At this rate, we’ll be waiting until the year 2044 before seeing another woman feature as an individual winner of TIME’s Person of the Year.
That’s after German Chancellor Angela Merkel was named as the individual to have had the most influence over the year that’s been 2015, by the longstanding news publication today.
It’s been 29 years since an individual woman last took out the prize, going to Philippines President Corazon Aquino in 1986.
Merkel was recognised for her leadership in the European migrant crisis and Greek debt crisis. Indeed, it seems the TIME editors picked her for bringing a different style of leadership to some of the biggest humanitarian and economic challenges of our time.
When the initiative began in 1927, women weren’t considered contenders at all, with TIME opting to select a ‘Man of the Year’. Four women have been selected for a ‘Women of the Year’ title including Wallis Simpson in 1936 (after King Edward V111 gave up the British throne for her), Queen Elizabeth II in 1952 and Aquino in 1986.
Other women have featured as groups, such as when three whistleblowers including Cythia Cooper, Colleen Rowley and Sherron Watkins took the cover in 2002. Melinda Gates joined husband Bill and U2’s Bono as a group recipient in 2005.
And women, we can only presume, played a role in the more ambiguous award recipients that have come up, such as the ‘the protester’ in 2011 and the Ebola fighters in 2014.
But other than that – particularly as world leaders — very few women have shaped the outcome of the last few decades of international life, according to TIME editors. We still don’t have enough women in positions of power in politics and business in order to see a fairer representation of the genders.
Thus we’re still influencing behind the scenes, in many cases having a more dramatic influence on everyday life but not owning the big decisions that drive international events.
Merkel not only marks a turning point for female leaders, but also a different style of leadership that’s worth noting and acknowledging.
Merkel’s initial political style when she first came into leadership has been described as resolutely dull, with no flair, flourishes or charisma. She’s said to have a “survivor’s sharp sense of power and scientist’s devotion to data.” Even since she became Germany’s Chancellor in 2005.
But then came 2015.
This year, the editors said Merkel has showcased a range of different values including humanity, generosity and tolerance to demonstrate how the world’s fourth largest economy could help save rather than destroy. As TIME quoted her as saying: “If we now have to start apologizing for showing a friendly face in response to emergency situation, then that’s not my country.”
So she may be one of few women to be acknowledged as TIME Person of The Year, but she’s also one of the few individuals to take the prize for demonstrating some humanity as a key aspect of their power.
For her efforts, Merkel’s been called a traitor and a whore by German protesters, and “insane” by Donald Trump.
We doubt she minds.