Page 30 - bon-dia-aruba-20211208
P. 30
A30 world news
Diaranson 8 December 2021
End of an era: Germany’s Merkel bows out after 16 years
of our time,” Merkel said, words. She once lamented
identifying those as climate “We have been able to over- that she couldn’t put on a
change, digitization and mi- come many crises in a spirit poker face: “I’ve given up. I
gration. of respect, in an effort always can’t do it.”
to find common solutions”
That stance was a strong she said. “But we also have She wasn’t intimidated by
counterpoint to former U.S. a series of unresolved prob- Putin’s style. The Russian
President Donald Trump, lems, and there are big unfin- president once brought his
with whom she had a diffi- ished tasks for my successor.” Labrador to a 2007 meeting
cult relationship. At their first with Merkel, who later said
meeting in the White House That’s also true at home, she had a “certain concern”
in March 2017, when pho- where her record — domi- about dogs after having once
tographers shouted for them nated by the crises she ad- been bitten by one.
to shake hands, she quietly dressed and including a pan-
asked Trump “do you want to demic that is flaring anew as She was never the most
have a handshake?” but there she steps down — is a mixed glamorous of political opera-
was no response from the bag. She leaves Germany tors, but that was part of her
president, who looked ahead. with lower unemployment appeal – the chancellor con-
and healthier finances, but tinued to take unglamorous
Merkel dismissed being la- also with well-documented walking holidays, was occa-
(AP) — Angela Merkel the German Marshall Fund beled as “leader of the free shortcomings in digitiza- sionally seen shopping at the
was assured of a place in of the United States’ Berlin
the history books as soon office. “Undoubtedly she’s world” during that period, tion — many health offices supermarket and lived in the
saying leadership is never up resorted to fax machines to same Berlin apartment as she
as she became Germany’s elevated Germany’s image in transmit data in the pandem- did before taking the top job.
first female chancellor on the world.” to one person or country. ic — and what critics say was
Nov. 22, 2005. a lack of investment in infra- Named “The World’s Most
“When she first came onto Still, she was viewed as a cru-
Over the next 16 years, she the scene in 2005, a lot of cial leader in the unwieldy structure. Powerful Woman” by Forbes
magazine for the past 10
was credited with raising people underestimated her, 27-nation EU, famed for her She made progress in pro- years in a row, Merkel steps
stamina in coaxing agree-
Germany’s profile and influ- but she grew in stature along moting renewable energy, down with a legacy of break-
ence, working to hold a frac- with Germany’s role in the ments in marathon negotiat- but also drew criticism for ing through the glass ceiling
ing sessions.
tious European Union to- world,” David-Wilp added. moving too slowly on cli- of male dominance in poli-
gether, managing a string of Others in Europe and be- “Ms. Merkel was a compro- mate change. After announc- tics — although she also has
crises and being a role model yond “want more of an active
for women. Germany to play a role in the mise machine,” Luxembourg ing in 2018 that she wouldn’t faced criticism for not push-
seek a fifth term, she failed ing harder for more gender
Prime Minister Xavier Bet-
world — that may not have to secure a smooth transition equality.
Now that near-record tenure been the case before she was tel said recently. When ne-
gotiations were blocked, she of power in her own party,
is ending with her leaving of- in office, necessarily.”
fice at age 67 to praise from “mostly found something which slumped to defeat in Obama said that “so many
people, girls and boys, men
that unites us to move things Germany’s September elec-
abroad and enduring popu- In a video message at Merkel’s tion. and women, have had a role
larity at home. Her desig- final EU summit in October, along.” model who they could look
nated successor, Olaf Scholz, former U.S. President Barack
is expected to take office Obama thanked her for “tak- That was on display in July The incoming governing up to through challenging
2020, when EU leaders coalition under Scholz says times.”
Wednesday. ing the high ground for so it wants to “venture more
many years.” clinched a deal on an unprec-
Merkel, a former scientist edented 1.8 trillion-euro ($2 progress” for Germany after Former President George
W. Bush, whose relationship
years of stagnation.
who grew up in communist “Thanks to you, the cen- trillion) budget and corona- with Merkel’s predecessor,
virus recovery fund after a
East Germany, is bowing out ter has held through many But Germans’ overall verdict Gerhard Schroeder, soured
about a week short of the re- storms,” he said. quarrelsome four-day sum- appears to remain favorable. over the latter’s opposition
mit.
cord for longevity held by her During the election cam- to the U.S.-led war in Iraq,
one-time mentor, Helmut Merkel was a driving force At her 107th and last EU paign, from which she largely said that “Angela came in and
Kohl, who reunited Germany behind EU sanctions against changed that completely.”
during his 1982-1998 tenure. Russia over its annexation of summit, European Council was absent, Merkel’s popu-
President Charles Michel larity ratings outstripped
Crimea and backing of sepa- told Merkel: “You are a mon- those of her three would-be “Angela Merkel brought class
While Merkel perhaps lacks ratists in eastern Ukraine, ument.” A summit without successors. Unlike her seven and dignity to a very impor-
a spectacular signature and also spearheaded so-far- her would be like “Rome predecessors in postwar Ger- tant position and made very
achievement, the center-right unfinished efforts to bring without the Vatican or Paris many, she is leaving office at a hard decisions ... and did so
Christian Democrat came to about a diplomatic solution without the Eiffel Tower,” he time of her choosing. based upon principle,” Bush
be viewed as an indispensable there. She was regarded as added. told German broadcaster
crisis manager and defender being “able to have a dialogue Merkel’s body language and Deutsche Welle in July. He
of Western values in turbu- with (Russian President The appreciation from her facial expressions sometimes described her as “a compas-
lent times. Vladimir) Putin on behalf of counterparts was genuine, offered a glimpse of her re- sionate leader, a woman who
the West,” David-Wilp said.
She served alongside four although there was plenty actions that went beyond was not afraid to lead.”
of friction over the years.
U.S. presidents, four French She was steadfast in pursuing Merkel always sought to keep
presidents, five British prime multilateral solutions to the the EU as tightly knit as pos-
ministers and eight Italian world’s problems, a principle sible but strongly defended
premiers. Her chancellor- she set out at a military pa- Germany’s interests, clashing
ship was marked by four rade in her honor last week. with Greece during the debt
major challenges: the global crisis and disagreeing with
financial crisis, Europe’s debt The global financial crisis Hungary, Poland and others
crisis, the 2015-16 influx of and the migrant influx “made over their refusal — unlike
refugees to Europe and the clear how much we depend Germany — to host migrants
coronavirus pandemic. on cooperation beyond na- arriving in Europe.
tional borders and how in-
“It’s undeniable that she’s dispensable international Merkel said she was bowing
given Germany a lot of soft institutions and multilateral out of the EU “in a situation
power,” said Sudha David- instruments are to be able to that definitely gives me cause
Wilp, the deputy director of cope with the big challenges
for concern as well.”