Angela Dorothea Merkel (German: [aŋˈɡɪːla doʁoˈteːa ˈmɛʁkl̩] ;[a] née Kasner; born 17 July 1954) is a German retired politician who served as Chancellor of Germany from 2005 to 2021 and was the first woman to hold that office. She previously served as Leader of the Opposition from 2002 to 2005 and as Leader of the Christian Democratic Union from 2000 to 2018.[9] During her chancellorship, Merkel was frequently referred to as the de facto leader of the European Union (EU) and the most powerful woman in the world. Beginning in 2016, she was often described as the leader of the free world.[10]
Angela Merkel | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Merkel in 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chancellor of Germany | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 22 November 2005 – 8 December 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
President | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vice Chancellor | See list
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Gerhard Schröder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Olaf Scholz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of the Christian Democratic Union | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 10 April 2000 – 7 December 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General Secretary | See list
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | See list | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Wolfgang Schäuble | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of the Opposition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 22 September 2002 – 22 November 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chancellor | Gerhard Schröder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Friedrich Merz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Wolfgang Gerhardt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of the CDU/CSU in the Bundestag | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 22 September 2002 – 21 November 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Deputy | Michael Glos | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chief Whip |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Friedrich Merz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Volker Kauder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Member of the Bundestag for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 20 December 1990 – 26 October 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Constituency established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Anna Kassautzki | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Constituency |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Angela Dorothea Kasner 17 July 1954 Hamburg, West Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Christian Democratic Union (since 1990) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other political affiliations |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouses | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Residence(s) | Am Kupfergraben, Berlin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | Leipzig University (BS) German Academy of Sciences at Berlin (Dr. rer. nat.)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Awards | Full list | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Signature | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | Official website | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Scientific career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fields | Quantum chemistry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thesis | Study of the mechanism of decay reactions with single bond rupture and calculation of their rate constants based on quantum chemical and statistical methods (1986) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Doctoral advisor | Lutz Zülicke | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Merkel was born in Hamburg in West Germany. Her family moved to East Germany when she was an infant. Merkel obtained a doctorate in quantum chemistry in 1986 and worked as a research scientist until 1989.[11] She then entered politics in the wake of the Revolutions of 1989, briefly serving as deputy spokeswoman for the first democratically elected government of East Germany led by Lothar de Maizière. Following German reunification in 1990, Merkel was elected to the Bundestag for the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. As the protégée of chancellor Helmut Kohl, Merkel was appointed as Minister for Women and Youth in 1991, later becoming Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety in 1994. After the CDU lost the 1998 federal election, Merkel was elected general secretary of the party. She then became the party's first female leader, and the first female Leader of the Opposition, two years later.
Following the 2005 federal election, Merkel was elected chancellor, leading a grand coalition consisting of the CDU, the Christian Social Union (CSU), and the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). She was the first woman to be elected chancellor, and the first chancellor of reunified Germany to have been raised in the former East Germany.[b] In the 2009 federal election, the CDU obtained the largest share of the vote, and Merkel subsequently formed a coalition government with the Free Democratic Party (FDP), an alliance more favourable to the CDU than the grand coalition.[13] In the 2013 federal election, the CDU won a landslide victory and formed a second grand coalition with the SPD, after the FDP lost all of its representation in the Bundestag.[14] In the 2017 federal election, Merkel led the CDU to become the largest party for the fourth time, resulting in the formation of a third grand coalition with the SPD.[15]
In foreign policy, Merkel emphasised international cooperation, both in the context of the EU and NATO, and the strengthening of transatlantic economic relations. In 2008, Merkel served as president of the European Council and played a central role in the negotiation of the Treaty of Lisbon and the Berlin Declaration. Merkel's governments managed the global 2007–2008 financial crisis and the European debt crisis. She negotiated the 2008 European Union stimulus plan, which focused on infrastructure spending and public investment to counteract the Great Recession. In domestic policy, Merkel's Energiewende program supported the development of renewable energy sources and eventually phased out the use of nuclear power in Germany. Reforms to the Bundeswehr, health care reform, the 2010s European migrant crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic were major issues during her chancellorship. Merkel stepped down as leader of the CDU in 2018 and did not seek a fifth term as chancellor in the 2021 federal election.
Background and early life
Merkel was born Angela Dorothea Kasner in 1954, in Hamburg, West Germany, the daughter of Horst Kasner (1926–2011; né Kaźmierczak),[16][17] a Lutheran pastor and a native of Berlin, and his wife Herlind (1928–2019; née Jentzsch), born in Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland), a teacher of English and Latin. She has two younger siblings, Marcus Kasner, a physicist, and Irene Kasner, an occupational therapist. In her childhood and youth, Merkel was known among her peers by the nickname "Kasi", derived from her last name Kasner.[18][page needed][19]
Merkel is of German and Polish descent. Her paternal grandfather, Ludwik Kasner, was a German policeman of Polish ethnicity. After being captured in France during World War I, he joined the Blue Army and likely fought against Germany.[20][21] He married Merkel's grandmother Margarethe, a German from Berlin, and relocated to her hometown where he again worked in the police. In 1930, they Germanised the Polish name Kaźmierczak to Kasner.[22][23][24][25] Merkel's maternal grandparents were the Danzig politician Willi Jentzsch and Gertrud Alma (née Drange), a daughter of the city clerk of Elbing (now Elbląg, Poland) Emil Drange. Since the mid-1990s, Merkel has publicly mentioned her Polish heritage on several occasions and described herself as a quarter Polish, but her Polish roots became better known as a result of a 2013 biography.[26]
Religion played a key role in the Kasner family's migration from West Germany to East Germany.[27] Merkel's paternal grandfather was originally Catholic but the entire family converted to Lutheranism during the childhood of her father,[23] who later studied Lutheran theology in Heidelberg and Hamburg. In 1954, when Angela was just three months old, her father received a pastorate at the church in Quitzow [de] (a district of Perleberg in Brandenburg), which was then in East Germany.[28] The family moved to Templin and Merkel grew up in the countryside 90 km (56 mi) north of East Berlin.[28]
In 1968, Merkel joined the Free German Youth (FDJ), the official communist youth movement sponsored by the ruling Marxist–Leninist Socialist Unity Party of Germany.[29][30] Membership was nominally voluntary, but those who did not join found it difficult to gain admission to higher education.[31] She did not participate in the secular coming-of-age ceremony Jugendweihe, however, which was common in East Germany. Instead, she was confirmed.[32] During this time, she participated in several compulsory courses on Marxism–Leninism, with her grades only being regarded as "sufficient".[33] Merkel later said that "Life in the GDR was sometimes almost comfortable in a certain way, because there were some things one simply couldn't influence."[34] Merkel learned to speak Russian fluently at school, and she was awarded prizes for her proficiency in Russian and mathematics, being at the top of her class in these subjects. She completed her school education with the best possible average Abitur grade of 1.0.[35]
Academic career
Merkel continued her education at Karl Marx University, Leipzig, where she studied physics from 1973 to 1978.[28] While a student, she participated in the reconstruction of the ruin of the Moritzbastei, a project students initiated to create their own club and recreation facility on campus. Such an initiative was unprecedented in the GDR of that period, and initially resisted by the university. With backing of the local leadership of the SED party, the project was allowed to proceed.[36]
Near the end of her studies, Merkel sought an assistant professorship at an engineering school. As a condition for getting the job, Merkel was told she would need to agree to report on her colleagues to officers of the Stasi. Merkel declined, using the excuse that she could not keep secrets well enough to be an effective spy.[37]
Merkel worked and studied at the Central Institute for Physical Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences in Berlin-Adlershof from 1978 to 1990. At first, she and her husband squatted in Mitte.[38] At the Academy of Sciences, she became a member of its FDJ secretariat. According to her former colleagues, she openly propagated Marxism as the secretary for "Agitation and Propaganda".[39] However, Merkel has denied this claim and stated that she was secretary for culture, which involved activities like obtaining theatre tickets and organising talks by visiting Soviet authors.[40] She stated: "I can only rely on my memory, if something turns out to be different, I can live with that."[39]
After being awarded a doctorate (Dr. rer. nat.) for her thesis on quantum chemistry in 1986,[41] she worked as a researcher and published several academic papers.[42][43] In 1986, she was able to travel freely to West Germany to attend a congress; she also participated in a multi-week language course in Donetsk, in the then-Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.[44]
Early political career
1989–1990: German reunification
The fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 served as the catalyst for Merkel's political career.[45] Although she did not participate in the crowd celebrations the night the wall came down, one month later Merkel became involved in the growing democracy movement, joining the new party Demokratischer Aufbruch (DA, or in English "Democratic Beginning").[45] Party Leader Wolfgang Schnur appointed her as press spokeswoman of the party in February 1990. However, Schnur was revealed to have served as an "informal co-worker" for the Stasi just a few weeks ahead of the first (and only) multi-party election in 1990 and was later expelled from the party. As a result, the DA lost most of its electoral support, only managing to obtain four seats in the Volkskammer. However, because the DA was a member party of the Alliance for Germany, which won the election in a landslide, the DA was included in the government coalition. Merkel was appointed deputy spokesperson of this last pre-unification government under Lothar de Maizière.[46]
De Maizière was impressed with the way Merkel handled journalists investigating Schnur's role in the Stasi.[37][45] In April 1990, the DA merged with the East German Christian Democratic Union, which in turn merged with its western counterpart after reunification.[47][48]
1990–1994: Minister for Women and Youth
Elections
In the German federal election of 1990, the first to be held following reunification, Merkel successfully stood for election to the Bundestag in the parliamentary constituency of Stralsund – Nordvorpommern – Rügen in North Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.[49] She received the crucial backing of influential CDU minister and state party chairman Günther Krause. She was re-elected from this constituency (renamed, with slightly adjusted borders, Vorpommern-Rügen – Vorpommern-Greifswald I in 2003) in every election until the CDU lost its direct mandate from the constituency in the 2021 federal election.[50] Almost immediately following her entry into parliament, Merkel was appointed by Chancellor Helmut Kohl to serve as Minister for Women and Youth in the federal cabinet.
