| | | | |  | | By Aitor Hernández-Morales | | Presented by |  | | | |  Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni delivers a statement at the UNFCCC COP29 Climate Conference on Nov. 13, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. | Sean Gallup/Getty Images | SEISMIC SHIFT — POLITICO Europe’s annual ranking of the most influential people in Europe is out today and the list is marked by a conspicuous absence. The familiar faces who typically dominate the power corridors — like the French president or German chancellor — didn’t make the cut. In a continent reeling from economic malaise, wars at its doorstep, the resurgence of the far right and a looming cold shoulder from its longtime ally in Washington, many of Europe’s traditional power players find themselves sidelined. Others — often from unexpected or unconventional quarters — are stepping in to fill the void. When the United States inaugurates Donald Trump again in January, he’ll be faced with a fragmented Europe that looks very different from the last time he took office in 2017, when the continent was still coming to terms with the consequences of Brexit. Trump will have to turn his attention to shifting power centers in 2025. The list of those poised to shape European politics and policy in the year ahead is divided into three categories: Doers (those most adept at imposing their will), Disrupters (those shaking up the status quo), and Dreamers (whose bold ideas are driving the conversation). Together, the 28 power players in those categories are revealing. They show the eastward tilt of Europe’s center of gravity. Four Poles made this list, underscoring Warsaw’s growing relevance. Prime Minister Donald Tusk, last year’s top-ranked figure, has helped shepherd Poland back into the political mainstream. The country’s rise has been further buoyed by a healthy domestic economy and a new European focus on defense and security that seems especially prescient following the reelection of Trump. Sharing a border with Ukraine and Russian ally Belarus, Poland and Tusk have been among Ukraine’s staunchest supporters since 2022 — a stance seemingly not shared by the incoming Trump administration. Tusk said today that he hopes peace talks will begin this winter, and that Warsaw will be heavily involved in any discussions of peace. The list captures another continental trend: the ascent of right-wing populists and ultranationalist figures. These leaders, who have undermined civic rights and targeted minorities and asylum-seekers, have gained traction as centrist leaders flounder. Their presence on this year’s ranking is a stark warning: When traditional politicians fail to provide credible alternatives, populism fills the void. The leader ranked as the most powerful person in Europe this year might come as a surprise — Giorgia Meloni, prime minister of Italy. In less than a decade, the leader of the right-wing Brothers of Italy party has gone from being dismissed as an ultranationalist kook to being elected prime minister and establishing herself as a figure with whom Brussels, and now Washington, can do business. Even as she has tacked to the center, Meloni has been on the forefront of a wave that is dragging European politics toward the far right. Indeed, since her election in 2022, the Italian prime minister has introduced policies on issues like migration and LGBTQ+ rights that would once have drawn condemnation from Brussels. Instead, the reaction from European Union leaders has ranged from indifference to approval, with many accepting Meloni as the palatable representative of the ever-more-radical zeitgeist blossoming on both sides of the Atlantic. You can read more about Meloni and the most influential people in Europe here, and the methodology behind this snapshot of power. Welcome to POLITICO Nightly. Reach out with news, tips and ideas at nightly@politico.com. Or contact tonight’s author at ahernandez@politico.eu or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @aitorehm.
| | | | A message from American Beverage: America’s beverage companies – The Coca-Cola Company, Keurig Dr Pepper and PepsiCo – are iconic American companies making American products with American workers in America’s hometowns. And we’re committed to doing our part to address today’s health challenges. We’ve taken real steps for more than a decade to transform the beverage aisle, like offering smaller portion sizes, more zero-sugar options and putting nutrition information right up front. Explore more at BalanceUS.org. | | | | | — McConnell falls and sprains wrist but has been ‘cleared to resume his schedule’: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell tripped and fell as he was leaving a Senate GOP lunch today, cutting his face and spraining his wrist, according to a spokesperson for the Kentucky Republican. “He has been cleared to resume his schedule,” the spokesperson added. McConnell walked out of the meeting himself alongside Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and was attended by medical personnel in his office. He did not attend the weekly Senate GOP press conference, which he typically leads. — House task force releases final report on Trump Pennsylvania assassination attempt: The July 13 attempted assassination of Donald Trump was “preventable and should not have happened,” according to a final report from a House task force investigating the two attempts during this year’s presidential campaign. “The various failures in planning, execution, and leadership on and before July 13, 2024, and the preexisting conditions that undermined the effectiveness of the human and material assets deployed that day, coalesced to create an environment in which the former President — and everyone at the campaign event — were exposed to grave danger,” the House panel said in its report. — Manhattan DA urges judge not to toss out guilty verdict in Trump hush money case: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg says Donald Trump’s imminent return to the presidency is not a reason to throw out the 34-count conviction that jurors delivered in the hush money case earlier this year. Bragg conceded in a court filing that Trump cannot be sentenced while he is president. But he said Justice Juan Merchan has a variety of options to put the case on hold during Trump’s second term — and then issue a sentence after he leaves office in January 2029.
