The Taoiseach was celebrated as a symbol of Ireland's changing values and for his role in the Brexit negotiations.
Leo Varadkar has been named as one of TIME magazine's 100 most influential people of 2018.
Featured in the category of leaders, the Taoiseach appears alongside Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Justin Trudeau, Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un. Also appearing on the list are Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, A Quiet Place director John Krasinski, Hugh Jackman and Gal Godot.
With each person being given a write-up by another notable public figure, Varadkar's impact on Irish and global politics was detailed by Sunday Independent political correspondent and co-author of the book, Leo: A Very Modern Taoiseach.
"When Ireland finally decriminalized homosexuality in 1993, the Catholic Church still had a firm grip on the state's affairs," Ryan wrote.
"Twenty-five years on, Ireland is a very different place - symbolized by the rise of its new leader, Leo Varadkar. The openly gay son of an Indian immigrant, Varadkar decided to come out publicly in the run-up to the world’s first marriage-equality referendum. Today the once anti-abortion politician is campaigning to significantly liberalize the country’s abortion laws."
Championing the Taoiseach for being at the centre of the Brexit negotiations, while also pointing out that he faces the housing and homeless crises, Ryan concluded that "The country's youngest-ever Taoiseach will be judged on how he guides his nation through these challenges."
The Taoiseach was previously featured on the
magazine's cover back in July 2017, in which he discussed Brexit, wearing socks and the
controversial planning permission phone call he received from Donald Trump while acting as Minister for Tourism.
