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Taylor Swift is now one of the most powerful women in the world*

*According to Forbes, at least.

Germany Merkel Election Angela Merkel Michael Sohn / AP/Press Association Images Michael Sohn / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images

GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA Merkel tops the Forbes list of the world’s most powerful women for the fifth straight year but Hillary Clinton is snapping at her heels.

However, an Irish woman hasn’t made the list.

Behind them came Melinda Gates, who co-chairs the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with her billionaire philanthropist husband, US federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and General Motors CEO Mary Barra.

IMF chief Christine Lagarde was in sixth place and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff came in seventh.

The top 10 were rounded out by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg (No. 8), Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube (No. 9) and US First Lady Michelle Obama.

Newcomers include US pop star Taylor Swift, in at number 64 and the youngest of the bunch at 25.

2015 Billboard Music Awards - Show - Las Vegas Taylor Swift accepts the award for top female artist at the Billboard Music Awards. Chris Pizzello / AP/Press Association Images Chris Pizzello / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images

The annual list of the world’s 100 most powerful women includes leaders in eight categories — technology, politics, business, finance, media, entertainment, philanthropy and billionaires.

Clinton, who in April announced her second run for the White House, was listed at number six last year but as US secretary of state she also ranked number two to Merkel in 2011 and 2012.

“Come next year’s US elections, she (Merkel) could lose her title for the first time since 2010 to the one person with a credible and mathematical chance of ‘leading’ the world,” wrote Forbes.

Even if Clinton wins the Democratic nomination for the White House, she has no chance of being elected US president until November 2016 — after Forbes publishes its 2016 most-powerful women list.

CLINTON Hilary Clinton Associated Press Associated Press

Forbes has put the German chancellor on the list 10 times in the past 12 years, nine of them as most powerful woman. Merkel was first elected in 2005 and won a historic third term in 2013.

Geographically speaking, the United States dominates the list. Fifty-nine on the list are American, including several immigrants.

There are 18 from the Asia-Pacific region, headed by South Korean President Park Geun-Hye at number 11, 12 from Europe, four each from Latin America and the Middle East and three Africans, Forbes said.

Other newcomers include EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, number 36; US Attorney General Loretta Lynch, number 34; and incoming Guardian editor-in-chief Katharine Viner at number 80.

Belgium EU Defense Ministers Federica Mogherini Associated Press Associated Press

The magazine said the list features eight heads of state and one monarch, who govern nations with a combined GDP of $9.1 trillion (€8.4 trillion) and 15 billionaires with a total net worth of more than $73.3 billion (€64.4 billion).

The top ranking billionaire this year is Oprah Winfrey at number 12 with a personal net worth of $3 billion (€2.76 billion).

In another measure of influence, the 100 women on the 2014 list have a combined social media footprint that includes 474 million Twitter and YouTube followers, the magazine said.

View the full list here.

- © AFP, 2015

Poll: Are there too many middle-aged men in politics? >

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    Mute ohaimhirghin
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    May 26th 2015, 10:18 PM

    Powerful?, she is a musician for Christ sake. Her influence does not go beyond people living with puberty

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    Mute JakeTheMuss7
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    May 26th 2015, 10:21 PM

    Careful now, she’ll write a whinging pain in the hole sing about you…

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    Mute Jebus
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    May 26th 2015, 10:21 PM

    Yes musicians have no power whatsoever do they? Like Bono and Geldofs concert and all who took part in it for the starving children did nothing to help any one. Musicians have no sway at all in anything.

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    Mute jenni
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    May 26th 2015, 10:43 PM

    Ah but Jebus, those concerts were for a reason, and they made millions for that reason.
    What has Taylor done? Apart from lip sync in awful videos. And half naked to boot.
    Saying all that, I don’t think she’ll stay in that list for too long,apparently it depends on record sales which are declining world wide.

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    Mute Smiley
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    May 26th 2015, 10:50 PM

    Jenni, you may like to Google her +philanthropy.

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    Mute Joe
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    May 26th 2015, 11:15 PM

    In the era of Rhianna and Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift is to be admired as a positive role model to young women.

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    Mute Affinity
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    May 26th 2015, 11:21 PM

    She is a musician! Ha aaaaha ha ha ha ah stop! Please that’s funny. She has more musical talent than a dead dog. As for the other rubbish that’s just imbecilic

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    Mute jenni
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    May 26th 2015, 11:21 PM

    Thanks Smiley will do.

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    Mute Tony Le Blanc
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    May 26th 2015, 11:34 PM

    Jake TheMuss7: I believe you have to date her for over 6 hours but not more than 72 to qualify for that particular honour

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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    May 26th 2015, 11:55 PM

    Having wealthy parents gives a great leg up into the music industry. Also Jebus feck all of the money promised at the g8 ever materialised, but. Geldof and Bono wouldn’t let that wreck their buzz.

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    Mute Suzie Sunsine
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    May 27th 2015, 12:02 AM

    She’s like a breath of fresh air compared to those two .

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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    May 27th 2015, 12:31 AM

    In real terms she’s done more good in the last few years than those two have. If you get a chance watch starsuckers. Part of it shows how live aid was a mass distraction that benifited no one and took the heat off world leaders for a while.

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    Mute Grot Master
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    May 27th 2015, 12:44 AM

    Nah, it’d be over with The Muss as soon as the eggs hit the wall.

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    Mute darragh murphy
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    May 27th 2015, 5:35 AM

    She is the biggest selling artist in a $130 billion industry with a significant cultural impact.

