Who are the rising stars in current affairs?

There’s no single global shortlist: “rising star” can mean an emerging politician, activist, diplomat, or public voice, and the names change quickly. If you mean politics, two figures whose prominence rose sharply in recent years are Claudia Sheinbaum and Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Sheinbaum won Mexico’s 2024 presidential election and became the country’s first woman president. Dissanayake won Sri Lanka’s 2024 presidential election, campaigning on promises to tackle corruption and economic hardship. Their influence will depend on what they achieve in office, not just the attention their election wins brought.

For a broader list, it helps to narrow the question by region or field. The people to watch in international politics may be quite different from those gaining ground in climate activism or public policy.