Constantly described as the most powerful woman in the world, the de facto leader of the EU, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is the most rated leader in the world, according to a poll.

Asked by YouGov about a positive opinion on Merkel, many respondents from five major European countries (Britain, Italy, Germany, France and Spain) and the United States of America gave a positive rather than a negative opinion.

The German chancellor, who has worked with four American and French presidents, five British prime ministers and eight Italian heads of government since 2005, garnered positive reviews in Spain, France and Germany. Opinions in Italy, the US and the UK were less positive, but significantly much higher than those of other leaders.

Figures such as China's Xi Jinping, Russia's Vladimir Putin, India's Narendra Modi and Britain's Boris Johnson received negative reviews in all six countries surveyed.

YouGov writes that Merkel's response to climate change and the coronavirus response received favorable reviews, but efforts to address Brexit were viewed less positively.

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