The mayor of Prague, Zdeněk Hřib, found himself on the prestigious list of the 28 most influential people in Europe, according to a ranking from Politico.eu . The website listed him in 9th place in the category of the “dreamers” and chose German Chancellor Angela Merkel as the most influential figure. Among the winners in three different categories is also the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán, the French President Emmanuel Macron, and the writer J. K. Rowling.
The ranking is divided into three categories, which are the “doers”, the “disrupters”, and the “dreamers”.
“Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib wants to make the Czech capital the shining city on a hill, a beacon of hope for liberals in a region sliding toward right-wing authoritarianism,” comments Politico on the reason why it included Hřib in the dreamers’ category.
According to Politico, among other things, Hřib spent the last two years antagonizing Moscow and Beijing populists. The publication praised his courage.
“Even as powers like Germany ignore China’s human rights abuses, Hřib, 39, is putting his city’s economy on the line to take on Beijing,” the European version of the news platform writes.
Hřib had already drawn the attention of the world’s leading media several times in the past. Under his leadership, Prague terminated the partnership agreement with China, which led to a dispute with the Asian superpower. Hřib subsequently began to turn the focus of the Czech capital to the island of Taiwan , whose territory China is claiming. Hřib also came to the fore when Prague 6 district decided to remove the statue of Soviet Marshal Konev , supporting the step that angered Russian officials.
“It is, of course, a great honor for me to be part of the list of the 28 most influential Europeans compiled by Politico,” commented the mayor of Prague for the Seznam Zprávy online daily.
“I approach this with respect, and I want people to know that I do not intend to stop in my efforts to move Prague forward,” added Hřib.
Other European politicians, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, are also included in the ranking.
According to Politico, overall, the most powerful European person is German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“Nothing better reflects the state of European politics today than the fact that a lame duck is its standard-bearer,” writes Politico in Merkel’s assessment, referring to her announced departure from politics next year.
In recent years, the Czech Republic was represented in the Politico list by European Commissioner Věra Jourová and MEP Dita Charanzová.
Title image: In this file photo taken Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, mayor of Prague Zdenek Hrib, left, and Taipei city mayor Ko Wen-je watch the historical astronomical clock before signing a partnership agreement between the two cities at the Old Town Square in Prague, Czech Republic. Shanghai ended its relations with Prague on Tuesday after the Czech capital chose to partner with Taipei instead of Beijing. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File)