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    Mute Alan Nolan
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    May 26th 2015, 10:57 PM

    This is such a misleading click bait headline. she is number 64 or whatever, there are 63 women ranked ahead of her… why didn’t the headline read ‘Angrela Merkel most powerful woman’…

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    Mute An Observer
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    May 26th 2015, 11:09 PM

    Because we didn’t want Angela Merkel in the thumbnail image….

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    Mute Tony Le Blanc
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    May 26th 2015, 11:37 PM

    Well the thought of Angela sporting Ms Swifts dress has knocked ‘the mood’ right off me.

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    Mute Tordelback
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    May 27th 2015, 9:30 AM

    63rd out of 3.5 billion ain’t bad. And while no-one is surprised to see Merkel, Gates and Clinton, Taylor Swift’s inclusion is a point of interest. Anyway, my tuppence is that she’s far from the worst of ‘em.

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    Mute Allister
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    May 26th 2015, 10:09 PM

    Taylor Swift… I’d drag me balls through five mile of broken glass just to smell one of her farts….!

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    Mute Joanna
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    May 26th 2015, 10:13 PM

    Off you go so.

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    Mute Al Ca
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    May 26th 2015, 10:15 PM

    After five miles of broken glass….you’d be good for nothing else.

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    Mute jenni
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    May 26th 2015, 10:34 PM

    Lol.. Al

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    Mute family guy
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    May 27th 2015, 12:29 AM

    I’d say she’s a right bitch. She certainly comes across as one.

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    Mute Alan b
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    May 27th 2015, 6:56 AM

    Why when were you chattin to her?

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    Mute Gary Guilfoyle
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    May 26th 2015, 10:11 PM

    No, that’s becky

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    Mute O Swetenham
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    May 26th 2015, 10:40 PM

    Hopefully she doesn’t let it go to her head. When fellow pop sensation Britney Spears topped this list she went absolutely mad with power and shaved off all her hair, before randomly attacking cars with an umbrella

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    Mute BMC
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    May 26th 2015, 10:24 PM

    Really? Some of these Eastern European weightlifters can lift twice their bodyweight. Now, they’re probably on the ‘roids but still.

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    Mute Dave O'Hanlon
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    May 26th 2015, 11:00 PM

    Yeah Taylor Swift aint that powerful, I reckon I could take her.

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    Mute Whatsup Dok
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    May 26th 2015, 11:22 PM

    wouldn’t mind testing out the pacemaker with Taylor for a few hours

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    Mute Sean Roche
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    May 27th 2015, 12:00 AM

    I’m beginning to think that these headlines are designed to provoke comments and thumbs . I know that Taylor Swift sings songs and is a star in the US but I don’t know any of her songs , didn’t actually recognise her picture and seriously doubt that she is the most powerful woman in the world, Actually I’m sorry I wrote this as I’ve fallen for this stupid celebrity-obsessed shite.

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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    May 27th 2015, 12:33 AM

    She’s nowhere near most powerful, even by the questionable standards these lists use.

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    Mute spud
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    May 26th 2015, 10:57 PM

    She hasn’t met my wife

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    Mute Ken McCarthy
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    May 26th 2015, 10:56 PM

    Where did Panti come on the list?

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    Mute Carmina Kearney
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    May 26th 2015, 11:37 PM

    Oh please…….what’s her next move, world peace? End famine, more like what designer shall I wear today…..powerful me arse.

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    Mute Dsl
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    May 26th 2015, 10:40 PM

    Only a yank would vote Taylor swift as powerful .. Joke like !!

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    Mute Adrian
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    May 26th 2015, 10:49 PM

    And i’m the pope! I’d love to tell merkel where to go, she’s bleeding the country dry, and she can take all those useless clowns in fg and labour with her too!

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    Mute tmwtbc
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    May 26th 2015, 10:29 PM

    Hillary looks well, considering the vintage.

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    Mute Deco James Connolly
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    May 26th 2015, 10:38 PM

    Ugh .

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    Mute Joe
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    May 26th 2015, 11:17 PM

    Succubus

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    Mute Tony Le Blanc
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    May 26th 2015, 11:40 PM

    @ tmwtbc: Think you’ve got the wrong pic there. Scroll down a bit.

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    Mute Friendo Friendo
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    May 27th 2015, 7:23 AM

    Its just a pity she is the spawn of Satan.

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    Mute Dominic Jones
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    May 27th 2015, 2:20 AM

    and she still won’t put out

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    Mute Supernova
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    May 27th 2015, 12:53 AM

    #49 on the list Samantha Power is from Dublin.

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    Mute thecopresent
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    May 27th 2015, 9:36 AM

    I’m not sure whether it’s a sad day for women or journalism?

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    Mute Andrew
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    May 27th 2015, 2:58 AM

    I’d heard the name, but until reading this article I’d had always assumed it was something to do with golf.
    Ive just gone and taken a look at my golf clubs to see if there’s any brand with the same name but no, so I’m unsure what was the relationship (in my mind) with the name and golf.

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    Mute Tommy_Numan
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    May 27th 2015, 5:57 AM

    Taylor Swift’s face is a frozen block of botox.

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    Mute maryhearney2
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    May 27th 2015, 10:52 AM

    Taylor Swift is not to be trusted. Her father is a merril lynch financial advisor, his father was a bank president, his great grand father was a bank president and his great great grandfather was also a bank president; Rothschild like keeping it in the family; beware of the lizards, they are everywhere

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    Mute Anne Kerins
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    May 27th 2015, 6:46 AM

    Get a grip

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