Who is the world's most powerful woman?

[Moonlight Graham]

Some of the likely contenders include Hillary Clinton, Angela Merkel, and in Forbes' list of Top 100 Most Powerful Women they also list high on the chart women like Dilma Rousseff (President of Brazil), Michelle Obama (has major influence on husband!), Melinda Gates (Wife of Bill & Co-Chair of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), Sonia Gandhi, and Oprah. There are other contenders of course.

Who's your pick, and why?

Edited September 26, 2012 by Moonlight Graham

[RB]

Some of the likely contenders include Hillary Clinton, Angela Merkel, and in Forbes' list of Top 100 Most Powerful Women they also list high on the chart women like Dilma Rousseff (President of Brazil), Michelle Obama (has major influence on husband!), Melinda Gates (Wife of Bill & Co-Chair of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), Sonia Gandhi, and Oprah. There are other contenders of course.

Who's your pick, and why?

These magazines have their angle for a list.

I like Hillary Clinton and think that like me lots of girls would have believed in dreams and impossibilities if she had become president. I don't have a female role model I follow - women I feel still cannot carry their own, even when they are in power are surrounded by a man's influence.

I can see the signals women of importance emerge when they operate in the shadows of men "powerful" men just saying, I don't disregard their important duties and their notable feats. For example in Dr Mary Smith and Dr George Smith, you are please to meet the good Dr Smith's wife. A man is proud of his wife I am told.

Just that there is an entire population of 50% men and 50% women and we can sum up an ideal women in so few names. I just don't get why women cannot come up with good ideas, products, ventures something, anything other than making news in garden plants.

[Shady]

Angela Merkel by far.

[Jiblethead]

Hil is up there for sure, but I definitely would NOT want to be on Oprah's bad side

[Guest Peeves]

Angela Merkel in my opinion given the EU economy, location and the general healthy condition of Germany.

I don't think Clinton has the guts or (power) authority in her current position, but she should have been president, not that incompetent wannabe.Then she'd be beyond any doubt.

[-TSS-]

When Thatcher was still PM of Britain her husband Dennis was regarded by many as one of the most influential men in Britain. So, similarly the wives of powerful male politicians are often more influential than women in real positions of decision-making.

[cybercoma]

Nicki Minaj.

Did you see her tear a strip out of Mariah?

[Guest Peeves]

Nicki Minaj.

Did you see her tear a strip out of Mariah?

Yeh, that qualifies.

[BC_chick]

Michelle Obama doesn't belong on that list, IMHO.

All first-ladies obviously influence their significant other, we could therefore compile a list of all the first-ladies of the world's most powerful nations and there! Look at all those powerful women.

It's also a bit sexist since men are generally considered powerful based on their own merit as opposed to the person to whom they are married.

I love her and she is a tremendously achieved woman, but I'm going to have to disagree with her making the cut on this one.

[Sleipnir]

Who's your pick, and why?

Personally I would pick Rachel Carson because it was all due to her work that launch the awareness of environmental destruction and forced numerous countries to heed her advice (to a degree).

[RB]

.... wives of powerful male politicians are often more influential than women in real positions of decision-making.

Correct. With few exception, the list of most of the women listed have an "unearned" powerful women influence or rather their titles are one that comes with the terriortiy of association of male power e.g. Melinda Gates, Hilary Clinton, Michelle Obama - if their husbands did not make it, not sure you would know of them.

[Moonlight Graham]

Angela Merkel in my opinion given the EU economy, location and the general healthy condition of Germany.

I think I'll also go with Angela Merkel on this one.

[jacee]

Never underestimate the power of ROCK AND ROLL!

The power to move people to change society ...

Janis Joplin, the most powerful woman of all time.

[bush_cheney2004]

Queen Elizabeth, as she has the most hats and hat boxes.

[GostHacked]

Michelle Obama doesn't belong on that list, IMHO.

All first-ladies obviously influence their significant other, we could therefore compile a list of all the first-ladies of the world's most powerful nations and there! Look at all those powerful women.

It's also a bit sexist since men are generally considered powerful based on their own merit as opposed to the person to whom they are married.

I love her and she is a tremendously achieved woman, but I'm going to have to disagree with her making the cut on this one.

We can look at Hillary Clinton and see how influential she was, and has become. In an interview on 60 mins some years ago, in a response to the sexual allegations of Bill, she replied with "I'm not going to have some reporters pawing through our papers. We are the president."

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The OP is Americana BS