In November 1991, Merkel, with the support of the federal CDU, ran for the state leadership of the CDU in the state of Brandenburg, which neighbours Berlin. She lost to Ulf Fink.[51] In June 1993, Merkel was elected leader of the CDU in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, succeeding her former mentor Günther Krause.[52]
Policy
Although Merkel had little interest in the political position as such, it has been described as instrumental in building her early political image.[53][54] During her tenure, the government codified the right to preschool education, although the law only went into effect in 1996.[55] In June 1992, § 218 of the StGB, which governed abortion rights, was rewritten to allow abortions until the 12th week of pregnancy.[56] Though she was personally opposed to abortion at the time, Merkel abstained during the vote on the bill.[57] The law was later overturned by the Federal Constitutional Court on the basis that there must be a general prohibition of abortion.[56][58]
1994–1998: Minister for the Environment
In 1994, she was promoted to the position of Minister for the Environment and Nuclear Safety, which gave her greater political visibility and a platform on which to build her personal political career. As one of Kohl's protégées and his youngest Cabinet Minister, she was frequently referred to by Kohl as "my girl" (mein Mädchen).[59] During this period, she was closely mentored by Kohl.[54]
As Minister of the Environment, Merkel was instrumental in setting up the United Nation's 1995 Berlin Climate Change Conference. She is often credited as having brought about its most notable result, the first international commitment to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.[60][53][61] Around this time, she also first hired Beate Baumann, who would remain a close advisor to Merkel.[54] Merkel's performance as Minister of the Environment was criticised as "pitiful" by Gerhard Schröder.[53]
1998–2000: General Secretary of the CDU
After the Kohl Government was defeated at the 1998 election, Merkel was appointed Secretary-General of the CDU.[54] The 1998 election had widespread impacts; it was the CDU's worst performance in a federal election since 1949, and it resulted in Germany's first post-war left-wing government,[c] led by the SPD.[62]
In the wake of this defeat on the federal level, Merkel oversaw a string of CDU election victories in six out of seven state elections in 1999, breaking the long-standing SPD-Green hold on the Bundesrat. Following a party funding scandal that compromised many leading figures of the CDU – including Kohl himself and his successor as CDU Leader, Wolfgang Schäuble – Merkel criticised her former mentor publicly and advocated a fresh start for the party without him.[54]
Early 2000s
Chairperson of the CDU
On 10 April 2000, Merkel was elected to replace Schäuble as Chairperson of the CDU, becoming the first female leader of a German party.[63] Her election surprised many observers, as her personality offered a contrast to the party she had been elected to lead; Merkel is a centrist Protestant originating from predominantly Protestant northern Germany, while the CDU is a male-dominated, socially conservative party with strongholds in western and southern Germany, and its Bavarian sister party, the CSU, has deep Catholic roots.[64]
Following Merkel's election as CDU Leader, the CDU did not obtain electoral victories in subsequent state elections. In February 2001, her rival Friedrich Merz voiced his intention to become Gerhard Schröder's main challenger for Chancellorship in the 2002 election. Merkel's own ambition to become Chancellor was well-known, but she lacked the support of the most influential members within her own party. Rival candidate and leader of the CSU Edmund Stoiber was much more popular within the party at the time. In a private negotiation that came to be known as the Wolfratshausen Breakfast, [de ] Merkel agreed to cede the opportunity to challenge Schröder to Stoiber; in exchange, she was to become leader of the CDU/CSU faction in the Bundestag following the election.[65][66][67] Although pre-election polling had indicated that voters strongly favoured Stoiber, he went on to lose the election by a thin margin. The election campaign was dominated by the Iraq War. While Chancellor Schröder had made clear he would not join the war in Iraq,[68] Merkel was in support of the war at the time, although she later claimed that she had opposed it.[69][70]
2002–2005: Leader of the Opposition
After Stoiber's defeat in 2002, in addition to her role as CDU Leader, Merkel became Leader of the Opposition in the Bundestag, as had been agreed upon between her and Stoiber. Friedrich Merz, who had held the post prior to the 2002 election, was eased out to make way for Merkel.[71]
Merkel supported a substantial reform agenda for Germany's economic and social system and was considered more pro-market than her own party (the CDU). She advocated German labour law changes, specifically removing barriers to laying off employees and increasing the allowed number of work hours in a week. She argued that existing laws made the country less competitive, because companies could not easily control labour costs when business was slow.[72]
Merkel argued that Germany should phase out nuclear power less quickly than the Schröder administration had planned.[73][74]
Merkel advocated a strong transatlantic partnership and German-American friendship. In the spring of 2003, defying strong public opposition, Merkel came out in favour of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, describing it as "unavoidable".[69] She also criticised the government's support for the accession of Turkey to the European Union, instead arguing in favour of a "privileged partnership".[75]
2005–2021: Chancellor of Germany
2005–2009: First CDU–SPD grand coalition
Election
On 30 May 2005, Merkel won the CDU/CSU nomination to challenge Chancellor Gerhard Schröder of the SPD in the 2005 federal elections. Her party began the campaign with a 21–point lead over the SPD in national opinion polls, although her personal popularity lagged behind that of the incumbent. However, the CDU/CSU campaign suffered[76] when Merkel, having made economic competence central to the CDU's platform, confused gross and net income twice during a televised debate.[77] She regained some momentum after she announced that she would appoint Paul Kirchhof, a former judge at the German Constitutional Court and leading fiscal policy expert, as Minister of Finance.[76]
Merkel and the CDU lost ground after Kirchhof proposed the introduction of a flat tax in Germany, again undermining the party's broad appeal on economic affairs.[78] This was compounded by Merkel's proposal to increase VAT[79] to reduce Germany's deficit and fill the gap in revenue from a flat tax. The SPD were able to increase their support simply by pledging not to introduce flat taxes or increase VAT.[76] Although Merkel's standing recovered after she distanced herself from Kirchhof's proposals, she remained considerably less popular than Schröder, who had been perceived as the more generally competent and trustworthy candidate.[80] The CDU's lead was down to 9 percentage points on the eve of the election, with Merkel having a significant lead in popularity based on opinion polls.[81][82] On 18 September 2005, Merkel's CDU/CSU and Schröder's SPD went head-to-head in the national elections, with the CDU/CSU winning 35.2% (CDU 27.8% / CSU 7.5%)[80] of the second votes[d] to the SPD's 34.2%.[82] The result was so close that both Schröder and Merkel initially claimed victory.[54][82] Neither the SPD–Green coalition nor the CDU/CSU and its preferred coalition partners, the Free Democratic Party, held enough seats to form a majority in the Bundestag.[82] A grand coalition between the CDU/CSU and SPD would face the challenge of both parties demanding the chancellorship.[82][83] However, after three weeks of negotiations, the two parties reached a deal for a grand coalition whereby Merkel would become Chancellor and the SPD would hold 8 of the 16 seats in the cabinet.[83] The deal was approved by both parties at party conferences on 14 November 2005.[84]
Merkel was elected Chancellor by the majority of delegates (397 to 217) in the newly assembled Bundestag on 22 November 2005, but 51 members of the governing coalition voted against her.[85] Reports at the time indicated that the grand coalition would pursue a mix of policies, some of which differed from Merkel's political platform as leader of the opposition and candidate for Chancellor. The coalition's intent was to cut public spending whilst increasing VAT (from 16 to 19%), social insurance contributions and the top rate of income tax.[86]
When announcing the coalition agreement, Merkel stated that the main aim of her government would be to reduce unemployment, and that it was this issue on which her government would be judged.[87]
Healthcare reform
Reform of the German healthcare system was a salient issue during the 2005 election; the previous system had been criticised as inefficient and overly bureaucratic.[88] After a significant period of negotiations, a deal was passed in 2006. While this agreement was described as having "saved the coalition government", it was also widely criticised as ineffectual. The deal also increased the tax burden on employers and their publicly insured employees.[89][90] The 2006 round of reforms introduced the "health insurance duty", which establishes that individuals must be insured either through the public insurance system or through private insurance firms and accordingly cannot be uninsured.[91] The reforms also targeted preventive healthcare as a priority, particularly with regards to eldercare.[91]
Eurozone crisis
On 4 October 2008, following the Irish Government's decision to guarantee all deposits in private savings accounts, a move she had strongly criticised,[92] Merkel said there were no plans for the German Government to do the same. The following day, Merkel stated that the government would guarantee private savings account deposits, after all.[93] However, two days later, on 6 October 2008, it emerged that the pledge was simply a political move that would not be backed by legislation.[94] Most other European governments eventually either raised the limits or promised to guarantee savings in full.[94]
The German government stepped in to assist the mortgage company Hypo Real Estate with a bailout. The deal was agreed upon on 6 October, with German banks contributing €30 billion and the Bundesbank €20 billion to an emergency credit line.[95]
At the time of the Greek government-debt crisis, Germany was the largest creditor of the Greek government, giving it significant negotiating power.[96] Merkel is often credited as having "saved the Euro", primarily due to her coordinating role in the development of debt relief policy.[96][97][98] The austerity measures imposed on debtors such as Greece, which were a significant part of Merkel's position in the negotiations, have been criticised as overly harsh by some observers.[99][97] Critics also highlighted Germany's own debt management issues.[100] A Bloomberg opinion piece noted that "irresponsible borrowers can't exist without irresponsible lenders"; accordingly, "Germany's banks were Greece's enablers."[101]
In the course of the financial crisis, the Merkel cabinet increased the budget of the Kurzarbeit program significantly and extended the permitted duration of such contracts from 6 months to 18 months.[102] Although similar provisions had existed previously, the Merkel cabinet's expansion of the program was widely praised and is credited with having saved 500,000 jobs during the financial crisis.[103][104][105]
2009–2013: CDU–FDP coalition
Merkel's CDU was re-elected in 2009 with an increased number of seats and could form a governing coalition with the FDP. After brief negotiations, the second Merkel cabinet was sworn in on 28 October 2009.[106] In early 2011, Merkel's approval ratings plummeted, resulting in heavy losses in state elections for her party.[107] An August 2011 poll found her coalition had only 36% support compared to a rival potential coalition's 51%.[108] Notwithstanding the continuing effects of the 2008–2009 financial crisis, unemployment sank below the mark of 3 million unemployed people in 2011.[109]
Abolition of conscription
Following increased debate on the subject in the summer of 2010,[110] the German government announced plans to abolish conscription in Germany, making the Bundeswehr a volunteer military, in November 2010.[111] The decision was finalised in December that year,[112] and conscription was suspended on 1 July 2011.[113] Although somewhat popular at the time, the decision has later come under scrutiny, particularly following to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[114][115] It has also been criticised in conjunction with Germany's financial commitments to NATO.[116] In 2023, 61% of Germans said that they were in favour of reestablishing conscription.[117]
Healthcare reform
Responding to a budget deficit of €11 billion in the public healthcare system in 2009, the Merkel government passed widely unpopular healthcare reforms in 2010. The changes reduced healthcare spending in certain areas and increased employer and employee contributions to 15.5% of gross wages.[118][119][120] The reforms also established that future contribution increases would only affect the contributions by employers, which was criticised by opposition parties and trade unions.[118]
2013–2017: Second CDU–SPD grand coalition
In the election of September 2013, Merkel won one of the most decisive victories in German history, achieving the best result for the CDU/CSU since reunification and coming within five seats of the first absolute majority in the Bundestag since 1957.[121] However, their preferred coalition partner, the FDP, failed to enter parliament for the first time since 1949, being below the minimum of 5% of second votes required to enter parliament.[14][122]
The CDU/CSU turned to the SPD to form the third grand coalition in postwar German history and the second under Merkel's leadership. The third Cabinet of Angela Merkel was sworn in on 17 December 2013.[123]
Merkel scored well in opinion polls on her handling of the recent euro crisis (69% rated her performance as good rather than poor), and her approval rating reached an all-time high of 77% in February 2012 and again in July 2014.[124]
2015 European migrant crisis
Throughout the course of the European migrant crisis, Merkel encouraged cooperation between EU member states, urging that Europe needs to act "as a whole".[125]
In late August 2015, at the height of the crisis, Merkel's government suspended the Dublin Regulation, which stipulated that asylum seekers must seek asylum in the first EU country they arrive. Merkel announced that Germany would also process asylum applications from Syrian refugees if they had come to Germany through other EU countries.[126] That year, nearly 1.1 million asylum seekers entered Germany.[127][128] Merkel coined the phrase Wir schaffen das (literally 'We can do this') around this time.[129][130]
Junior coalition partner and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said that Germany could take in 500,000 refugees annually for the next several years.[131] German opposition to the government's admission of the new wave of migrants was strong and coupled with a rise in anti-immigration protests.[132] Merkel insisted that Germany had the economic strength to cope with the influx of migrants and reiterated that there is no legal maximum limit on the number of migrants Germany can take.[133] In September 2015, enthusiastic crowds across the country welcomed arriving refugees and migrants.[134]
Horst Seehofer, leader of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU)—the sister party of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union—and then-Bavarian Minister President, attacked Merkel's policies.[135] Seehofer criticised Merkel's decision to allow in migrants, saying that "[they were] in a state of mind without rules, without system and without order because of a German decision."[136] Seehofer argued that as many as 30% of asylum seekers arriving in Germany claiming to be from Syria are in fact from other countries.[137] He argued for a punitive reduction in EU funding for member countries that rejected mandatory refugee quotas.[138] Meanwhile, Yasmin Fahimi, secretary-general of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the junior partner of the ruling coalition, praised Merkel's policy allowing migrants in Hungary to enter Germany as "a strong signal of humanity to show that Europe's values are valid also in difficult times".[135] Merkel's approval rating dropped to 54% in October 2015, the lowest it had been since 2011.[139]
In November 2015, there were talks inside the governing coalition to stop family unification for migrants for two years and to establish "Transit Zones" on the border. Additionally, there were plans to provide housing to migrants with a low likelihood of getting approved for asylum until the processing of their application. This led to increased tensions between the CSU, who were generally in favour of these measures and threatened to leave the coalition without them, and the SPD, who opposed them; Merkel agreed to the measures.[140] The November 2015 Paris attacks prompted a reevaluation of the German government's stance on EU migration policy.[141] While she did not directly limit the number of immigrants, Merkel tightened asylum policy in Germany, for example through more thorough vetting of migrants with respect to internal safety and security.[142][141]
In August 2016, following the Würzburg train attack in Germany and various other Islamist terror attacks in Europe, Merkel's approval rating dropped to 47%.[143] Half of Germans did not want her to serve a fourth term in office, with only 42% in favour of another term in office.[144] In a poll from October that year, her approval rating was found to have risen again; 54% of Germans were found to be satisfied with the work of Merkel as Chancellor.[145] According to another poll taken in November 2016, 59% were to found to be in favour of a renewed Chancellorship candidature in 2017.[146] According to a poll carried out shortly after the 2016 Berlin truck attack, 56% of Germans named Merkel as a political leader they trusted to solve their country's problems.[147]
In October 2016, Merkel travelled to Mali and Niger. The diplomatic visit took place to discuss how their governments could improve conditions which caused people to flee those countries and how illegal migration through and from these countries could be reduced.[148]
The migrant crisis spurred right-wing electoral preferences across Germany with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) gaining 12% of the vote in the 2017 German federal election. These developments prompted debates over the reasons for increased right-wing populism in Germany. Some researchers have argued that increased right-wing preferences are a result of the European migrant crisis, particularly the increasingly common perception that refugees constitute an ethnic and cultural threat to Germany.[149]
Some observers have described Merkel's policymaking with respect to the migrant crisis as a success.[150] In 2022, the United Nations' High Commissioner for Refugees granted Merkel the Nansen Award for her "courage and compassion" during the crisis.[151][152] However, Merkel has also faced significant criticism, particularly with regards to her policymaking early in the crisis, which some critics describe as hypocritically unilateral.[153][154]
2018–2021: Third CDU–SPD grand coalition
Election
In the 2017 federal election, Merkel led her party to victory for the fourth time. However, both the CDU/CSU and the SPD received a significantly lower proportion of the vote than they did in 2013, and the CDU/CSU subsequently attempted to form a coalition with the FDP and Greens.[155][156] The SPD announced that they would go into the Opposition, both due to their loss of popular support and because the idea of another grand coalition was widely unpopular at the time.[157][158][159]
The FDP eventually withdrew from negotiations with the CDU/CSU, leading to a stalemate.[160][161] The German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier subsequently appealed successfully to the SPD to change their hard stance against coalition with the CDU/CSU, and the SPD agreed to a third grand coalition with the CDU/CSU.[162] The negotiations leading up to this agreement were the longest in German post-war history, lasting almost six months.[163][164]
A YouGov survey published in late December 2017 found that just 36% of all respondents wanted Merkel to stay at the helm until 2021, while half of those surveyed voters called for a change at the top before the end of the legislature.[165]
The Fourth Merkel cabinet was sworn in on 14 March 2018.[166]
2018 government crisis
As part of the newly formed government, the CSU's Horst Seehofer took over the role of Interior Minister.[167] Seehofer announced that he had a "master plan for faster asylum procedures, and more consistent deportations."[168] Under Seehofer's plan, Germany would immediately reject prospective immigrants who had already been deported or were subject to an entry ban. Additionally, the police would be instructed to turn away all applicants who had previously registered elsewhere in the EU, no matter if these countries agreed to take them back.[169][170] Merkel feared that unilaterally sending migrants back to neighbouring countries without seeking a multilateral European agreement could endanger the stability of the European Union.[171]
In June 2018, Seehofer issued an ultimatum to Merkel; as Interior Minister, he could unilaterally implement the policy without her support. Although he eventually agreed to cooperate with Merkel while she negotiated with other EU member countries, he went on to reject the EU agreement that she obtained.[172] On 1 July 2018, during a meeting with party leadership, Seehofer declared his intention to resign from his position in protest.[173][174][175] During the night of 2 July 2018, Seehofer and Merkel announced they had settled their differences and agreed to instead accept a compromise of tighter border control.[176][177] As a result of the agreement, Seehofer agreed to not resign,[178] and to negotiate bilateral agreements with the specific countries himself. Seehofer received some criticism for his stance in the crisis.[179][180]
COVID-19 pandemic
In the initial phases of the pandemic, Germany established a crisis team to manage Germany's containment policy and pandemic response.[181] In late February 2020, referring to this crisis team, Merkel recommended an approach characterised by moderation and an avoidance of extreme or universal measures (Maß und Mitte).[182]
On 18 March 2020, Merkel gave a widely publicised speech on the COVID-19 pandemic, comparing its challenges to the Second World War:[183]
Please also take this seriously. Since German reunification, no, since the Second World War, there has not been a challenge for our country in which action in a spirit of solidarity on our part was so important.
