Age: 55
Occupation: Chancellor of Germany
Previous TIME 100 Appearances: 3
During her first four years as Chancellor, Merkel seemed largely focused on cleaning Germany's economy house through competition-boosting reform. Since winning a second mandate in elections last September, however, she has been more inclined to direct her disciplinary message to fellow euro zone member nations — primarily instructing Greece to finance its own way out of debt crisis. In March she also turned a deaf ear to French complaints that Germany's hard work to boost the attractiveness of its exports has left its less competitive neighbors at an unfair disadvantage, and advised all partners to reduce deficits and live within their means — recession be damned.