/script>
Angela Merkel, Christine Lagarde and Nancy Pelosi Top Forbes’ 16th Annual List of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.
Dec. 13, 2019

German Chancellor Angela Merkel takes the No. 1 spot, on the Forbes 16th annual ranking of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list.

For the ninth consecutive year, she topped the list also marking her 14th total appearance on the list.

Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank rose one spot to No. 2. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, returns to the list in the No. 3 spot this year as the highest-ranking and most powerful female elected official in American political history. Rounding out the top five is newcomer Ursula Von Der Leyen, President of the European Commission (No. 4) and Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors (No. 5).

The women on Forbes’ 2019 ranking represent women in six categories: business, technology, finance, media & entertainment, politics & policy, and philanthropy.