From a corporate point of view, political donations and PR are a substitute for tax payments. They don’t want to pay taxes when they spend equivalent amounts on influence.
In my opinion the intersection of political money and power is concentrated not with US Political Action Committee money but more broadly the Swiss based World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders (and Global Leaders for Tomorrow) alumni who went on to become Heads of State or Heads of Government, showing their name, country, and dates in office.\:
Presidents (Heads of State)
* Emmanuel Macron – France (2017–present)
* Carlos Alvarado Quesada – Costa Rica (2018–2022)
* Enrique Peña Nieto – Mexico (2012–2018)
* Mikheil Saakashvili – Georgia (2004–2013)
Monarchs (Heads of State)
* King Frederik X – Denmark (2024–present)
* King Willem-Alexander – Netherlands (2013–present)
* King Haakon VIII – Norway (current)
* King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck – Bhutan (2006–present)
Prime Ministers and Chancellors (Heads of Government)
* Jacinda Ardern – New Zealand (2017–2023)
* Sanna Marin – Finland (2019–2023)
* Justin Trudeau – Canada (2015–2025)
* Sebastian Kurz – Austria (2017–2019, 2020–2021)
* Alexander De Croo – Belgium (2020–2025)
* Leo Varadkar – Ireland (2017–2020, 2022–2024)
* Matteo Renzi – Italy (2014–2016)
* Mark Rutte – Netherlands (2010–2024)
* Andy Burnham – United Kingdom (2026–present)
* Igor Lukšić – Montenegro (2010–2012)
* Gabriel Attal – France (2024)
Global Leaders for Tomorrow Alumni (1993–2003)
* Angela Merkel – Germany (2005–2021)
* Tony Blair – United Kingdom (1997–2007)
* David Cameron – United Kingdom (2010–2016)
* José María Aznar – Spain (1996–2004)
* Viktor Orbán – Hungary (1998–2002, 2010–present)
* Nicolas Sarkozy – France (2007–2012)
* Vladimir Putin – Russia (1999–2008, 2012–present)
Here is the condensed list of prominent American political figures who are alumni of the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders program:
* Pete Buttigieg
* Tulsi Gabbard
* Gavin Newsom
* Nikki Haley
* Dan Crenshaw
In my opinion political and economic power: "It’s a big club, and you (we) ain’t in it," famously delivered by comedian George Carlin
The USA is the example of extreme financial interference in the western democracies. If only there was a way to collect the $$ and use it for good, like feeding kids or heaven forbid reducing Healthcare costs. One can only dream.
From a corporate point of view, political donations and PR are a substitute for tax payments. They don’t want to pay taxes when they spend equivalent amounts on influence.
In my opinion the intersection of political money and power is concentrated not with US Political Action Committee money but more broadly the Swiss based World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders (and Global Leaders for Tomorrow) alumni who went on to become Heads of State or Heads of Government, showing their name, country, and dates in office.\:
Presidents (Heads of State)
* Emmanuel Macron – France (2017–present)
* Carlos Alvarado Quesada – Costa Rica (2018–2022)
* Enrique Peña Nieto – Mexico (2012–2018)
* Mikheil Saakashvili – Georgia (2004–2013)
Monarchs (Heads of State)
* King Frederik X – Denmark (2024–present)
* King Willem-Alexander – Netherlands (2013–present)
* King Haakon VIII – Norway (current)
* King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck – Bhutan (2006–present)
Prime Ministers and Chancellors (Heads of Government)
* Jacinda Ardern – New Zealand (2017–2023)
* Sanna Marin – Finland (2019–2023)
* Justin Trudeau – Canada (2015–2025)
* Sebastian Kurz – Austria (2017–2019, 2020–2021)
* Alexander De Croo – Belgium (2020–2025)
* Leo Varadkar – Ireland (2017–2020, 2022–2024)
* Matteo Renzi – Italy (2014–2016)
* Mark Rutte – Netherlands (2010–2024)
* Andy Burnham – United Kingdom (2026–present)
* Igor Lukšić – Montenegro (2010–2012)
* Gabriel Attal – France (2024)
Global Leaders for Tomorrow Alumni (1993–2003)
* Angela Merkel – Germany (2005–2021)
* Tony Blair – United Kingdom (1997–2007)
* David Cameron – United Kingdom (2010–2016)
* José María Aznar – Spain (1996–2004)
* Viktor Orbán – Hungary (1998–2002, 2010–present)
* Nicolas Sarkozy – France (2007–2012)
* Vladimir Putin – Russia (1999–2008, 2012–present)
Here is the condensed list of prominent American political figures who are alumni of the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders program:
* Pete Buttigieg
* Tulsi Gabbard
* Gavin Newsom
* Nikki Haley
* Dan Crenshaw
In my opinion political and economic power: "It’s a big club, and you (we) ain’t in it," famously delivered by comedian George Carlin
The USA is the example of extreme financial interference in the western democracies. If only there was a way to collect the $$ and use it for good, like feeding kids or heaven forbid reducing Healthcare costs. One can only dream.
We haven’t had an ‘efficient market’ since the wolf of Wall Street!