Putin named ‘most powerful person in the world’ for a second time

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has been named the most powerful person in the world for a second year in a row.

US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinpin came second and third respectively in the Forbes list, which has named Putin top two years running.

President Putin caused an international outcry last June when he signed into law a bill banning the “promotion of non-traditional relationships” to minors.

Following his signing of the law, LGBT rights advocates around the globe called for a boycott of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics which took place earlier this year.

Campaigns have also called for Russia to lose the 2018 World Cup over the law.

The number of anti-LGBT hate crimes have increased since Putin signed the bill into law, which he has denied is anti-gay.

Forbes also noted that Putin was in the top three of the its list in 2011 and 2012.