— Angela Merkel
The speech was well-received both nationally and internationally, receiving widespread attention and an award for "speech of the year".[184][185][186]
On 6 April 2020, Merkel stated: "In my view ... the European Union is facing the biggest test since its foundation and member states must show greater solidarity so that the bloc can emerge stronger from the economic crisis unleashed by the pandemic".[187] Merkel has won international plaudits for her handling of the pandemic in Germany.[188][11]
Later that month, Merkel was praised for her accessible explanation of the basic reproduction number, which had been an important metric in the German government's pandemic response.[189][190][191] Merkel opposed mandatory vaccinations, instead stressing scientific literacy and education.[192]
During the German presidency of the European Council, Merkel spearheaded negotiations for the Next Generation EU reconstruction package.[193]
Succession
On 29 October 2018, Merkel announced that she would not seek reelection as leader of CDU at their party conference in December 2018, but intended to remain as chancellor until the 2021 German federal election was held. She stated that she did not plan to seek any political office after this. The resignations followed October setbacks for the CSU in the Bavarian state election and for the CDU in the Hessian state election.[194][195] In August 2019, Merkel hinted that she might return to academia at the end of her term in 2021.[196]
She decided not to suggest any person as her successor as leader of the CDU.[197] However, political observers had long considered Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer as Merkel's protégé groomed for succession. This view was confirmed when Kramp-Karrenbauer – widely seen as the chancellor's favourite for the post – was voted to succeed Merkel as leader of the CDU in December 2018.[198] Kramp-Karrenbauer's elevation to Defence Minister after Ursula von der Leyen's departure to become president of the European Commission also boosted her standing as Merkel's most likely candidate for succession.[199] In 2019, media outlets speculated that Kramp-Karrenbauer might take over Merkel's position as Chancellor sooner than planned if the current governing coalition proved unsustainable.[200][201] The possibility was neither confirmed nor denied by the party.[202] In February 2020, Kramp-Karrenbauer announced that she would resign as party leader of the CDU in the summer, after party members in Thuringia defied official party lines and voted with Alternative for Germany to support an FDP candidate for minister-president.[203] Kramp-Karrenbauer was succeeded by Armin Laschet at the 2021 CDU leadership election.[204]
In the 2021 federal election, the SPD won the most votes. This necessitated long negotiations among the various parties to form a government. On 23 November 2021, a new grand coalition was announced, with Olaf Scholz nominated to succeed Merkel.[205] Merkel continued to serve as chancellor until 8 December 2021, when Scholz was sworn in.[206] The constituency she had held since its establishment in the German reunification was won by Anna Kassautzki (SPD).[207]
2022–present: Post-chancellorship
On 31 January 2022, less than two months after she left office, her long-time rival Friedrich Merz, who she beat in 2002 to become leader of the opposition, took over as leader of the CDU.[208]
On 25 February 2022, only 24 hours after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Merkel told the DPA that she "condemned in the strongest terms [...] the war of aggression led by Russia, which marks a profound break in the history of post-Cold War Europe."[209]
In April that year, a spokesperson for Merkel stated that she "stood by her position at the NATO summit in Bucharest in 2008," when she had opposed Ukraine's membership in the North Atlantic Alliance, a decision that had come under increased scrutiny.[209]
On 1 June 2022, Merkel made her first semi-public comments about political affairs since leaving office, at a retirement party for Reiner Hoffmann , the president of the German Trade Union Confederation. She criticised the "blatant violation of international law by Russia", expressed solidarity with Ukraine, and argued that "peace and freedom can never be taken for granted."[209]
On 7 June 2022, Merkel made her first public comments. In an interview with journalist Alexander Osang , she defended her past decisions on Ukraine and called Putin's aggression "not just unacceptable, but also a major mistake from Russia... It's an objective breach of all international laws and of everything that allows us in Europe to live in peace at all. If we start going back through the centuries and arguing over which bit of territory should belong to whom, then we will only have war. That's not an option whatsoever."[210] She also said that by the end of her chancellorship in September 2021, it had been clear that Putin was moving in the direction of conflict and that he was finished with the Normandy Format talks.[211]
Following her retirement, Merkel has written a memoir called Freiheit (Freedom), with the help of her longtime assistant and adviser, Beate Baumann. It is set for release in November 2024.[212]The book is 700 pages and will, according to the publishers, answer the question: "What does freedom mean to me?" which she said "has occupied me my entire life" and with new name "Freedom: Memories 1954-2021" [213][214]
Political positions
Immigration, refugees and migration
In October 2010, Merkel told a meeting of younger members of her conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party at Potsdam that attempts to build a multicultural society in Germany had "utterly failed,"[215] stating that: "The concept that we are now living side by side and are happy about it" does not work[216] and "we feel attached to the Christian concept of mankind, that is what defines us. Anyone who doesn't accept that is in the wrong place here."[217] She continued to say that immigrants should integrate and adopt Germany's culture and values. This added to a growing debate within Germany on the acceptable levels and mechanisms of immigration, its effects on Germany, and the degree to which Muslim immigrants had integrated into German society.[218]
Merkel is in favour of a "mandatory solidarity mechanism" for relocation of asylum-seekers from Italy and Greece to other EU member states as part of the long-term solution to Europe's migrant crisis.[219][220]
Foreign policy
Merkel's foreign policy has focused on strengthening European cooperation and international trade agreements. She and her governments have been closely associated with the change through trade (Wandel durch Handel) policy.[221] For this, she has come under criticism, especially after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[222][223] Merkel has been widely described as the de facto leader of the European Union throughout her tenure as Chancellor.[224][225][226]
In 2015, with the absence of Stephen Harper, Merkel became the only leader to have attended every G20 meeting since the first in 2008, having been present at a record fifteen summits as of 2021. She hosted the twelfth meeting at the 2017 G20 Hamburg summit.[227]
Merkel favors the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union. In December 2012, she stated that its implementation depends on reforms in Ukraine.[228]
Merkel expressed support for Israel's right to self-defense in the context of the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict. She telephoned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 9 July to condemn "without reservation rocket fire on Israel".[229]
On 20 June 2018, which was World Refugee Day, Merkel said that there had been "no moral or political justification" for the post-war expulsion of ethnic Germans from Central and Eastern European countries.[230]
Social expenditure
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, 2013, Merkel said that Europe had only 7% of the global population and produced only 25% of the global GDP, but that it accounted for almost 50% of global social expenditure. She went on to say that Europe could only maintain its prosperity by being innovative and measuring itself against the best.[231] After this, the comparison became a central element in major speeches.[232] The international financial press has widely commented on her thesis, with The Economist saying:
If Mrs Merkel's vision is pragmatic, so too is her plan for implementing it. It can be boiled down to three statistics, a few charts and some facts on an A4 * sheet of paper. The three figures are 7 percent, 25 percent and 50 percent. Mrs Merkel never tires of saying that Europe has 7 percent of the world's population, 25 percent of its GDP and 50 percent of its social spending. If the region is to prosper in competition with emerging countries, it cannot continue to be so generous.[233] ... She produces graphs of unit labour costs ... at EU meetings in much the same way that the late Margaret Thatcher used to pull passages from Friedrich Hayek's Road to Serfdom from her handbag.[233]
The Financial Times commented: "Although Ms Merkel stopped short of suggesting that a ceiling on social spending might be one yardstick for measuring competitiveness, she hinted as much in the light of soaring social spending in the face of an ageing population.[234]
Climate policy
Merkel has been credited as a key part of 2007 G8 negotiations that led to a significantly more ambitious renewable energy transition commitment than had been anticipated.[235]
In September 2010, the coalition government published a long-term plan for sustainable development of the electrical grid until 2050; efforts to transition to sustainable and otherwise preferable sources of energy have been termed Energy Transition (Energiewende). Although the initial plan was criticised for lifetime extensions of nuclear power plants, it was amended following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, and the last nuclear power plants in Germany were shut down in April 2023.[236][237][238] The plan also aimed at a 40% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, a goal that was initially achieved largely due to reductions in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.[239] However, emissions increased to a level above the target in 2022.[240][241]
In preparation for the 2015 Paris Climate Change Conference, Merkel announced that Germany would significantly increase its contributions to international climate aid and financing by 2020.[242] In 2016, some observers criticised Merkel's lack of action with regards to climate change that year.[243][244] In 2017, Merkel criticised the Trump administration's decision to withdraw from the 2015 Paris Agreement and reaffirmed the commitment of the remaining G20 members to the treaty.[245][246]
In early 2019, a governmental commission appointed by the coalition government approved a plan to phase out coal power plants by 2038, allocating a budget of €40 billion to the plan.[247][248]
In September 2019, the Merkel government announced a set of climate change mitigation policies with a total budget of €54 billion.[249] Although described as a "new beginning for Germany's climate policy" by then-minister of the environment Svenja Schulze,[250] the package was widely criticised; environmental protection groups have labelled it insufficient, and opposition parties have argued that it is ineffective.[251][252][253] Prominent climate scientists have called it "a failure of the political system"[254] and "ridiculous".[255]
Fiscal policy
In 2009, Merkel announced plans to take on additional government debt in order to stimulate economic growth, arguing that this should take priority over other fiscal concerns.[256] The Merkel government's tax policy at the time was widely criticised, mostly for taking on additional debt instead of increasing tax rates at high levels of income.[257][258] In 2010, Merkel expressed support for a global financial transaction tax, but was ultimately unsuccessful in international negotiations on the matter.[259][260]
In 2019, Merkel argued for the importance of a balanced government budget, rejecting calls for additional investment to stimulate growth.[261]
Criticism
Merkel has been criticised for being personally present and involved at the M100 Media Award handover[262] to Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, who had triggered the Muhammad cartoons controversy. This happened at a time of fierce debate over a book by the former Deutsche Bundesbank executive and finance senator of Berlin Thilo Sarrazin, which was critical of Muslim immigration.[263] At the same time, she condemned a planned burning of Qurans by a fundamentalist pastor in Florida.[264] The Central Council of Muslims in Germany[265][266] and the Left Party[267] (Die Linke) as well as the German Green Party[e][268] criticised the action by the centre-right chancellor. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper wrote: "This will probably be the most explosive moment of her chancellorship so far."[269]
The term alternativlos (German for "without an alternative"), which was frequently used by Angela Merkel to describe her measures addressing the European sovereign-debt crisis, was named the Un-word of the Year 2010 by a jury of linguistic scholars. The wording was criticised as undemocratic, as any discussion on Merkel's politics would thus be deemed unnecessary or undesirable.[270] The expression is credited for the name of the political party Alternative for Germany, which was founded in 2013.[271]
During a visit of U.S. President Barack Obama in Berlin, Merkel said on 19 June 2013 in the context of the 2013 mass surveillance disclosures: "The Internet is uncharted territory for us all" (German: Das Internet ist für uns alle Neuland). This statement led to various internet memes and online mockery of Merkel.[272][273]
During a state visit of the Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoğlu in January 2015, Merkel stated that "Islam is part of Germany", which induced criticism from within her party. Parliamentary group leader Volker Kauder stated that Muslims belong to Germany, but Islam does not, and that Muslims should "ask themselves why so many violent people refer to the Quran."[274][275]
