also led to economic problems.
Pope Francis
While not a traditional political leader, Pope Francis has been very influential since becoming head of the Catholic Church in 2013. He’s known for his more open views on issues like climate change and poverty. Pope Francis has tried to make the Church more welcoming and has spoken out on many world issues.
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