Anyone expecting the French president to be at the top will be surprised: Macron only makes it to 19th place. Image: keystone
Not Friedrich Merz, not Keir Starmer and certainly not Emmanuel Macron. According to the US magazine Politico, the most influential politician in Europe does not come from the Old Continent: It is Donald Trump. Also on the list: Gianni Infantino.
December 11, 2025, 10:01 p.mDecember 11, 2025, 10:01 p.m
These are turbulent times in Europe. In addition to domestic political problems, economic stagnation and the loss of the USA as a reliable ally, the war in Ukraine and the associated geopolitical questions are causing uncertainty on the Old Continent.
Amid this turmoil, US Magazine Politico selected the people who have the most influence on Europe in its search for its new place in a changed world order. The list has several surprises, here they are:
The number 1
The fact that Donald Trump is supposed to be the most influential politician in Europe may at first seem like an affront and an expression of American arrogance. But there is no denying that the new US president has alarmed Europe, and really. “Politico” gave all those ranked an additional addition: Trump is called a “transatlantic shock wave”. The US magazine states:
“Trump’s influence is so great in European capitals that his decisions – or rather his outbursts – have changed everything from defense budgets to trade policy to domestic politics.”
Donald Trump is stirring up Europe.Image: keystone
The podium
In second place is Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, also known as “The North Star”. She has proven to be particularly influential in migration policy, which critics once criticized as inhumane. According to the US magazine, their strict course on migration issues and their security policy line now serve as a role model for several EU states.
“Denmark’s detention-and-deportation model – in which asylum seekers are held in reception centers while their applications are processed and are quickly deported if rejected – has inspired similar initiatives from the UK to Italy.”
Mette Frederiksen: “The North Star”.Image: EPA POOL
“The Reluctant Radical,” Friedrich Merz, received third place. According to Politico, the German Chancellor is breaking his country’s traditional restraint.
“His move last March to borrow hundreds of billions of euros for infrastructure and defense marked one of the most radical and at the same time quickest breaks in modern German budget policy.”
The US magazine emphasizes that Merz’s position is stronger than that of most of his colleagues because Germany is in a financially healthier position, leaving him more scope for reforms such as sustainable pension reform.
Friedrich Merz: “The reluctant radical”.Image: DPA
France
If we look at France, two political leaders come to mind. Firstly, Marine Le Pen in fourth place, and secondly, far behind Emmanuel Macron in 19th place.
Marine Le Pen: “The War Horse”.Image: EPA
Although Le Pen, also known as “The War Horse,” is currently not allowed to run for office due to a conviction in March 2025, she remains influential. It contributed to the fall of the government in September and is putting pressure on Macron to dissolve the National Assembly and call new elections. She also contributed a lot to her party’s reputation:
“A veteran of three presidential elections, Le Pen has spent more than a decade leading her once toxic party into the political mainstream.”
Far behind “The War Horse of France” is “The Wounded Rooster” in 19th place. The US magazine criticizes Emmanuel Macron’s early elections as an unfortunate decision that plunged France into a political crisis. At the same time, however, he has great influence in foreign policy:
Under his leadership, France launched important initiatives, including the “Coalition of the Willing” to support Ukraine. Macron also played a leading role in the Middle East, convincing partner countries to recognize a Palestinian state.
Emmanuel Macron: “The Wounded Rooster”.Image: EPA REUTERS POOL
The young radical left
The title “The Viral Voice” goes to Heidi Reichinnek in 24th place. The chairwoman of the parliamentary group of the Die Linke party, became nationally known through her viral speech against Friedrich Merz during the 2025 federal election. The US magazine writes about her:
“She helped her party, which had previously been on the verge of insignificance, win enough votes to become an important player in the Bundestag. By tirelessly promising to defend the ‘firewall’ created after the Second World War – an agreement between the established parties not to cooperate with the extreme right.”
Heidi Reichinnek: “The viral voice”.Image: EPA
The French politician and activist Rima Hassan is in 26th place. The US magazine describes her as “The Megaphone”. Hassan advocates for a one-state solution, although her party favors the two-state solution. It assesses Hamas’s actions as legitimate from an international law perspective, but morally condemns the October 7 attacks. In their view, the two-state solution is no longer viable given Israeli settlements and the Palestinians’ lack of a right of return.
«The 33-year-old hardly shy away from controversy. She took part in the Global Sumud Flotilla, an activist mission that launched from European ports over the summer to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, and gave pointed speeches in parliament accusing Brussels of whitewashing Israel’s crimes.
Rima Hassan: “The megaphone”.Image: KEYSTONE
The Swiss
Even a Swiss man made it into the ranking: in 28th place, the last place, is Gianni Infantino, “The Most Valuable Player”. For European leaders who have to deal with Trump’s return, Infantino shows in his own, not always exemplary, way how to survive with the US president, writes the US magazine.
“As leaders in Berlin, Paris and Brussels agonize over how to deal with an unpredictable White House, the FIFA chief has shown that flattery, visibility and a flair for Trump’s love of spectacle can bring results. In doing so, he has become an unusual model for how to deal with a president who puts loyalty over politics – and an indication that in Washington today access itself is a form of power.”
Gianni Infantino: “The most valuable player”Image: KEYSTONE
Here go to whole list. (con/fak)