At the conclusion of the May 2017 Group of Seven's leaders in Sicily, Merkel criticised American efforts to renege on earlier commitments on climate change. According to Merkel, the discussions were difficult and marred by dissent. "Here we have the situation where six members, or even seven if you want to add the EU, stand against one."[276]
Merkel has faced criticism for failing to take a tough line on the People's Republic of China.[277][278][279] The Asia Times reported that "Unlike certain of her European counterparts, her China diplomacy has focused on non-interference in Beijing's internal affairs. As such, Merkel was reportedly furious when her Foreign Minister Heiko Maas received Hong Kong dissident Joshua Wong in Berlin in September [2019], a move that Beijing publicly protested."[280]
Merkel's government decided to phase out both nuclear power and coal plants and supported the European Commission's Green Deal plans.[281][282] Critics blamed the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and closure of nuclear plants for contributing to the 2021–2022 global energy crisis.[282][283][284]
Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Merkel faced renewed criticisms that she had failed to curb Russian president Vladimir Putin's ambitions and aggression by insisting on diplomacy and détente policies.[285][286][287] Critics argued that under her tenure, Germany and Europe was weakened by a dependency on Russian natural gas, including the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines,[285][286] and that the German military was neglected, disorganised, and underfunded.[288][287] By late 2021, Germany was importing 55% of its gas, 34% of its oil, and 52% of its coal from Russia.[289]
Merkel's chancellorship has become tightly associated with the policy of Wandel durch Handel, which advocates pursuing close economic ties with authoritarian governments with the goal of inducing democratisation. When the Wandel durch Handel policy came under intense domestic and international scrutiny following the Russian invasion, Merkel received much of the blame,[221][223] leading Politico to write "[n]o German is more responsible for the crisis in Ukraine than Merkel".[222] Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy also blamed Merkel and then-French president Nicolas Sarkozy's decision to block Ukraine from joining NATO in 2008 for the war; Merkel released a statement that she stands by her decision.[290]
Legacy and public image
International perceptions
Merkel was widely described as the de facto leader of the European Union throughout her tenure as Chancellor. She was named the world's second most powerful person by Forbes magazine in 2012 and 2015, following Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin respectively, the highest ranking ever achieved by a woman.[291][292][293] On 26 March 2014, Merkel became the longest-serving incumbent head of government in the European Union. In December 2015, Merkel was named as Time magazine's Person of the Year, with the magazine's cover declaring her to be the "Chancellor of the Free World".[294] In 2018, Merkel was named the most powerful woman in the world for a record fourteenth time by Forbes.[295] Following the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency in 2016, Merkel was described by The New York Times as "the Liberal West's Last Defender",[296] and as the "leader of the free world" by a number of commentators, including Hillary Clinton.[297][298][299] In a 2018 survey, Merkel was found to be the most widely respected world leader.[300] The Atlantic described her in 2019 as "the world's most successful living politician, on the basis of both achievement and longevity".[301] Harvard University President Larry Bacow described her as "one of the most widely admired and broadly influential statespeople of our time".[302]
Critics have argued that Merkel's policymaking during the 2015 migrant crisis has damaged the integrity of the EU.[153][303][154] Some have also commented that Germany's failure to meet financial commitments to NATO,[116] Merkel's blocking of the accession of Ukraine to NATO in 2008,[304] and the abolishment of conscription[305] have together weakened the positions of Germany and Europe following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In 2023, Merkel received a doctorate honoris causa from the Paris Institute of Political Sciences in recognition of her political career.[306][307]
Domestic image
Merkel has been described as having significantly shaped the political landscape of Germany, particularly the perceptions of those who grew up during her chancellorship; this demographic group has been referred to Merkelkinder (transl. children of Merkel).[308][309]
Comparisons
As a woman who is a politician from a centre-right party and also a scientist, Merkel has been compared by many in the English-language press to 20th century British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Thatcher also had a science degree from Oxford University in chemistry. Some have referred to her as "Iron Lady", "Iron Girl", and even "The Iron Frau", all alluding to Thatcher, whose nickname was "The Iron Lady". Political commentators have debated the precise extent to which their agendas are similar.[310] Later in her tenure, Merkel acquired the nickname "Mutti" (a German familiar form of "mother"). She has also been called the "Iron Chancellor", in reference to Otto von Bismarck.[311][312]
Al Jazeera has criticised the "Iron Lady" nickname for Merkel as "wrong-headed", noting her pro-European stance, her efforts to combat "profit-seeking speculators" during the euro crisis, and her lacking Thatcher's "my-way-or-the-highway" attitude towards politics.[313]
Personal life
In 1977, at the age of 23, Merkel, then Angela Kasner, married physics student Ulrich Merkel (born 1953)[314] and took his surname. The couple divorced in 1982.[315] Her second and current husband is quantum chemist and professor Joachim Sauer, who has largely avoided media attention during and after Merkel's political career.[316][317] They first met in 1981[318] and married in 1998.[319] Merkel has no children, but Sauer has two adult sons from a previous marriage.[320]
Having grown up in East Germany, Merkel learned Russian at school. She was able to speak informally to Vladimir Putin in Russian but conducted diplomatic dialogue through an interpreter. She rarely spoke English in public but delivered a small section of an address to the British Parliament in English in 2014.[321][322]
Merkel is a fervent football fan and was known to listen to games while in the Bundestag and to attend games of the national team in her official capacity, including Germany's 1–0 victory against Argentina in the 2014 World Cup Final.[323][324][325]
Merkel has stated that her favorite film is The Legend of Paul and Paula, an East German movie released in 1973.[326]
Merkel has a fear of dogs, which developed after she was attacked by one in 1995.[327] Vladimir Putin brought in his Labrador Retriever during a press conference in 2007. Putin claims he did not mean to scare her, though Merkel later observed, "I understand why he has to do this – to prove he's a man. ... He's afraid of his own weakness."[327]
Since 2017, Merkel has occasionally been seen shaking visibly on several public occasions, recovering shortly afterwards.[328][329][330] After one such occasion, she attributed the shaking to dehydration, saying that she felt better after a drink of water.[331]
In September 2021, after evading the question for most of her career, Merkel said that she considered herself a feminist. The statement came in a conference along with Nigerian writer and feminist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.[332]
Since her retirement, Merkel has commented on the Russian invasion of Ukraine but has otherwise limited her involvement in political matters. She has instead focussed on travelling, attending only "feel-good events" (Wohlfühltermine) in a private capacity.[333][334]
Merkel reportedly "detested" U.S. President Donald Trump, according to Politico, citing a forthcoming book by Jonathan Karl.[335]
Religion
Angela Merkel is a Lutheran member of the Evangelical Church in Berlin, Brandenburg and Silesian Upper Lusatia (German: Evangelische Kirche Berlin-Brandenburg-schlesische Oberlausitz – EKBO), a United Protestant (i.e. both Reformed and Lutheran) church body under the umbrella of the Protestant Church in Germany. The EKBO is a member of the Union of Protestant Churches in the EKD.[336] Before the 2004 merger of the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg and the Evangelical Church in Silesian Upper Lusatia, Merkel belonged to the former. In 2012, Merkel said, regarding her faith: "I am a member of the Protestant Church. I believe in God and religion is also my constant companion, and has been for the whole of my life. We as Christians should above all not be afraid of standing up for our beliefs."[337] She also publicly declared that Germany suffers not from "too much Islam" but "too little Christianity".[338]
In the arts and media
Since 1991, Merkel has sat annually for sitting and standing portraits by, and interview with, Herlinde Koelbl.[339][340]
Merkel was portrayed by Swiss actress Anna Katarina in the 2012 political satire film The Dictator.[341]
Merkel features as a main character in two of the three plays that make up the Europeans Trilogy (Bruges, Antwerp, and Tervuren) by Paris-based UK playwright Nick Awde: Bruges (2014) and Tervuren (2016). A character named Merkel, accompanied by a sidekick called Schäuble, also appears as the sinister female henchman in Michael Paraskos's novel In Search of Sixpence.[342]
On the American sketch-comedy series Saturday Night Live, Merkel has been parodied by Kate McKinnon.[343][344][345]
On the British sketch-comedy Tracey Ullman's Show, comedian Tracey Ullman has parodied Merkel to international acclaim.[346][347][348][349]
In 2016, a documentary film Angela Merkel – The Unexpected was produced by Broadview TV and MDR in collaboration with Arte and Das Erste.[350]
In 2024, a German TV show called 'Miss Merkel' reimagined her as a detective.[351]It is based on the bestselling novels by German writer David Safier and is a comedy that was a hit in Germany and then shown on public broadcaster RAI, dubbed into Italian. [352]
See also
Explanatory notes
- ^ The English pronunciation of her first name could be /ˈɑːŋɡələ/ AHNG-gə-lə (a closer approximation of the German) or /ˈæŋɡələ/ ANG-gə-lə. The English pronunciation of her last name is either /ˈmɛərkəl/ MAIR-kəl (reported for American English and a closer approximation of the German) or /ˈmɜːrkəl/ MUR-kəl (reported for British English by the Oxford and Merriam-Webster dictionaries, which base their editing on actual usage rather than recommendations).[2][3][4] In German, her last name is pronounced [ˈmɛʁkl̩],[5][6] and her first name is pronounced [ˈaŋɡela] or [aŋˈɡeːla],[7] but according to her biographer Langguth, Merkel prefers the latter pronunciation, with stress on the second syllable.[8]
- ^ This is significant in so far as East Germany has remained economically and socially disadvantaged post-reunification.[12] See also Economic history of the German reunification and New states of Germany.
- ^ Although some previous governments had been led by the SPD, this was the first government to contain only left-wing parties.
- ^ In the electoral system of Germany, "first votes" are cast for a constituency-level local representative, i.e. an individual, whereas "second votes" are cast for a party.
- ^ Grüne/Bündnis 90 Spokesman Renate Künast: "I wouldn't have done it", said Green Party floor leader Renate Künast. It was true that the right to freedom of expression also applies to cartoons, she said. "But if a chancellor also makes a speech on top of that, it serves to heat up the debate."[268]
References
- ^ "Angela Merkel: Her bio in brief". The Christian Science Monitor. 20 September 2013. Archived from the original on 29 November 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
- ^ "Merkel, Angela" Archived 7 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine (US) and "Merkel, Angela". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 10 February 2020.
- ^ "Merkel". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
- ^ Wells, J. C. (2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. Pearson Education Limited.
- ^ Mangold, Max, ed. (1995). Duden, Aussprachewörterbuch (in German) (6th ed.). Dudenverlag. p. 501. ISBN 978-3-411-20916-3.
Merkel ˈmɛrkl̩
- ^ Krech, Eva-Maria; Stock, Eberhard; Hirschfeld, Ursula; Anders, Lutz Christian; et al., eds. (2009). Deutsches Aussprachewörterbuch (1st ed.). Walter de Gruyter. p. 739. ISBN 978-3-11-018202-6.
Merkel mˈɛʶkl̩
- ^ Mangold, Max, ed. (1995). Duden, Aussprachewörterbuch (in German) (6th ed.). Dudenverlag. p. 139. ISBN 978-3-411-20916-3.
Angela ˈaŋɡela auch: aŋˈɡeːla.
- ^ Langguth, Gerd (2005). Angela Merkel (in German). Munich: dtv. p. 50. ISBN 3-423-24485-2.
Merkel wollte immer mit der Betonung auf dem 'e' Angela genannt werden. (Merkel always wanted her first name pronounced with the stress on the 'e'.)
- ^ Government continues as acting government Archived 15 November 2017 at the Wayback Machine, bundeskanzlerin.de, 24 October 2017
- ^
- Vick, Karl (2015). "Time Person of the Year 2015: Angela Merkel". Time. Archived from the original on 29 May 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- "The World's Most Powerful Women 2018". Forbes. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
- "Merkel: From austerity queen to 'leader of free world'". Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 1 October 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
- "The leader of the free world meets Donald Trump". POLITICO. 17 March 2017. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- "Hillary Clinton appears to mock Donald Trump in her tribute to Angela Merkel". MSN. Archived from the original on 5 September 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- "Angela Merkel". Forbes. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ a b Miller, Saskia (20 April 2020). "The Secret to Germany's COVID-19 Success: Angela Merkel Is a Scientist". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 2 May 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
- ^ "The Price of a Failed Reunification". Spiegel International. 5 September 2005. Archived from the original on 20 November 2007. Retrieved 28 November 2006.
