Swedish climate change teenage activist Greta Thunberg was chosen Wednesday as Time magazine’s 2019 Person of the Year (POY) award, the New York-based publication announced, thus becoming the youngest person ever to receive the accolade.
Time magazine named German Chancellor Angela Merkel as its person of the year for 2015, hailing her leadership during debt and refugee crises that threatened to tear the European Union apart. In power for a decade at the helm of Europe's biggest economy, the world's most powerful woman beat runners-up, the leader of the Islamic State extremist group and Donald Trump as Time's dominant personality of the year.
US President Barack Obama was named TIME Person of the Year for 2012, citing his historic re-election last month as symbolic of the nation's changing demographics amid the backdrop of high unemployment and other challenges.
From the Arab Spring to the Occupy Wall Street movement, “The Protester” was named Time magazine's 2011 Person of the Year. Time defines the Person of the Year as someone who, for better or for worse, influences the events of the year.
Brazilian President Lula da Silva has been named the most influential leader in the world by Time Magazine, ahead of US President Barack Obama who is ranked fourth. No European leader figures among the top 25.