Political power list 2025: Who gained influence and who lost; surprise new power centres

By late 2025, political power looks less concentrated than it did even a few years ago. Big states still matter. So do familiar leaders. But influence is now more scattered, more regional, and often shaped by economic leverage rather than formal alliances. Some figures gained ground this year. Others lost it. A few unexpected places became power centres in their own right.

Leaders who gained influence in 2025

Some leaders strengthened their standing by holding domestic support or by sitting at useful geopolitical crossroads.

In India, Narendra Modi remained a central figure. His approval ratings stayed high through 2025, exemplified by the BJP's wins in New Delhi and Bihar.

In the United States, Donald Trump returned to office in January. His trade-first approach and renewed tariff pressure have reshaped negotiations with both allies and rivals.

Japan saw a change at the top too. Sanae Takaichi, the country’s first female prime minister, raised Japan’s profile by pushing a firmer defence policy and a more active role in the Indo-Pacific.

In Argentina, Javier Milei became more visible globally after his bloc performed strongly in the mid-term elections. His economic agenda drew attention well beyond Latin America.

In Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum kept approval levels high and benefited from companies shifting manufacturing closer to the US market.

Leaders whose political power declined

In the UK, Keir Starmer’s support slipped as economic and immigration pressures grew louder. His authority weakened with it.

China’s Xi Jinping faced a harder year - shaped by slower growth, industrial overcapacity, and renewed US trade pressure. China’s international image has also softened.

Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy remained a symbol of resistance. But diplomatic influence narrowed as war fatigue spread.

Elsewhere in Canada, Justin Trudeau stepped aside in March - ending his long run at the centre of power.

Surprise power centres shaping 2025

South Africa gained weight as G20 host. Vietnam and Malaysia benefited from supply chain shifts.

An informal China–Russia–Iran–North Korea alignment hardened. Inside the US, Florida emerged as a Republican policy hub.

The picture for 2025 is not one of a single order replacing another. It is a landscape of fragments, overlaps, and short-term advantage - with power moving faster, and settling less often.