- ^ "Germany's Merkel begins new term". BBC. 28 October 2009. Archived from the original on 31 October 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ a b "German Chancellor Angela Merkel makes a hat-trick win in 2013 Elections". Archived from the original on 26 September 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ^ Oltermann, Philip; Connolly, Kate (14 March 2018). "Angela Merkel faces multiple challenges in her fourth term". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 14 March 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
- ^ Langguth, Gerd (August 2005). Angela Merkel (in German). Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag. p. 10. ISBN 3-423-24485-2.
- ^ "Kanzlerin Merkel hat polnische Wurzeln". Süddeutsche.de (in German). 13 March 2013. Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ Qvortrup, Matthew (2016). "In the Shadow of the Berlin Wall". Angela Merkel: Europe's Most Influential Leader. The Overlook Press. ISBN 978-1-4683-1408-3.
- ^ "Merkel, power player who changed Germany". The West Australian. 26 August 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ "Picturing the Family: Media, Narrative, Memory | Research". 18 June 2014. Archived from the original on 1 May 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
- ^ Schuller, Konrad; Warschau (22 March 2013). "Merkels polnische Wurzeln: Großvaters Krieg". FAZ.NET (in German). ISSN 0174-4909. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
- ^ Kornelius, Stefan (March 2013). Angela Merkel: Die Kanzlerin und ihre Welt (in German). Hoffmann und Campe. p. 7. ISBN 978-3-455-50291-6.
- ^ a b Kornelius, Stefan (10 September 2013). "Six things you didn't know about Angela Merkel". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 September 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
- ^ "The German chancellor's Polish roots". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on 3 May 2013.
- ^ "Merkel hat polnische Wurzeln" [Merkel has Polish roots]. Süddeutsche Zeitung. 13 March 2013. Archived from the original on 6 September 2013.
- ^ Krauel, Torsten (13 March 2013). "Ahnenforschung: Kanzlerin Angela Merkel ist zu einem Viertel Polin". Die Welt (in German). Archived from the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
- ^ Boyes, Roger (25 July 2005). "Angela Merkel: Forged in the Old Communist East, Germany's Chancellor-in-Waiting Is Not like the Others". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
- ^ a b c Werner, Reutter (1 December 2005). "Who's Afraid of Angela Merkel?: The Life, Political Career, and Future of the New German Chancellor". International Journal. 61. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
- ^ Vasagar, Jeevan (1 September 2013). "Angela Merkel, the girl who never wanted to stand out, to win big again". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
- ^ Patterson, Tony (17 November 2015). "Angela Merkel's journey from Communist East Germany to Chancellor". The Independent. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
- ^ The Study of international relations : the state of the art. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Macmillan, in association with Millennium, journal of international studies. 1989. p. 328. ISBN 978-1-349-20275-1. OCLC 647091179.
- ^ Spohr, Kristina (8 July 2017). "The learning machine: Angela Merkel". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
- ^ "5 Things to Know About Germany's Angela Merkel". The New York Times. Associated Press. 2017. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ "Life in Communist East Germany was 'almost comfortable' at times, Merkel says". Reuters. 8 November 2019. Archived from the original on 11 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
- ^ Langguth, Gerd (August 2005). Angela Merkel (in German). DTV. p. 50. ISBN 3-423-24485-2.
- ^ Reitler, Torsten (27 March 2009). "Drogenwahn auf der Dauerbaustelle". Der Spiegel (in German). Archived from the original on 13 January 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
- ^ a b Crawford, Alan; Czuczka, Tony (20 September 2013). "Angela Merkel's Years in East Germany Shaped Her Crisis Politics". Bloomberg L.P. Archived from the original on 9 July 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ^ "I Was a Squatter, Reveals German Chancellor Merkel". Deutsche Welle. 28 February 2008. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ a b "How Close Was Merkel to the Communist System?". Der Spiegel. 14 May 2013. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ Langguth, Gerd (2005). Angela Merkel (in German). Munich: dtv. pp. 106–107. ISBN 3-423-24485-2.
Angela Merkel war allerdings kein 'einfaches Mitglied', sondern gehörte zum FDJ-Sekretariat des Instituts. Osten [Hans-Jörg Osten] kann sich nicht an die genaue Funktion seiner damaligen Kollegin erinnern. ... Er kann sich nicht definitiv daran erinnern, aber auch nicht ausschließen, dass Angela Merkel die Funktion eines Sekretärs für Agitation und Propaganda wahrnahm. [Angela Merkel was not just an 'ordinary member', but belonged to the FDJ secretariat of the institute. Osten cannot remember the exact function of his erstwhile colleague. ... He cannot remember definitely whether she performed the function of a secretary for agitation and propaganda, but he cannot exclude that possibility.]
- ^ Merkel, Angela (1986). Untersuchung des Mechanismus von Zerfallsreaktionen mit einfachem Bindungsbruch und Berechnung ihrer Geschwindigkeitskonstanten auf der Grundlage quantenchemischer und statistischer Methoden (Investigation of the mechanism of decay reactions with single bond breaking and calculation of their rate constants on the basis of quantum chemical and statistical methods) (in German). Berlin: Academy of Sciences of the German Democratic Republic (dissertation). cited in Langguth, Gerd (August 2005). Angela Merkel (in German). Munich: DTV. p. 109. ISBN 3-423-24485-2. and listed in the Catalogue of the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek under subject code 30 (Chemistry).
- ^ Miller, Saskia (20 April 2020). "The Secret to Germany's COVID-19 Success: Angela Merkel Is a Scientist". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 2 May 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ "Scopus preview – Merkel, Angela – Author details – Scopus". www.scopus.com. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ Suckert, Wolfgang (17 July 2014). "Wie Angela Merkel beinahe Thüringerin wurde". Thüringer Allgemeine (in German). Archived from the original on 1 June 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ a b c Huggler, Justin (9 October 2015). "10 moments that define German chancellor Angela Merkel". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 22 May 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ^ Langguth, Gerd (August 2005) [2005]. Angela Merkel (in German). Munich: DTV. pp. 112–137. ISBN 3-423-24485-2.
- ^ Agethen, Manfred. "Demokratischer Aufbruch (DA) – Geschichte der CDU". Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (in German). Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ "Demokratischer Aufbruch". Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (in German). Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ "Merkel wirbt für gute Finanzausstattung der Kommunen". Focus Online (in German). dpa. 6 January 2010. Archived from the original on 9 January 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ^ "Merkel gewann acht Mal in Folge das Direktmandat in ihrem Wahlkreis – jetzt siegte eine junge SPD-Politikerin". stern.de (in German). 27 September 2021. Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ "Brandenburg: Merkels Union der Probleme". Der Tagesspiegel Online (in German). ISSN 1865-2263. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ "Mecklenburg-Vorpommern – Geschichte der CDU". Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ a b c Vick, Karl (2015). "Time Person of the Year 2015: Angela Merkel". Time. Archived from the original on 29 May 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f Packer, George (1 December 2014). "The Astonishing Rise of Angela Merkel". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 9 December 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "Zur Rechtsprechung in Bezug auf Kindertagesbetreuung nach § 24 SGB VIII" [On the jurisprudence of childcare pursuant to § 24 SGB VIII] (PDF). Wissenschaftliche Dienste (Deutscher Bundestag) (in German): 10. 2018.
- ^ a b "Vor 30 Jahren: Reform für Schwangerschaftsabbrüche gekippt". bpb.de (in German). 24 May 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ "Angela Merkel". www.fembio.org (in German). Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ "Bundesgesetzblatt BGBl. Online-Archiv 1949 – 2022". www.bgbl.de (in German). Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ Weiland, Severin (30 May 2005). "Kohls unterschätztes Mädchen" [Kohl's Underestimated Girl]. Der Spiegel (in German). Archived from the original on 18 July 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
- ^ "Gerade auf LeMO gesehen: LeMO Biografie: Angela Merkel". www.hdg.de (in German). Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ "Berlin Climate Change Conference – March 1995". unfccc.int. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ James, Peter (2000). "The 1998 German Federal Election". Politics. 20 (1): 33–38. doi:10.1111/1467-9256.00108. ISSN 0263-3957. S2CID 143788580. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ Qvortrup, Matthew (2016). Angela Merkel: Europe's Most Influential Leader. The Overlook Press. ISBN 978-1-4683-1408-3.
- ^ Chase, Jefferson (4 December 2021). "Bavaria's Christian Social Union: What you need to know". dw.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ Barry Turner (ed.) The Statesman's Yearbook 2015: The Politics, Cultures and Economies of the World, Springer 2014 p. 516
- ^ "Angela Merkel lässt Edmund Stoiber Kanzlerkandidat werden". swr.online (in German). 11 January 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "Stoiber & Merkel: Das gab es zum Frühstück in Wolfratshausen". DIE WELT (in German). 15 October 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "Schroeder wins second term". CNN. 23 September 2002. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Merkel speaks; DW checks the facts". dw.com. 30 July 2016. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ "Merkel's Other Legacy". dgap.org. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ "Opposition meltdown: The great disintegration act". Der Spiegel. 22 October 2004. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ^ "Merkel fordert längere Arbeitszeit". Der Spiegel (in German). 18 May 2003. Archived from the original on 13 June 2008. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
- ^ "Merkel: Nuclear phase-out is wrong". World Nuclear News. 10 June 2008. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
- ^ Staudenmaier, Rebecca (15 June 2017). "Germany's nuclear phase-out explained". DW. Archived from the original on 24 August 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- ^ "Merkel Calls For Petition Against Turkish Membership". dw.com. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ a b c Saunders, Doug (14 September 2005). "Popular flat-tax movement hits brick wall in Germany". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ^ Volkery, Carsten (3 August 2005). "CDU-Panne: Brutto, netto, Merkel". Der Spiegel. Archived from the original on 5 February 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
- ^ Crawford, Alan; Czuczka, Tony (12 June 2013). Angela Merkel: A Chancellorship Forged in Crisis. John Wiley & Sons. p. 135. ISBN 978-1-118-64109-5.
- ^ Harding, Luke (11 July 2005). "Merkel unveils tax-raising manifesto". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2 October 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
- ^ a b Hilmer, Richard; Müller-Hilmer, Rita (2006). "Die Bundestagswahl vom 18. September 2005: Votum für Wechsel in Kontinuität" [The Parliamentary Election of 18 September 2005: Verdict for a Change in Continuity]. Zeitschrift für Parlamentsfragen (in German) (1/2006): 2.
- ^ "Germany votes in close election". BBC. 18 September 2005. Archived from the original on 10 March 2006. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- ^ a b c d e "German election ends in stalemate". BBC. 19 September 2005. Archived from the original on 18 March 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ a b "Merkel named as German chancellor". BBC News. 10 October 2005. Archived from the original on 23 September 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
- ^ "German parties back new coalition". BBC News. 14 November 2005. Archived from the original on 11 January 2009.
- ^ "Merkel becomes German chancellor". BBC News. 22 November 2005. Archived from the original on 9 December 2005.
- ^ "German coalition poised for power". BBC News. 11 November 2005. Archived from the original on 25 November 2005.
- ^ "Merkel defends German reform plan". BBC News. 12 November 2005. Archived from the original on 15 March 2006.
- ^ "Letter from Berlin: A Sickly Compromise for German Healthcare Reform". Der Spiegel. 4 July 2006. ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
- ^ "German Health Reform: Merkel Announces a Deal, Averts a Crisis". Der Spiegel. 5 October 2006. ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
- ^ "German Health Care Reform: Mission Impossible?". dw.com. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Personal Responsibility for Health — Developments Under the German Healthcare Reform 2007 on JSTOR". www.jstor.org. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
- ^ Dougherty, Carter (5 October 2008). "Germany guarantees all private bank accounts". Forbes. Archived from the original on 23 April 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2008.
- ^ Whitlock, Craig (6 October 2008). "Germany to guarantee Private Bank Accounts". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2008.
- ^ a b "Bank uncertainty hits UK shares". BBC News. BBC. 6 October 2008. Archived from the original on 7 October 2008. Retrieved 6 October 2008.
- ^ Parkin, Brian; Suess, Oliver (6 October 2008). "Hypo Real Gets EU50 Billion Government-Led Bailout". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2008.
