Who Holds the Keys to Europe Right Now
Europe doesn’t run on one throne or one title. Power here is layered — spread across national leaders, EU institutions, economic gatekeepers, and figures whose influence is felt even from outside the bloc. That’s why POLITICO’s annual power ranking isn’t about popularity or election wins, but about who actually moves the pieces. Based on wider political, economic, and institutional context, here is the most accurate picture of who holds real power in Europe — and why. 1. Giorgia Meloni Prime Minister of Italy POLITICO’s choice for the most powerful person in Europe isn’t a Brussels bureaucrat or a traditional heavyweight like Germany or France — it’s Italy’s prime minister. Meloni has achieved something few leaders manage: becoming simultaneously acceptable to Brussels, indispensable to Washington, and influential with emerging global power brokers. Once dismissed as an ultranationalist outsider, Meloni is now widely seen as a bridge between Europe and the new American political establishm…
