As Angela Merkel finally steps down, the verdict on her leadership – at least from overseas – appears to be unanimous: she is a safe pair of hands who will be greatly missed. Her departure is a big loss for Europe. But is that right? Many Germans, it seems, are much less favourable about Mutti.
There have been dissenting voices outside Germany to be sure, arguing that her achievements and historical importance have been exaggerated. Her overseas critics point out that she failed to make the most of the considerable authority she acquired and that her interventions in the European Union only made its divisions worse. The inflexibility of Merkel (or rather the misjudgements of David Cameron) could even be seen as a key reason why Brexit took place. But these international critics who condemn Merkel’s leadership are bucking the trend.
Come to Germany, however, and you might feel that you are witnessing the latest example of a prophet lacking honour in her own country. Earlier this week, I was in the crowd on the Old Market Place in the Baltic city of Stralsund for one of Angela Merkel’s last appearances as Chancellor. Stralsund is in the parliamentary constituency she has represented for 30 years. Merkel was there to support Armin Laschet, her party’s candidate for Chancellor. Rain threatened, then poured down, just as Merkel’s arrival was announced. The crowd laughed at the absurdity of it all.
Stralsund illustrated two things. First, that even on her home territory, the constituency she has represented for 30 years, Merkel’s popularity is not what it was. I was at the Stralsund rally 16 years ago when she was campaigning to be Chancellor – successfully, as it turned out. She was a much younger, much less confident performer in those days; but a big crowd turned out to see her, and they showed real enthusiasm for their adopted daughter.
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