- ^ a b Rankin, Jennifer (23 September 2021). "The crisis manager: Angela Merkel's double-edged European legacy". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ a b Kelemen, Matthias Matthijs, R. Daniel (9 July 2021). "The Other Side of Angela Merkel". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Merkel legacy: EU's queen with a tarnished crown". BBC News. 12 September 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "Auf Wiedersehen, Angela: How Merkel has shaped Europe and Germany". euronews. 23 September 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "Economic Historian: 'Germany Was Biggest Debt Transgressor of 20th Century'". Der Spiegel. 21 June 2011. ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "Hey, Germany: You Got a Bailout, Too". Bloomberg.com. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "Krisenhilfe: Merkel will Kurzarbeit bis Ende 2010 verlängern". Der Spiegel (in German). 24 November 2009. ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
- ^ "Marking Merkel". Reuters. 14 September 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
- ^ "Kurzarbeit: Germany's Short-Time Work Benefit". IMF. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
- ^ "Employment Outlook 2009 – How does GERMANY compare?" (PDF). OECD. 2009.
- ^ Penfold, Chuck (30 October 2009). "Merkel's new cabinet sworn in". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on 1 June 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ Pidd, Helen (21 February 2011). "Angela Merkel's party crushed in Hamburg poll". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 24 February 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ^ "German opposition hits 11-year high in polls". France 24. 5 August 2011. Archived from the original on 11 October 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ^ "Arbeitsmarkt: Arbeitslosigkeit 2011 meist unter drei Millionen" [Labour market: Unemployment in 2011 mostly below three million]. Focus online (in German). dpa. 15 November 2013. Archived from the original on 31 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ Dempsey, Judy (2 June 2010). "Germany Sees No Need for Obligatory Military Conscription". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ Connolly, Kate (22 November 2010). "Germany to abolish compulsory military service". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Conscription to end". dw.com. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "The World from Berlin: 'End of an Era' as Germany Suspends Conscription". Der Spiegel. 4 January 2011. ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Germany debates reintroducing military conscription". dw.com. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Ukraine war raises spectre of conscription in Germany". France 24. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Angela Merkel's anti-NATO legacy". The Washington Times. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Most Germans want compulsory military service return — poll". dw.com. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Germany passes unpopular healthcare reform". Reuters. 12 November 2010. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
- ^ "Healthcare reform". dw.com. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
- ^ "Germany passes Merkel's unpopular healthcare reform". CNBC. 12 November 2010. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
- ^ Connolly, Kate; Oltermann, Philip (23 September 2013). "German election: Angela Merkel secures historic third win". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 27 March 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
- ^ Moulson, Geir (27 November 2013). "Angela Merkel reaches deal with SPD to form German-Grand-Coalition". The Independent. AP. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
- ^ Müller, Volker. "Deutscher Bundestag – Bundeskanzlerin und Bundeskabinett vereidigt". Deutscher Bundestag (in German). Archived from the original on 2 July 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
- ^ "Union dank Merkel im Umfrage-Aufwind". Stern (in German). 10 February 2012. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- ^ "Migrant crisis: Merkel warns of EU 'failure'". BBC News. 31 August 2015. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ Holehouse, Matthew; Huggler, Justin; Vogt, Andrea (24 August 2015). "Germany drops EU rules to allow in Syrian refugees". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 June 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
- ^ "Germany: 1.1 million refugee arrivals in 2015". POLITICO. 6 January 2016. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ "Germany on course to accept one million refugees in 2015". The Guardian. 8 December 2015. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ "The phrase that haunts Angela Merkel". POLITICO. 19 August 2016. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ Bannas, Günter; Berlin (31 December 2015). "Neujahrsansprache von Merkel: Wir schaffen das, denn Deutschland ist ein starkes Land". FAZ.NET (in German). ISSN 0174-4909. Archived from the original on 8 March 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ "Migrant crisis: Germany 'can take 500,000 asylum seekers a year' Archived 20 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine". BBC News. 8 September 2015.
- ^ Hill, Jenny (30 July 2013). "Immigration fuels rising tension in Germany". BBC. Archived from the original on 19 August 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
- ^ "Germany: 'No Limit' To Refugees We'll Take In". Sky News. 5 September 2015. Archived from the original on 10 April 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
- ^ "Germans welcome thousands of newly arrived refugees". Deutsche Welle. 6 September 2015. Archived from the original on 8 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ a b "Merkel splits conservative bloc with green light to refugees". Reuters. 6 September 2015. Archived from the original on 9 October 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
- ^ Delcker, Janosch (23 September 2015). "Viktor Orbán, Bavaria's hardline hero". Politico. Archived from the original on 19 January 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
- ^ "Refugee crisis: Many migrants falsely claim to be Syrians, Germany says as EU tries to ease tensions". www.telegraph.co.uk. 25 September 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "Berlin calls for sanctions on EU states that reject refugee quotas Archived 8 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine". Deutsche Welle. 15 September 2015.
- ^ Buergin, Rainer (2 October 2015). "Merkel Approval Rating Drops to Four-Year Low on Refugee Crisis". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ "Germany: Coalition split on transit zones". DW.COM. Archived from the original on 4 November 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ a b Emric, Eldar; Nellas, Demetri (14 November 2015). "Paris Attacks Provoke Fresh Migrant Fears in Europe". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ Alison Smale (28 November 2015). "Merkel, While Refusing to Halt Migrant Influx, Works to Limit It". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ^ Ehni, Ellen (4 August 2016). "ARD-Deutschlandtrend: Mehrheit gegen EU-Beitritt der Türkei". tagesschau.de (in German). Archived from the original on 23 May 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
- ^ Turner, Zeke; Fairless, Tom (28 August 2016). "Half of Germans Oppose Fourth Term for Angela Merkel, Survey Finds". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
- ^ Ehni, Ellen (6 October 2016). "ARD-DeutschlandTrend: Merkel überwindet ihr Tief" [ARD-DeutschlandTrend: Merkel overcomes her low point.] (in German). ARD-tagesschau. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
- ^ "Forsa-Umfrage: Mehrheit für erneute Kanzlerkandidatur Merkels" [Forsa Poll: Majority for renewed chancellor candidature of Merkel]. Westfälische Nachrichten (in German). dpa. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
- ^ Gaugele, Jochen; Kammholz, Karsten (27 December 2016). "Flüchtlingskrise wird 2017 die größte Herausforderung" [Refugee crisis to be biggest challenge in 2017]. Berliner Morgenpost (in German). Archived from the original on 23 April 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
- ^ "Hunderte Millionen gegen die Flucht". Der Spiegel. 10 October 2016. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ Lucassen, Geertje; Lubbers, Marcel (2012). "Who Fears What? Explaining Far-Right-Wing Preference in Europe by Distinguishing Perceived Cultural and Economic Threats". Comparative Political Studies. 45 (5). doi:10.1177/0010414011427851. ISSN 0010-4140. S2CID 145071392.
- ^ Oltermann, Philip (30 August 2020). "How Angela Merkel's great migrant gamble paid off". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ "Ex-German leader Angela Merkel wins UN refugee prize". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ "Merkel wins UN refugee prize for 'courage and compassion' during migrant crisis". France 24. 4 October 2022. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ a b "How Merkel broke the EU". POLITICO. 28 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Merkel faces tide of criticism as asylum scandal overruns Germany". The Irish Times. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Koalition: Merkel lädt ab Mittwoch kommender Woche zu Jamaika-Gesprächen". Der Spiegel. dpa. 9 October 2017. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
- ^ Paun, Carmen (7 October 2017). "Angela Merkel Ready to Move Forward with Jamaica Coalition". Politico. Archived from the original on 7 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
- ^ "Die Bundestagswahl 2017 und ihre Folgen". bpb.de (in German). 12 July 2021. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ "SPD: Martin Schulz schließt große Koalition aus". Der Spiegel (in German). 20 November 2017. ISSN 2195-1349. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ "Positionierung CDU und SPD – Keine Große Koalition um jeden Preis". Deutschlandfunk (in German). Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ Connolly, Kate (24 November 2017). "Germany's SPD is ready for talks to end coalition deadlock". The Guardian. Berlin. Archived from the original on 24 November 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
- ^ "Bundestagswahl 2017: Die ewigen Sondierungsgespräche". www.fr.de (in German). 23 June 2021. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ "Bundestag wählt Angela Merkel zum vierten Mal zur Bundeskanzlerin". Neue Zürcher Zeitung. dpa. 14 March 2018. Archived from the original on 3 June 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
- ^ "Germany's never-ending coalition talks break record". Deutsche Welle. 20 December 2017. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
- ^ Oltermann, Philip (4 March 2018). "Merkel secures fourth term in power after SPD backs coalition deal". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
- ^ Delhaes, Daniel (28 December 2017). "Waning support puts Merkel's future in doubt". Handelsblatt Global. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ Müller, Volker (14 March 2018). "Deutscher Bundestag – Angela Merkel mit 364 Stimmen zur Bundeskanzlerin gewählt". Deutscher Bundestag (in German). Archived from the original on 12 July 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
- ^ "Facing far-right challenge, minister says Islam 'doesn't belong' to Germany". Reuters. 16 March 2018. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ "Germany's future interior minister Horst Seehofer vows to increase deportations". Deusche Welle. 11 March 2018. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
- ^ "Germany: Interior minister gives Merkel ultimatum on migrants". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
- ^ "Germany's interior minister Horst Seehofer wants quick action on migrants". 18 June 2018. Archived from the original on 18 June 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- ^ Rankin, Jennifer; Oltermann, Philip (28 June 2018). "Future of EU hinges on solving migration issue, says Merkel". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 9 January 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ "Merkel handed two-week ultimatum in migrant row". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "Merkel coalition crisis: Seehofer offers to quit over migration". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
- ^ "Germany migrants: Key Merkel ally Seehofer threatens to quit". BBC News. 2 July 2018. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ Oltermann, Philip; Chrisafis, Angelique; Connolly, Kate (2 July 2018). "Merkel and Seehofer make last-ditch bid for migration compromise". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
- ^ Thomas, Andrea; Marson, James (2 July 2018). "Germany's Merkel Secures Deal on Migrants, Averts Government Collapse". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ Schmidt, Nadine; Vonberg, Judith (2 July 2018). "Germany's Merkel makes deal with interior minister on migration dispute". CNN International Edition. Archived from the original on 3 July 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- ^ "Germany migrants: Merkel averts coalition government split". BBC News. 3 July 2018. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ "Migration: Kritik an Horst Seehofer". Süddeutsche.de (in German). 6 September 2018. Archived from the original on 19 February 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ "Scharfe Kritik an Horst Seehofers Äußerungen über Migration". FAZ.NET (in German). 6 September 2018. ISSN 0174-4909. Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ "How Germany is preparing for COVID-19". dw.com. Archived from the original on 16 December 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ "Coronavirus: Bundesregierung legt Krisen-Leitlinien fest – Merkel für Vorgehen mit "Maß und Mitte" – WELT". DIE WELT (in German). 29 February 2020. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ "An address to the nation by Federal Chancellor Merkel". Bundesregierung (in German). Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ "Merkel COVID address honored as 'Speech of the Year'". dw.com. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ "Angela Merkel: Coronavirus is Germany's biggest postwar challenge". POLITICO. 18 March 2020. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ Dempsey, Judy (24 March 2020). "Why Merkel's Coronavirus Address Matters". Carnegie Europe. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ Markus Wacket; Andreas Rinke (6 April 2020). "Coronavirus pandemic is historical test for EU, Merkel says". Reuters. Archived from the original on 15 December 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
- ^ Oltermann, Philip (16 April 2020). "Angela Merkel draws on science background in Covid-19 explainer: German chancellor excels in describing epidemiological basis of lockdown exit strategy". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
- ^ Bhalla, Jag (17 April 2020). "This viral Angela Merkel clip explains the risks of loosening social distancing too fast". Vox. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ Oltermann, Philip (16 April 2020). "Angela Merkel draws on science background in Covid-19 explainer". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ "Angela Merkel gave one of the clearest explanations of how coronavirus transmission works". Quartz. 16 April 2020. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ "Merkel stresses COVID vaccine is key, but voluntary". dw.com. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ "Next Generation EU, Merkel's latest trick: good for Europe". Aspenia Online. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Angela Merkel to step down in 2021". BBC News. 29 October 2018. Archived from the original on 29 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
- ^ Le Blond, Josie (29 October 2018). "German chancellor Angela Merkel will not seek re-election in 2021". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 December 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
- ^ "Merkel hints at return to academia after politics". Reuters. 31 August 2019. Archived from the original on 1 September 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
- ^ Moulson, Geir; Rising, David (29 October 2018). "Angela Merkel won't seek 5th term as German chancellor". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 29 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
- ^ "Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer elected to succeed Merkel as CDU leader". Politico. 7 December 2018. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
- ^ Karnitschnig, Matthew (18 July 2019). "Angela Merkel's succession maneuver". Politico. Archived from the original on 18 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
- ^ Torsten Krauel, Chefkommentator (12 March 2019). "Kanzlerin Kramp-Karrenbauer? Eine Gespensterdebatte". Die Welt. Axel Springer SE (WELT und N24Doku), Berlin. Archived from the original on 10 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
- ^ "Ich will, dass Angela Merkel Kanzlerin bleibt". Der Spiegel (online). 11 March 2019. Archived from the original on 19 March 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
- ^ "Angela Merkel's coalition is in trouble. That means Europe is, too". The Economist. Archived from the original on 25 October 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
- ^ "Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer: Favourite to replace Merkel stands down". BBC News. 10 February 2020. Archived from the original on 11 February 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- ^ "Pragmatic governor Laschet elected to lead Merkel's party". Associated Press. 16 January 2021. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ "Germany's SPD, FDP and Greens unveil governing coalition deal". DW.COM. Archived from the original on 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
- ^ "Olaf Scholz elected as Germany's new Chancellor, replacing Angela Merkel". ABC News. 8 December 2021. Archived from the original on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
- ^ Philip Oltermann (27 September 2021). "Seat held by Merkel since 1990 won by SPD candidate born in 1993". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
- ^ "Friedrich Merz takes over as leader of Germany's Christian Democrats". The Economist. 22 January 2022.
