Ursula von der Leyen

Ursula von der Leyen holds a remarkable set of firsts and records. She was the first woman to serve as German Defence Minister and the first woman to become President of the European Commission. Forbes has ranked her the world's most powerful woman for four consecutive years, a feat no one else has achieved. She has been named to TIME's 100 Most Influential People list five times. Her leadership during the COVID-19 crisis, including the creation of the €750 billion NextGenerationEU fund, was widely seen as a defining moment for European solidarity. She also holds the Guinness World Record for first female European Commission President.