#3 – Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany

Angela Dorothea Merkel (née Kasner; born in 1954) is a German politician who is currently Chancellor of Germany and is often described at various times as the de facto leader of the European Union (EU) and the most powerful woman in the world.

She is a former research scientist with a doctorate in physical chemistry (similar to the UK’s ex-prime minister Margaret Thatcher) and entered politics in the wake of the Revolutions of 1989, which marked the end of communist rule in eastern and central Europe.  Her involvement in the development of the EU project and her stance on open door immigration have been points of major controversy.  She is the longest-serving head of government in the EU and in November 2016, announced she would seek re-election to a fourth term.