It was a year of open doors and slippery floors. ⁣ ⁣ The 2025 Forbes World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list tells a complicated story. On one hand, we are witnessing history: Sanae Takaichi has shattered the glass ceiling in Japan as its first female Prime Minister, and Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has taken office as Namibia’s first female President—bringing a record number of women into her cabinet with her. ⁣ ⁣ But for every step forward, the political ground shifted beneath others. High-profile leaders in Thailand and Indonesia were ousted abruptly. ⁣ ⁣ Read more about how women's political power faced a fractured year at the link in the bio. #PowerWomen⁣ ⁣ Illustrations: Oriana Fenwick for Forbes