01 June 2017
New global study also reveals top 10 most-followed world leaders on social media

By Mariam M. Al Serkal, Senior Web Reporter

Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai has become the most-followed Arab leader on Twitter.

According to Burson-Marsteller’s 2017 Twiplomacy study, which was released on Wednesday, Shaikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) has 7.9 million followers ahead of Jordan’s @QueenRania and @KingSalman with 6 million followers each.

@QueenRania was the second-most followed female world leader after India’s Foreign Minister @SushmaSwaraj, who was also the most followed foreign minister, with 8 million followers.

Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation,, @ABZayed, was the second-most followed foreign minister with 3.9 million followers, followed by Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister @AdelAljubeir with 1.3 million followers.

Most followed world leaders

Pope Francis, @Pontifex, has become the most followed world leader with more than 33.7 million followers on his nine language accounts. His official accounts consist of daily thoughts and prayers in 140 characters in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish.  

US President Donald Trump, @realDonaldTrump, was the second-most followed world leader, with 30.1 million followers on his personal Twitter account.

The third-most followed world leader was Indian Prime Minister @NarendraModi who has 30 million followers on his personal account and 18 million followers on his institutional account, @PMOIndia, which was ranked at fourth place.

Completing the top 10 list of most-followed world leaders were Shaikh Mohammed and Indonesian President Joko Widodo, @Jokowi, with more than seven million followers each.

© Gulf News 2017