Prime Minister Gordon Brown

In third place, King Abdallah II of Jordan.  This week, the King appointed Nasser al-Lozi chief of the royal court, replacing Bassam Awadallah, who was dismissed last week. Awadallah had drawn criticism for his aggressive promotion of privatisation. His Palestinian background also made him an outsider to the traditional tribal elite. By appointing al-Lozi, a former minister with an extensive private-sector background and an impeccable tribal pedigree, Abdallah is hoping he can placate the tribal elite whilst keeping his economic reform programme on track.

Second place goes to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.  Candidates from Lula’s Workers Party (PT) put in an impressive performance in municipal elections held over last weekend, wining six of Brazil’s 27 state capitals.  While the PT notably failed to win in Sao Paulo, it will control some 600 municipalities in total, up from 392 at present.  The election of the president's allies in major cities is in large part attributable to Lula's personal popularity; one poll taken last week put his approval rating at over 80%.   The elections will contribute to Lula’s political strength, and while the president himself is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term, they will make it difficult for the opposition to increase its congressional representation and try to recapture the presidency in general elections in 2010.

In first place, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.  As predicted in the World Next Week, the prospect of meltdown in the British economy appears to have helped reinvigorate Brown’s premiership.  While few believe that the prime minister has any chance of winning the next general election, a recent opinion poll has nonetheless revealed that a majority of the UK public consider Brown to have handled the financial crisis well.  In recent week’s, Brown has also been able to re-establish a degree of control over his party.  After an impressive performance at the Labour Party Conference last month, Brown this week reshuffled his cabinet, controversially bringing back Peter Mandelson.  While a divisive figure, Mandelson brings to the government a degree of tactical sophistication that has hitherto been lacking in the government.  The Parliamentary Labour Party -- much of which has been clamouring for a leadership contest -- was quick to reward Brown’s efforts, with one MP declaring that "hostilities are over". Whether anyone would want Brown’s job, however, with economic storm clouds billowing, remains to be seen.