TIME 100 Egyptian Presidential Candidate Leads TIME 100 Poll
Correction Appended, April 16. Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, the man largely responsible for ousting the former president of Egypt in a coup d'etat last year holds a commanding lead in the TIME 100 reader poll, with pop icons Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga neck and neck close behind. Though the final TIME 100 list of the most influential people of the year worldwide is always ultimately chosen by the editors, TIME seeks the input of readers in an online poll. The recording artist Rihanna, who made the TIME 100 in 2012, is currently in fourth place, followed by actor Benedict Cumberbatch, whose TIME cover last year proved um divisive among his fans. Next down the list are Beyonce and Miley Cyrus followed by the only other non-pop icon in the top 10, the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has made headlines in recent weeks by unrepentantly banning social media in his country. Singers Katy Perry and Taylor Swift round out the top 10. Polls closed at 1159 p.m. on April 22, with the final winner announced April 23. We'll announce our official TIME 100 list on April 24. Correction The original version of this story incorrectly referred to Abdul Fattah al-Sisi. He is the former defense minister of Egypt and a presidential candidate.