Ursula von der Leyen was classified as the fifth most powerful person of 2026. The president of the European Commission has seen her mandate marked by multiple successive crises.
In the last year, Von der Leyen managed to close historic trade agreements during her mandate. At the same time, she survived four censure motions presented against her.
One of the most significant developments was the fall of her most persistent internal adversary, Viktor Orbán, prime minister of Hungary.
Ursula von der Leyen's position in the ranking of the most powerful people reflects her ability to navigate through periods of great political instability and to overcome internal challenges within the European Union.
