Time's 2015 person of the year is German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "In a year where world leaders were tested, no one was tested the way she was," explained Time Editor-in-Chief Nancy Gibbs on NBC's "Today." Merkel managed the economic collapse in Greece this summer, and has been at the forefront of handling Europe's massive refugee influx this fall along with the "return of terrorism" in Europe, Gibbs said. "She has stepped up in a way that was uncharacteristic," Gibbs added, given her history of leading from behind. "Merkel brandished a different set of values -- humanity, generosity, tolerance -- to demonstrate how Germany’s great strength could be used to save, rather than destroy," Gibbs wrote in Time's cover story. Germany is poised to accept up to one million refugees by the end of 2015. France, in comparison, is taking in 30,000 over the next two years. She is the first female POTY in 29 years. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State, made it to Time's number two spot. "This year, he went from building a regional power to building a transnational terrorist franchise. He poses such a significant challenge," Gibbs noted. "We have named great villains in the past, but in his case this is a year in which he has lost ground -- literally -- and his power is part opportunism. He has taken great advantage." Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was Time's third runner-up. "All year long he has been saying things that were disqualifying," Gibbs said. Time has never named a presidential candidate as POTY. Others included on Time's shortlist are Black Lives Matter activists, Caitlyn Jenner, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. _ALSO ON HUFFPOST:_ -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
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