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By: Kelly Hu
What is Merkel’s background?
Angela Merkel was born on July 17, 1954, in Hamburg, Germany. Growing up in the German Democratic Republic, she participated in the state’s youth organizations such as the Young Pioneers and the Free German Youth, which led to controversy due to claims of her role as secretary for agitation and propaganda.
Following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Merkel joined the newly founded political party of the Democratic Awakening. She became the party’s press spokesperson and later became the deputy spokesperson of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), a coalition of numerous political parties. In the first election after the reunification of Germany in 1990, Merkel won a seat in the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament. She was appointed minister for women and youth in 1991, the CDU’s deputy chairman later that year, the minister of environment, conservation, and reactor safety in 1994, and secretary-general of the CDU in 1998. On April 10, 2000, Merkel was elected head of the CDU, becoming the first woman and the first non-Catholic to lead the party.
On November 22, 2005, Merkel took office as chancellor, becoming the first woman, the first East German, and, at age 51, the youngest person to date to hold the office. However, later this year, Angela Merkel is set to step down from her position as the German Chancellor, as she will not be running for reelection when her term ends in 2021.
What are some of Merkel’s accomplishments, policies, and challenges?
The Eurozone Debt Crisis
In late 2009, EU countries such as Greece, Portugal, Spain, and Ireland struggled to refinance their debts. If they defaulted on their debt, the stability of the euro was in jeopardy, putting Europe’s economy in danger. Angela Merkel not only helped maintain Germany’s economic stability during the meltdown but also helped successfully steer the general European response with greater austerity and oversight.
The Immigration Crisis
Germany, under Merkel, took a relatively liberal stance on immigration. In 2015, Germany accepted the influx of over 1 million refugees fleeing from Syria and other war-torn Middle Eastern countries. Merkel welcomed and convinced a few European allies to accept refugees as well. However, she received heavy criticism from right-wing conservative politicians and groups.
Military Reform
The Bundeswehr, or armed forces, abolished compulsory conscription or enlistment into the military in 2011, as part of plans to reduce the size of the military. Merkel’s support for family life also allowed for reforms to the military, including child-care services and flexible working hours.
Maternal Benefits
Merkel’s government introduced “Elterngeld”, or parent benefits, in 2008, aimed at lessening the financial burden on families and boosting the low birth rate. It increased parental leave by either parent up to 14 months and gave each up to 67% of their salaries at that time. While it did not have its intended effect on increasing the birth rate, this policy helped better the lives of working mothers.
Minimum Wage
In 2015, Merkel and her coalition partners, the Social Democrats, passed the €8.50-an-hour minimum wage. It aimed to tackle growing social divisions and deal with increasing wage inequality as well as boosting the wages of those enduring a pay freeze.
Throughout her 15 years in office, Angela Merkel certainly had countless accomplishments with a solid legacy as a successful European leader. She was famous for holding her own against foreign adversaries, especially Russian leader Vladimir Putin in particular. She managed to keep key allies together and positioned Germany as a de-facto leader of the European Union. While she is leaving office as her political party and coalition as well as the EU are becoming more divided, Angela Merkel is without-a-doubt an influential female leader.
Discussion Questions
Will Merkel’s successor in the Christian Democratic Union, Armin Laschet, successfully strengthen the party?
Will Germany continue to serve as a European leader following Merkel’s departure?
Did Merkel serve a large role in keeping the EU unified?
Following Merkel’s departure, who will become the next de-facto leader of the EU?
Sources Used/Further Reading
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