Who are the nominees for Time's 2022 Person of the Year?


Time has released its shortlist for the 2022 Person of the Year. Here's a quick look into the nominees:
Xi Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who was on the shortlist in 2019, is back. He broke precedent by gaining a third term as the leader of the Chinese Communist Party as well as solidified his intention to not provide Taiwan with independence. He also called Russian President Vladimir Putin an "old friend" following his invasion of Ukraine and is facing protests and backlash because of his controversial "zero COVID" policy.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The U.S. Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has been incredibly influential this year due to its conservative supermajority. It made controversial rulings like overturning Roe v. Wade (1973) and reducing the power of the Environmental Protection Agency in West Virginia v. EPA (2022). The Court is continuing to hear potentially landmark cases involving affirmative action, voting rights, and freedom of religion.
Elon Musk
Tech billionaire Elon Musk has garnered controversy surrounding his takeover of Twitter. He declared Twitter a safe haven for free speech and reinstated a number of previously banned accounts, including former President Donald Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). He also removed Twitter's COVID misinformation policy and laid off half of Twitter's staff.
Liz Cheney
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wy.) has led the House's Jan. 6 committee. She has dedicated herself to preventing Trump's re-election and in turn, lost her House seat as well as caucus leadership. Despite this, Cheney has said she will do "whatever it takes to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office."
Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has captured the world's attention amid his nation's fight against Russia, including joining the front lines. Zelensky has continued to be vocal about the intensity of the conflict and has repeatedly encouraged the Ukrainian people.
MacKenzie Scott
The ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, MacKenzie Scott used her 4 percent stake in Amazon to become one of the biggest philanthropists in the world. Scott has given away approximately $12.8 billion to charity including $84.5 million to the Girl Scouts and $122.6 million to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Protesters in Iran
The Iranian people have been protesting for months against the country's oppressive government following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini at the hands of the morality police. The protests have garnered worldwide support and have led Iran to examine its law requiring women to wear hijabs.
Ron DeSantis
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) won his re-election bid by a very comfortable margin, growing his momentum as a top contender for the Republican presidential nomination. DeSantis also sparked controversy by flying migrants to locations across the country including Martha's Vineyard.
Gun safety advocates
The U.S. has experienced over 600 mass shootings this year, which has sparked a number of protests across the country. Some of the more notable ones were the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, as well as the Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs, Colorado. On June 11, over 400 protests took place across the country and President Biden signed a bipartisan gun control bill.
Janet Yellen
In 2021 Janet Yellen became the first woman Treasury Secretary in U.S. history. She has been a vital source in tracking whether a recession is coming due to the high inflation rates. Yellen has endorsed Biden's financial plan and spoken about the inherent biases in the economic system.
The Person of the Year will be announced on Dec. 7.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
'There are thorns among the grains'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Work life: Caution settles on the job market
Feature The era of job-hopping for bigger raises is coming to an end as workers face shrinking salaries and fewer opportunities to move up
By The Week US Published
-
Scientists map miles of wiring in mouse brain
Speed Read Researchers have created the 'largest and most detailed wiring diagram of a mammalian brain to date,' said Nature
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
18 slang words and phrases we can thank (or blame) Gen Z for
In Depth Younger Americans have put their stamp on our language with these neologisms
By David Faris Published
-
Inside the contested birth years of generations
The Explainer Battles over where Gen Z ends and Gens Alpha and Beta begin remain ongoing
By David Faris Published
-
10 upcoming albums to stream in the hazy spring
The Week Recommends Ring in the end of the cold weather with some new music
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Museum exhibitions across the globe are in artful bloom this spring. These are 5 to experience.
The Week Recommends See treasures from ancient Japan, Versailles and the Forbidden City
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
25 things Andrew Tate has said about women
IN DEPTH The accused rapist and sex trafficking influencer has a long and well-documented history of commercializing his misogyny for an audience of susceptible young men
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
10 concert tours to see this spring
The Week Recommends As winter comes to an end, check out a variety of live performances
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Movies to watch in March, including 'Mickey 17' and 'The Woman in the Yard'
The Week Recommends The much-anticipated 'Parasite' follow-up, a new Jaume Collet-Serra horror and a bizarro parenthood trial
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Will Amazon destroy James Bond?
Talking Point Broccoli family yields control of franchise to tech giant, sparking fears of corporate 'Americanisation' of beloved British icon
By The Week UK Published