1. Angela Merkel
Startin’ off big! This one is slightly obvious, as Merkel was ranked first by Forbes Magazine on the most powerful women in politics in 2016 and has been on the list since 2004. Merkel has served as the Chancellor of Germany since 2005 and is the Leader of the Christian Democratic Union. In 2015, she approved the gender quota bill, which required that women make up at least 30 percent of non-executive positions at large. What a woman!
2. Harriet Harman
Harman is a British Lawyer and Labor Party politician who has served as a Member of Parliament since 1982. Harman is a committed feminist and has regularly spoken out against sexism within the British government. In fact, when Elle Magazine launched a feminism campaign and British Prime Minister, David Cameron, refused to wear the T-shirt reading, “this is what a feminist looks like”, Harman called Cameron out by wearing the shirt to Prime Minister’s Questions. A powerful lady with some sass? I approve.
3. Nancy Pelosi
When you think of powerful American female politicians, you might immediately think of the all-mighty Hilary Clinton, but another leading lady to look up to is 52nd Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. A democratic congresswoman from California, she is currently the minority leader in the U.S House of Representatives. Having been the Speaker of the House from 2007 to 2011, she is the highest-ranking female politician in U.S history. She also consistently votes in favor of women’s reproductive rights.
4. Isabella Lövin
Lövin is a Swedish politician who serves as the Minister for International Development Cooperation and Climate and as the Deputy Prime Minister. She has recently made news for allegedly trolling Donald Trump by publishing a picture of herself signing a climate bill while surrounded by her female colleagues. In the photo, Lövin is pictured sitting and signing the bill while seven female colleagues stand around her. The shot supposedly parodies one of President Trump signing a bill that would bar US federal funding for foreign NGOs that support abortion. In the picture, Trump is surrounded by five of his male colleagues. As much as we wish she would, Lövin does not spend all her time trolling Trump. Since Prime Minister, Stefan Lofven, formed a coalition government between the Social Democrat party and Lövin’s Green Party in 2014, Sweden has claimed to be the world’s first “feminist government”. A statement from the government’s website explains that this means that “gender equality is central to the Government’s priorities – in decision-making and resource allocation”.
5. Loretta Lynch
Appointed by President Barack Obama, Lynch served as the 83rd Attorney General of the United States. In 2015, Lynch was confirmed, making her the second African-American, second woman, and first African-American woman to hold the position. She has consistently spoken up for women’s rights and been an advocate for women, especially women of color. Cool moment in her career: In 2016, she delivered an exceptionally powerful speech rejecting North Carolina’s anti-transgender bathroom bill.