Tsai Ing-wen — Former Taiwan President

Though succeeded as Taiwan's president in May 2024 by Lai Ching-te, Tsai Ing-wen remained deeply influential in 2025 as a global advocate for Taiwan's democratic sovereignty and a senior Democratic Progressive Party leader. She conducted an international speaking tour in 2025, meeting heads of state and legislators across the US, Europe, and Asia. Her decade of leadership had done more than any other individual to secure broad international recognition of Taiwan's distinct democratic identity.