| | | | Billions in spending. Critical foreign aid. Immigration reform. The final weeks of 2024 could bring major policy changes. Inside Congress provides daily insights into how Congressional leaders are navigating these high-stakes issues. Subscribe today. | | | | | | | | | NEW BLOOD — President-elect Donald Trump is considering replacing Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan with Andrew Ferguson. Trump has not made a final decision and is set to meet with Ferguson this afternoon, according to a person familiar with the meeting who was granted anonymity to discuss the potential nomination. A decision could come soon. If selected, Ferguson won’t need Senate confirmation since he is already on the commission. Ferguson, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, is well-known in Republican circles. He previously did stints as chief counsel for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and was the former solicitor general for Virginia. Ferguson was also a senior special counsel for incoming Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). INTERNAL DISPUTE — The fight over the heart of Donald Trump’s sprawling legislative agenda is publicly pitting the House GOP’s top tax writer against pretty much everyone else. House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith, a close Trump ally who is playing a lead role in drafting potential tax cuts, is facing off against incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune over what should take priority once Republicans take back power next year. Smith wants to take one big swing at passing conservative priorities including changes to tax, border and energy policy. Thune, backed by incoming Budget Chair Lindsey Graham and incoming White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller, among others, is trying to rally the party behind a two-step plan in which tax fights would be resolved at the end so they don’t hold up other items on the GOP’s wish list. JUDGE AND JURY — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the latest Donald Trump Cabinet pick facing trouble in the Senate. At least three closely watched senators are noncommittal about confirming the vaccine critic, who’s being considered to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Those include swing votes like Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, as well as Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician who will chair a committee that could host confirmation hearings for Kennedy. Kennedy can afford to lose only three Republicans during his confirmation if all Senate Democrats vote against him. This group of senators closely resembles those who weren’t sold on former Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general or have questioned defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth.
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French President Emmanuel Macron attends a military ceremony Nov. 5, 2024, in Paris. | Michel Euler, Pool via AP | READY TO GO — If the rebel forces that overthrew Syria’s regime start fighting among themselves, Qatar may step in to mediate, a top official indicated today. “We never say no,” Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said in an interview with POLITICO in his office in Doha when asked about the possibility. The toppling of dictator Bashar al-Assad last weekend has brought a wave of joy for the long suffering people of Syria. But there are fears, especially among neighboring states, that the factions that pushed out Assad in a lightning offensive could start battling each other for power, leading to new violence. Al-Ansari confirmed that Qatari officials are already in contact with groups in Syria, though he declined to name which ones. “We are in touch with all the relevant parties on the ground,” he said. His comments come after Reuters reported Monday that Qatar is in touch with the leading rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Qatar, an energy-rich Gulf Arab country, has a long history of acting as a go-between for feuding parties, including Israel and Hamas as they fight in Gaza. Serving as an intermediary in Syria could make Qatar an even more important partner for the United States, which often turns to it for help in dealing with adversaries. THE NEXT 48 — French President Emmanuel Macron is looking to name a new prime minister in the next 48 hours, he said at a gathering with leaders from across the political spectrum this afternoon. Lawmakers from the Greens and the conservative Les Républicains confirmed that Macron shared his self-imposed deadline during today’s meeting at the Elysée palace, which the president called as part of an effort to end the political crisis following Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s ouster on Wednesday. It is unclear who would succeed Barnier. Several candidates have been floated in French media, among them former Justice Minister François Bayrou and current Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu.
| | | | Write your own chapter in the new Washington. From the Lame Duck Congress Series to New Administration insights, POLITICO Pro delivers intelligence across 22+ policy areas to help you anticipate and navigate change. Discover how a Pro subscription empowers you. Learn more today. | | | | | | | | | | | | | RAGE REVENUE — Creators are learning that more controversy equals more dollars. Winta Zesu, a 24-year-old social media influencer, has made $150,000 off posting alone — and she does so by purposefully seeking “rage bait”. Her method consists of “getting a lot of hate,” playing up being a New York City model whose biggest problem is being too pretty. Zesu is among a growing number of creators who spend their time producing videos, memes, and writing posts that orchestrate a sea of controversy for millions of shares and likes. For the BBC, Sam Gruet and Megan Lawton, explain how rage bait takes on many forms from outrageous food recipes, celebrity gossip, and even politics.
| | |  On this date in 1976: Novelist Saul Bellow laughs as his wife Alexandra adjusts his tie at a gala at Stockholm's City Hall in honor of Nobel Prize winners. Bellow won the Nobel Prize in literature. | AP | | | | | A message from American Beverage: America’s beverage companies are committed to delivering families the freedom to choose the beverage that’s right for them. And it’s working. Thanks to our innovation, nearly 60% of the beverages Americans buy have no sugar or calories.
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