- ^ a b c Weider, Thomas (2 June 2022). "Angela Merkel condemns 'the barbaric war of aggression waged by Russia,' without introspection". Le Monde. Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ Jackson, Patrick (8 June 2022). "Ukraine war: Angela Merkel defends her record on Putin". BBC. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ Walsh, Alistair; Goldenberg, Rina (7 June 2022). "Angela Merkel opens up on Ukraine, Putin and her legacy". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on 11 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ "German ex-leader Angela Merkel's memoirs to be published in late November, titled 'Freedom'". Associated Press. 13 May 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ "Angela Merkel's little book of calm". POLITICO. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ Cole, Deborah (13 May 2024). "Angela Merkel memoirs to be published in November". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ "Merkel says German multicultural society has failed". BBC News. 17 October 2010. Archived from the original on 17 October 2010.
- ^ Kauffmann, Audrey (17 October 2010). "Merkel Says German Multi-Cultural Society Has Failed". Yahoo! News. Archived from the original on 18 October 2010. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
- ^ "Zentralrat der Juden kritisiert Seehofer: Debatte ist scheinheilig und hysterisch". Südwestrundfunk (in German). Retrieved 21 October 2010.
Wir fühlen uns dem christlichen Menschenbild verbunden, das ist das, was uns ausmacht. Wer das nicht akzeptiert, der ist bei uns fehl am Platz
[dead link] - ^ "Germany's charged immigration debate". BBC News. 17 October 2010. Archived from the original on 14 October 2010.
- ^ "Merkel Losing Her Patience with Lack of EU Solidarity". Der Spiegel. 18 September 2020. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
- ^ Escritt, Thomas; Baczynska, Gabriela (22 September 2020). "Germany pushes for EU solidarity on migration – again". Reuters. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ a b Matthijs, Matthias; Kelemen, R. Daniel (9 July 2021). "The Other Side of Angela Merkel". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 30 April 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
- ^ a b Karnitschnig, Matthew (5 May 2022). "12 Germans who got played by Putin". Politico. Archived from the original on 29 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
- ^ a b Schulz, Sven Christian (5 April 2022). "War der Westen naiv?". Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland. Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
- ^ "TIME Person of the Year 2015: Angela Merkel". TIME.com. Archived from the original on 29 May 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ Giuffrida, Angela; Connolly, Kate; Henley, Jon (3 October 2021). "Draghi, Scholz or Macron? Merkel's crown as Europe's leader up for grabs". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ "Angela Merkel". Forbes. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ "G20-Gipfel in Hamburg: Merkel nennt erstmals Themen". Hamburger Abendblatt. Archived from the original on 3 December 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
- ^ "Klitschko, Merkel discuss prospects for signing EU-Ukraine association agreement". Kyiv Post. Interfax-Ukraine. 5 December 2012. Archived from the original on 5 December 2012.
- ^ Shamah, David (6 July 2014). "Hamas rockets reach the north, Abbas charges Israel with genocide". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
- ^ "Merkel calls Sudeten German expulsion "immoral", drawing Czech ire". Czech Radio. 21 June 2018. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ^ "Bundesregierung | Rede von Bundeskanzlerin Merkel beim Jahrestreffen 2013 des World Economic Forum" (in German). Bundesregierung.de. 24 January 2013. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ^ Among others, in her speech on the occasion of her honorary doctoral degree at the University of Szeged in Hungary, see "Rede von Bundeskanzlerin Merkel anlässlich der Verleihung der Ehrendoktorwürde der Universität Szeged" (in German). Die Bundesregierung. 2 February 2015. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017.
- ^ a b "The Merkel plan". The Economist. 15 June 2013. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ^ Peel, Quentin (16 December 2012). "Merkel warns on cost of welfare". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ^ "EU-Klimaziele: Merkel freut sich über "Durchbruch"". Der Tagesspiegel Online (in German). ISSN 1865-2263. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ Jacobs, David (2012). "The German Energiewende – History, Targets, Policies and Challenges". Renewable Energy Law and Policy Review. 3 (4): 223–233. ISSN 1869-4942. JSTOR 24324660.
- ^ "Deutschlands letzte Atomkraftwerke vom Netz genommen". tagesschau.de (in German). Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Atomkraft-Aus: Letzte deutsche Akw endgültig abgeschaltet". www.mdr.de (in German). Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Erfolgsmeldung mit Schönheitsfehler – Deutschland erreicht seine Klimaziele für 2020 – dank Corona". Deutschlandfunk (in German). Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ Bauchmüller, Michael (21 December 2021). "Klimaschutz: Deutschland verfehlt wieder sein Klimaziel". Süddeutsche.de (in German). Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Energieverbrauch sinkt, Emissionen stabil: Warum das so ist". www.zdf.de (in German). 4 January 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Germany increases funding for climate action". Bundesregierung. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ ""Climate plan: Hendricks demands Merkel put down her foot"". Clean Energy Wire. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Angela Merkel und der Klimawandel: Klimakanzlerin außer Dienst". Der Tagesspiegel Online (in German). ISSN 1865-2263. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Angela Merkel: Trump can't stop us on Paris deal". POLITICO. 2 June 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ Halasz, Angela Dewan,Stephanie (8 July 2017). "G20 closes with rebuke to Trump's climate change stance". CNN. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Buck, Tobias (26 January 2019). "Germany set to phase out coal-fired power stations by 2038". Financial Times. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Germany agrees plan to phase out coal power by 2038". BBC News. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ Eddy, Melissa (20 September 2019). "Germany Unveils $60 Billion Climate Package". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ Buck, Tobias (20 September 2019). "Germany unveils sweeping measures to fight climate change". Financial Times. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Germany plans €54bn climate deal amid 500 protests". BBC News. 20 September 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Polarized public over Germany's climate plan?". dw.com. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Not even the bare minimum: unpacking Germany's 2030 climate package". Climate Analytics Blog. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ Götze, Susanne (20 September 2019). "Klimapaket der Bundesregierung: So beurteilen Experten die Einigung". Der Spiegel (in German). ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Kritik an Bundesregierung – Latif: Klimapaket verdient den Namen nicht". Deutschlandfunk (in German). Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Merkel verteidigt Schulden- und Steuerpolitik". www.merkur.de (in German). 10 November 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Analysis: Merkel under pressure to raise tax for rich Germans". Reuters. 24 August 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ Schwartz, Nelson D.; Dempsey, Judy (10 November 2009). "Recession Upends German Zeal for Fiscal Prudence (Published 2009)". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Bank levy defeated". dw.com. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Sarkozy, Merkel call for bank levy, financial transactions tax". France 24. 14 June 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Germany sticking to balanced budget goal, Merkel says". Reuters. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Merkel honours Mohammad cartoonist at press award". Reuters. 8 September 2010. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012.
- ^ "The Sarrazin Debate: Germany Is Becoming Islamophobic". Der Spiegel. Archived from the original on 17 September 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
- ^ Connor, Richard (8 September 2010). "Merkel defends 'Muhammad' cartoonist, condemns Koran-burning". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
- ^ BBC: Germany's Central Muslim Council (Zentralrat der Muslime in Deutschland) criticised Mrs. Merkel for attending the award ceremony. 8 September 2010. A ZMD spokesman, Aiman Mazyek, told public broadcaster Deutschlandradio that the Chancellor was honouring someone "who in our eyes kicked our prophet, and therefore kicked all Muslims". He said giving Mr Westergaard the prize in a "highly charged and heated time" was "highly problematic".
- ^ "Merkel honours Danish Muhammad cartoonist Westergaard". BBC News. 8 September 2010. Archived from the original on 8 September 2010.
- ^ Buchholz, Christine (9 September 2010). "Merkel's affront to Muslims" (in German). Die linke. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
- ^ a b "Award for Danish Muhammad Cartoonist: Merkel Defends Press Freedom, Condemns Koran-Burning". Der Spiegel. Archived from the original on 16 September 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
- ^ "Ehrung des Mohammed-Karikaturisten: Angela Merkels Risiko". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). 8 September 2010. Archived from the original on 8 September 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
- ^ "Sprachkritik: "Alternativlos" ist das Unwort des Jahres". Der Spiegel (in German). 18 January 2011. Archived from the original on 22 September 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
- ^ Prantl, Heribert (24 September 2013). "Alternative dank Merkel". Süddeutsche Zeitung. Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
- ^ Strange, Hannah (20 June 2013). "Angela Merkel refers to internet as 'virgin territory'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 6 December 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
- ^ Frickel, Claudia (20 June 2013). "Merkel beim Besuch von Obama: Das Netz lacht über Merkels "Internet-Neuland"". Der Focus (Online Version) (in German). Archived from the original on 30 September 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
- ^ "Kauder: 'Der Islam gehört nicht zu Deutschland'" [Kauder: "Islam does not belong to Germany"] (in German). dpa/T-Online. 18 January 2015. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- ^ "Gehört der Islam zu Deutschland? Kauder widerspricht Merkel" Archived 22 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Idea, 19 January 2015 (in German)
- ^ Fouquet, Helene; Delfs, Arne; and Wingrove, Josh (27 May 2017). "Trump Goes His Own Way as G-7 Cobbles Together an Awkward Truce". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 27 May 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Germany's reluctance to speak out against China". Deutsche Welle. 7 July 2020. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
- ^ "Merkel is under pressure to cut Germany's ties with China as the Hong Kong crisis triggers a European backlash against Beijing". Business Insider. 8 July 2020. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
- ^ "China Is Merkel's Biggest Failure in Office". Foreign Policy. 15 September 2020. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
- ^ "China, Germany tight ties will face post-Merkel test". Asia Times. 26 August 2020. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
- ^ "The Green Brief: Merkel's climate 'realpolitik' legacy". Euractiv. 15 September 2021. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
- ^ a b "Germany Flirts With Power Crunch in Nuclear and Coal Exit". Bloomberg. 22 August 2021. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
- ^ "European Energy Crisis Fuels Carbon Trading Expansion Concerns". Bloomberg. 6 October 2021. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
- ^ "Climate Policy Meets Cold Reality in Europe". The Wall Street Journal. 27 September 2021. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
- ^ a b Amaro, Silvia (14 March 2022). "With Putin's war in Europe, the legacy of Germany's Merkel is now being seen in a very different light". CNBC. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ^ a b Karnitschnig, Matthew (28 March 2022). "Putin's useful German idiots". Politico. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
- ^ a b "Clouds Over Merkel's Legacy as Russian Invasion Lays Flaws Bare". Voice of America. Agence France-Presse. 12 March 2022. Archived from the original on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
- ^ Connolly, Kate; Wintour, Patrick (4 April 2022). "Pressure mounts on German ministers to embargo Russian energy". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ^ Daniel Johnson (8 April 2022). "Angela Merkel doesn't deserve a quiet retirement". Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023.
- ^ "Merkel 'stands by' past Ukraine NATO decision after Zelenskyy criticism". Deutsche Welle. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
- ^ Balasubramanyam, Ranjitha (16 September 2013). "All Eyes on Berlin". Foreign Policy Journal. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ^ Wagele, Elizabeth (16 July 2012). "What Personality Type is Angela Merkel?". Psychology Today. Archived from the original on 28 May 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ^ "Angela Merkel 'world's most powerful woman'". The Daily Telegraph. London. 24 August 2011. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ Gibbs, Nancy (9 December 2015). "Why Angela Merkel is TIME's Person of the Year". Archived from the original on 14 July 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
- ^ "Angela Merkel". Forbes. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- ^ Smale, Alison; Erlanger, Steven (12 November 2016). "As Obama Exits World Stage, Angela Merkel May Be the Liberal West's Last Defender". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
- ^ Clarke, Hilary (30 October 2018). "For years, Angela Merkel saw off all challengers. Now, she's preparing to step aside". CNN. Archived from the original on 30 December 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
- ^ Moulson, Geir; Rising, David (29 October 2018). "Merkel won't seek a 5th term as German chancellor". AP NEWS. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
- ^ "The leader of the free world meets Donald Trump". POLITICO. 17 March 2017. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- ^ "World prefers Angela Merkel to Donald Trump: Pew study". Deutsche Welle. 2 October 2018. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ Marton, Kati (19 May 2019). "The Merkel Model". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 20 May 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
- ^ "Angela Merkel named Harvard Commencement speaker". news.harvard.edu. 7 December 2018. Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ "Angela Merkel's historic error on immigration". www.telegraph.co.uk. 15 March 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ Oltermann, Philip (7 June 2022). "No regrets over handling of Vladimir Putin, says Angela Merkel". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Germany debates reintroducing military conscription". dw.com. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Angela Merkel décorée du grade de docteure honoris causa par Sciences Po". lepetitjournal.com. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
- ^ "Europe : Angela Merkel à l'honneur à Sciences Po Paris". La Croix (in French). 28 June 2023. ISSN 0242-6056. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
- ^ Franzke, Amna. "WIR MERKELKINDER" [Us Merkel-children]. www.zeit.de (in German). Archived from the original on 2 August 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ "The attitudes of Germany's young". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ Risen, Clay (5 July 2005). "Is Angela Merkel the next Maggie Thatcher?". Slate. Archived from the original on 28 April 2009.
