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Angela Merkel Named TIME magazine's Person Of The Year

Angela Merkel has been named TIME magazine's Person of the Year for 2015 and has been dubbed "Chancellor of the Free World".

"Germany has spent the past 70 years testing antidotes to its toxically nationalist, militarist, genocidal past," wrote TIME's Nancy Gibbs, who explained her handling of several international crises, Greece’s potential bankruptcy, the European refugee influx, and Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.

"Merkel brandished a different set of values—humanity, generosity, tolerance—to demonstrate how Germany’s great strength could be used to save, rather than destroy."

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While a number of women have been given the title as part of a group through the years, the German Chancellor is only the fourth woman to receive the title as an individual and it has been almost thirty years since the last.

Corazon Aquino, President of the Philippines was named Woman of the Year in 1986 (when the title was still labelled 'Man of the Year' - TIME changed it to 'Person' in 1999).

Before Aquino it was Queen Elizabeth II in 1952 and the first ever recipient was Wallis Simpson in 1936.

Wallis Simpson was TIME's first Woman of the Year in 1936. Photo: TIME

Queen Elizabeth II covered the issue in 1952. Photo: TIME

Corazon Aquino, President of the Philippines was the last woman to receive the title in 1986. Photo: TIME

This year's shortlist included Uber’s CEO, the leader of ISIS, and Vanity Fair’s groundbreaking cover star Caitlyn Jenner and Donald Trump, who was gracious in defeat... not.