U.S. President Barack Obama is TIME's person of the year for 2012.
In a lengthy piece explaining the choice, TIME highlights the fact that Obama won the 2012 elections contrary to many experts' predictions. TIME's Michael Scherer also argues that Obama is perhaps now more experienced and better positioned to solve some issues which plagued the first four years of his presidency.
"After four of the most challenging years in the nation’s history, his chance to leave office as a great President who was able to face crises and build a new majority coalition remains within reach," concludes Scherer.
Barack Obama is TIME's 2012 Person of the Year | ti.me/VQVajw #POY2012— TIME.com (@TIME) December 19, 2012
Runners up include Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani schoolgirl who raised her voice against the Taliban regime, Egypt's new president Mohamed Morsi, Italian particle physicist Fabiola Gianotti and Apple CEO Tim Cook, who has so far been mostly successful in leading one of the world's largest companies following Steve Jobs' death.
Do you agree with TIME's choice? Do you think someone else was more deserving of the "Person of the Year" title? Share your thoughts in the comments.