- ^ "The new iron chancellor". The Economist. 26 November 2009. Archived from the original on 24 November 2011.
- ^ Barro, Josh (18 August 2016). "Hillary is America's Merkel, but not in the way Trump thinks". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
- ^ Spicer, Nick (9 March 2012). "Can we please stop calling Merkel the Iron Lady?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
- ^ "Eines Tages zog sie aus". FOCUS Online. Archived from the original on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ^ "Biographie: Angela Merkel, geb. 1954". DHM. Archived from the original on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
- ^ Huggler, Justin (27 May 2016). "Rare sighting of Angela Merkel's publicity-shy husband at G7 summit". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- ^ Taylor, Adam. "We Pretty Much Only Know These 8 Things About Angela Merkel's Husband". Business Insider. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- ^ Uhlmann, Stefan (14 August 2009). "Joachim Sauer, das Phantom an Merkels Seite". Die Zeit (in German). Archived from the original on 16 August 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
- ^ "Angela Merkel's journey from 'Mädchen' to 'Mutti'". Politico. 6 September 2017. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ Klatell, James M (9 August 2006). "Germany's First Fella, Angela Merkel Is Germany's Chancellor; But Her Husband Stays Out of the Spotlight". CBS News. Archived from the original on 10 August 2006. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
- ^ Ward, Lucy (25 September 2014). "Polyglots and insults: how our European leaders use language". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 December 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
- ^ "Angela Merkel speaks to UK Parliament in English about EU". BBC News. 27 February 2014. Archived from the original on 9 December 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
- ^ "Angela Merkel im Fußballfieber". Focus (in German). 15 March 2013. Archived from the original on 21 May 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
- ^ "Kanzlerin Merkel kommt erst wieder zum Finale". Handelsblatt (in German). 23 June 2012. Archived from the original on 27 June 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
- ^ Camargo, Marcelo (25 January 2014). "Germany chancellor and president to watch final at Maracanã". Agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
- ^ "Merkel reveals politically explosive favorite film". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
- ^ a b Hume, Tim. "Putin: I didn't mean to scare Angela Merkel with dog". CNN. Archived from the original on 7 May 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
- ^ Oltermann, Philip (10 July 2019). "Angela Merkel says she is in good health after third shaking bout". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 July 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
- ^ "Angela Merkel shaking: I'm well, she says, despite third incident". BBC News. 10 July 2019. Archived from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
- ^ Berlin, Oliver Moody (11 July 2019). "Concerns grow as Merkel suffers third bout of shaking". The Times. Archived from the original on 11 July 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
- ^ Philip Oltermann (27 June 2019). "Angela Merkel seen shaking for second time in just over a week". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 June 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
- ^ "Germany's Angela Merkel declares 'yes, I am a feminist'". Deutsche Welle. 9 September 2021. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
- ^ "Angela Merkel über Kanzlerschaft und Ruhestand: »Jetzt bin ich frei«". Der Spiegel (in German). 18 June 2022. ISSN 2195-1349. Archived from the original on 14 October 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ "Angela Merkel: So genießt die Alt-Kanzlerin ihre Rente". gala.de (in German). 19 June 2022. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ Bade, Rachael (11 November 2023). "Playbook: Why Congress could sleepwalk into a shutdown". Politico. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Bundeskanzlerin Merkel ohne fertige Antworten in Templin". Archived from the original on 23 November 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
- ^ Spencer, Nick (6 January 2016). "Angela Merkel: How Germany's Iron Chancellor is shaped by her Christianity | Christian News on Christian Today". Christiantoday.com. Archived from the original on 31 March 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
"Video Podcast of the German Chancellor #37/2012" (PDF) (in German). 3 November 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 May 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.Ich bin Mitglied der evangelischen Kirche. Ich glaube an Gott, und die Religion ist auch mein ständiger Begleiter – eigentlich in meinem ganzen Leben – gewesen.
- ^ "Bericht der Vorsitzenden der CDU Deutschlands Bundeskanzlerin Dr. Angela Merkel MdB" [Report of the Chairwoman of the German CDU Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel] (PDF) (in German). 9 September 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 September 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
Es ist doch nicht so, dass wir ein Zuviel an Islam haben, sondern wir haben ein Zuwenig an Christentum.
- ^ Philip Oltermann (5 April 2017). "The many faces of Angela Merkel: 26 years of photographing the German chancellor". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 November 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
- ^ Max Bearak (29 March 2017). "Decades of yearly portraits show how power has transformed Angela Merkel". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 21 December 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
- ^ "The Dictator". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 19 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ Paraskos, Michael, In Search of Sixpence (London: Friction Press, 2016).
- ^ Grossman, Samantha. "See the Best of Kate McKinnon's Hilarious Angela Merkel Impression". Time. Archived from the original on 30 September 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- ^ Moran, Lee (11 December 2016). "'SNL' Version of Angela Merkel Is Not Happy Donald Trump Is Time's 'Person of the Year'". HuffPost. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- ^ "Impressions – Angela Merkel". SNL Archives. Archived from the original on 21 January 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- ^ "True total hottie Frau": Die bislang beste Merkel – Parodie kommt von der BBC Archived 19 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Buzzer, 21 January 2016.
- ^ "Merkel-Parodie von Tracey Ullman – Die Chancelorette erobert die Herzen der Briten". Deutschlandfunk (in German). Retrieved 15 July 2023.
- ^ "Tracey Ullman: Die Ex-Sängerin, die toll Angela Merkel parodiert – WELT". DIE WELT (in German). 23 February 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
- ^ "Grandiose Comedy: Tracey Ullman parodiert Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel". Rolling Stone (in German). 21 January 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
- ^ Smagge, Patricia (2016). "Angela Merkel: The Unexpected – Angela Merkel – Die Unerwartete (2016) (In Dutch)". cinemagazine.nl. Archived from the original on 20 September 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
- ^ "Press Review - 'Miss Merkel': German TV show reimagining ex-chancellor as crime-fighting detective goes viral". France 24. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ "Angela Merkel's imagined new career as a detective hits Italian screens". www.ft.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
Further reading
- Clark, Claudia. Dear Barack: The Extraordinary Partnership of Barack Obama and Angela Merkel (2021)
- Crossley-Frolick, Katy A. "Domestic Constraints, German Foreign Policy and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding." German Politics and Society 31.3 (2013): 43–75.
- Czuczka, Tony and Alan Crawford. Angela Merkel: A Chancellorship Forged in Crisis (2013) excerpt
- Ferree, Myra Marx. "Angela Merkel: What Does It Mean to Run as a Woman?" German Politics & Society 2006. 24#78: 93–107. online
- Faas, Thorsten. "The German federal election of 2013: Merkel's triumph, the disappearance of the liberal party, and yet another grand coalition." West European Politics 38.1 (2015): 238–247.
- Kornelius, Stefan. Angela Merkel: The Chancellor and Her World: The Authorized Biography (Alma Books, 2014).
- Marton, Kati. The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel (Simon & Schuster, 2021)
- Masch, Lena, and Oscar W. Gabriel. "How Emotional Displays of Political Leaders Shape Citizen Attitudes: The Case of German Chancellor Angela Merkel." German Politics 29.2 (2020): 158–179.
- Mills, Cliff. Angela Merkel (2008), for middle schools online
- Mushaben, Joyce Marie. "The Best of Times, the Worst of Times: Angela Merkel, the Grand Coalition, and 'Majority Rule' in Germany." German Politics and Society 34.1 (2016): 1–25.
- Mushaben, Joyce Marie. Becoming Madam Chancellor: Angela Merkel and the Berlin Republic (2017) excerpt
- Mushaben, Joyce Marie. "A Spectre Haunting Europe: Angela Merkel and the Challenges of Far-Right Populism." German Politics and Society 38.1 (2020): 7–29.
- Mushaben, Joyce Marie. "The reluctant feminist: Angela Merkel and the modernization of gender politics in Germany." Femina Politica–Zeitschrift für feministische Politikwissenschaft 27.2 (2018): 83–95. online
- Qvortrup, Matthew. Angela Merkel: Europe's most influential leader (2016) excerpt
- Saalfeld, Thomas. "Coalition Governance under Chancellor Merkel's Grand Coalition: A Comparison of the Cabinets Merkel I and Merkel II." German Politics and Society 28.3 (2010): 82–102.
- Schramm, Julia. Fifty Shades of Merkel. (Hoffmann & Campe, 2016), ISBN 978-3-455-50410-1
- Schnee, Christian. "Sticking to her guns or going with the flow: assessing rigidity and flexibility in Angela Merkel's political decision making." German Politics and Society 37.1 (2019): 24–46.
- Schoen, Harald. "Merely a referendum on Chancellor Merkel? Parties, issues and candidates in the 2009 German federal election." German Politics 20.1 (2011): 92–106.
- Schoen, Harald, and Robert Greszki. "A Third Term for a Popular Chancellor: An Analysis of Voting Behaviour in the 2013 German Federal Election." German Politics 23.4 (2014): 251–267.
- Skard, Torild (2014) "Angela Merkel" in Women of Power – Half a Century of Female presidents and Prime Ministers Worldwide, Bristol: Policy Press, ISBN 978-1-4473-1578-0
- Van Halsema, Catherine. 2019. "Merkel the Mutti? A Linguistic Analysis of Domestic Language in European News Media Coverage of Angela Merkel." Women & Language. 42(1): 7–22.
- Voigt, Linda. "Get the party started: The social policy of the grand coalition 2013–2017." German Politics 28.3 (2019): 426–443.
- Zehfuss, Maja. "'We Can Do This': Merkel, Migration and the Fantasy of Control." International Political Sociology 15.2 (2021): 172–189.
In German
- Plickert, Philip (Editor) (2017) Merkel. Eine kritische Bilanz, FinanzBuch Verlag, ISBN 978-3-95972-065-6.
- Margaret Heckel: So regiert die Kanzlerin. Eine Reportage. Piper, München 2009, ISBN 978-3-492-05331-0.
- Volker Resing: Angela Merkel. Die Protestantin. Ein Porträt. St. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 2009, ISBN 978-3-7462-2648-4.
- Gertrud Höhler: Die Patin. Wie Angela Merkel Deutschland umbaut. Orell Füssli, Zürich 2012, ISBN 978-3-280-05480-2.
- Stefan Kornelius: Angela Merkel. Die Kanzlerin und ihre Welt. Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg 2013, ISBN 978-3-455-50291-6.
- Nikolaus Blome: Angela Merkel – Die Zauderkünstlerin. Pantheon, München 2013, ISBN 978-3-570-55201-8.
- Stephan Hebel: Mutter Blamage – Warum die Nation Angela Merkel und ihre Politik nicht braucht. Westend, Frankfurt am Main 2013, ISBN 978-3-86489-021-5.
- Günther Lachmann, Ralf Georg Reuth: Das erste Leben der Angela M. Piper, München 2013, ISBN 978-3-492-05581-9.
- Judy Dempsey: Das Phänomen Merkel – Deutschlands Macht und Möglichkeiten. Edition Körber-Stiftung, Hamburg 2013, ISBN 978-3-89684-097-4.
- Dirk Kurbjuweit: Alternativlos – Merkel, die Deutschen und das Ende der Politik. Hanser, München, 2014, ISBN 978-3-446-24620-1.
External links
- Official Website of Angela Merkel's office (in German)
- Former Official Website of The Federal Chancellor at the Wayback Machine (archived 3 December 2021)
- Merkel's personal website at the Wayback Machine (archived 7 December 2021) (in German)
- Angela Merkel at the Encyclopædia Britannica
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Angela Merkel on IMDb
- "Angela Merkel collected news and commentary". Bloomberg News.
- Angela Merkel collected news and commentary at The Economist
- Angela Merkel collected news and commentary at Forbes
- "Angela Merkel collected news and commentary". The New York Times.
- Angela Merkel collected news and commentary at Time
- Packer, George (1 December 2014). "The Quiet German". The New Yorker: 46–63. Archived from the original on 9 December 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2014. The article describes Angela Merkel's life and career in East Germany and her subsequent rise to Chancellor of Germany following German reunification.
- Deutsche Welle documentary about Merkel's term in office by Deutsche Welle (in English).