If Donald Trump wants to call Europe, he will dial its number. Giorgia Meloni – Prime Minister of Italy – was recognized by Politico magazine as the most influential politician of the coming year. The editorial forecast is the author's own and indicates a list of European politicians who will determine the direction in which Europe will take. There are positive and negative characters on it. There are also as many as four politicians from Poland in the Politico “Class of 2025” list.
The most powerful person in Europe was a marginal figure until relatively recently. Politico, presenting the profile of Giorgia Meloni, wrote:
“In less than a decade, the leader of the right-wing Italian Brothers party has come a long way. First she was discredited as an extreme nationalist lunatic, then she was elected Prime Minister of Italy, and now she has established herself as a key figure with whom Brussels and Washington can do business.”
The leader of the group that descends in direct line from Benito Mussolini, today emphasizes the importance of democratic values.
– The cardinal principles are freedom, equality between nations, democracy and solidarity. There is something that goes beyond simple cooperation between nations. It is the awareness of living in a difficult world, the responsibility it imposes, the power of ideas and the courage needed to defend these ideas, said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Giorgia Meloni opens the list of 28 people who, according to Politico, will have the greatest impact on reality in the coming year. They are divided into three categories: doers, disruptors and dreamers. The authors of the list do not rate politicians as good or bad.
Poles on the Politico list
In the list of “people of action”, Ursula von der Leyen is in first place, Vladimir Putin is in second place, and Donald Tusk is in third place.
The Polish Prime Minister was described as a “bastion” because “he is the man best suited to stem the wave of populism” and “you can count on him to be one of the strongest voices supporting Kiev and a firm response to the Kremlin's aggression.”
“Enforcer” – this is the name given to the EU Commissioner for the Budget, Piotr Serafin (fifth place on the list of “people of action”). “He is the man Ursula von der Leyen has entrusted with keeping misbehaving national governments in check. His mission is to use the power of the purse to pressure EU countries to carry out necessary domestic reforms and punish any deviation from democracy by cutting off funds.”
In the category of “disruptors” or – if you prefer – innovators or precursors, Rafał Trzaskowski came third as “a man who can turn the pages of history.” The justification reads:
“If Rafał Trzaskowski wins next year's presidential elections in Poland, his victory will end the decade-long domination of the nationalist Law and Justice party in the country, setting it on a more progressive and much more European Union-friendly path.”
In the “dreamers” category, Radosław Sikorski (sixth place) was nicknamed “Washingtonian” because: “At a time when there is political turmoil in Paris and Berlin, the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs is the man whose task is to ensure that centrist politicians from Europe continue to talk to Washington as Donald Trump's second administration takes power in the United States.”
The 28 most influential people in Europe included 18 men and 10 women, six Germans, four Poles, three Spaniards, two each from France, Italy and Hungary. The man from outside Europe is the Argentine, Pope Francis.
Last year, Donald Tusk won the entire ranking.
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Main photo source: FILIPPO ATTILI/PAP/EPA