Power in Europe, as in previous years, is not gender balanced, not racially diverse and not young. The only person under 40 is Arthur Mensch, the French computer scientist challenging ChatGPT’s monopoly on the generative AI market.
Pope Francis is the only non-European member of the ranking. He’s also the most popular personage on social media, with 18.4 million followers on X. That’s six times more than the runner-up, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen.
Check out the full POLITICO 28: Class of 2025, and read the Letter from the Editors for an explanation of the thinking behind the ranking.