No one goes into politics to get rich, but politicians happen to be some of the wealthiest figures around the globe.

German newspaper Die Welt’s World’s Luxury Guide section recently released a list of the world’s richest politicians, and from local officials and parliamentarians to foreign ministers and royal heirs, the list includes newcomers and regulars alike.

Leaders without any real involvement in matters of state, like Bhumibol Adulyad, King of Thailand were excluded from the list.

Gallery: Meet the 23 richest politicians in the world

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#23: John Kerry
#22: Jane Harman
#21: Michael McCaul
#20: Darrell Issa
#19: Asif Ali Zardari
#18: Kostyantin Zhevago
#17: Andrei Molchanov
#16: Lu Guanqiu
#15: Sebastian Pinera
#14: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
#13: Suleiman Kerimov
#12: Wu Yajun
#11: Prince Hans-Adam II
#10: Silvio Berlusconi
#9: Serge Dassault
#8: Zong Qinghou
#7: Savitri Jindal
#6: Vladimir Putin
#5: Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed al Nahyan
#4: Sonia Gandhi
#3: Michael Bloomberg
#2: Hassanal Bolkiah
#1: King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud

Source: World’s Luxury Guide (based on OpenSecrets.org, Forbes.com, Bloomberg.com, Wikipedia.org, Guardian.co.uk)

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#23: John Kerry

#22: Jane Harman

#21: Michael McCaul

#20: Darrell Issa

#19: Asif Ali Zardari

#18: Kostyantin Zhevago

#17: Andrei Molchanov

#16: Lu Guanqiu

#15: Sebastian Pinera

#14: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

#13: Suleiman Kerimov

#12: Wu Yajun

#11: Prince Hans-Adam II

#10: Silvio Berlusconi

#9: Serge Dassault

#8: Zong Qinghou

#7: Savitri Jindal

#6: Vladimir Putin

#5: Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed al Nahyan

#4: Sonia Gandhi

#3: Michael Bloomberg

#2: Hassanal Bolkiah

#1: King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.