After 16 Years, Chancellor Merkel Steps Down
Markus Schreiber/Associated Press
After 16 years in charge of Europe’s biggest economy, Angela Merkel is stepping down as Chancellor of Germany. Angela Merkel was Germany’s first female chancellor and its first leader to step down due to their own volition.
As Merkel, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany, steps down, she leaves behind a complicated legacy. Many believe she was a strong, consensus-driven Chancellor, while others believe she lacked leadership and boldness. Despite what people believe, over Merkel’s 16 years in office, she has handled numerous major events; the immigration crisis, the Eurozone debt crisis, and now the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to leading Germany through these global events, Merkel ended the country’s military conscription, enabled the legalization of same sex marriages, instituted a minimum wage, and set a path for a nuclear and fossil-fuelled-power-free future.
Prior to becoming Chancellor, Merkel was the German Federal Minister of the Environment. Merkel’s scientific background and passion for environmental action has been a significant part of her legacy. Many nicknamed her the “climate chancellor”. She has acted on this by persuading G8 leaders, such as George W. Bush, to curb climate change. However, as Merkel steps down, she still leaves Germany as the world’s largest air-choking coal producer. In addition, her departure is expected to throw Germany off course to meet its 2030 target of cutting greenhouse gas emission by at least 65 per cent from 1990.
Moreover, with Merkel stepping down, France’s Emmanuel Macron will most likely become Europe’s most influential leader as France has the second-biggest EU economy. However, Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi also has the potential to become the next leader in the Union. Many politicians and diplomats believe there will be multiple premiers –all men – working together to fill Merkel’s shoes since her role and participation was so extensive. Regardless, there will be a significant change in the European Union’s leadership.
On September 26, Germany’s Social Democrats (SDP) won the most seats in the national election for the first time since 2005. The SDP won 25.7 per cent of the vote, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) won 24.1 per cent, and the Green Party won 14.8 per cent. No winning party had ever received less than 31 per cent of the vote prior to this. Due to these numbers, a coalition will be required. As a result, the SDP party aims to lead Germany in a coalition with the Green Party and the Liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP). However, the CDU will also reach out to other smaller parties, including the Green Party and the FDP. Typically, the Green party leans towards the SDP, and the FDP leans towards the CDU, but the parties can lean either way and have not committed to a side. Until the coalition government is formed and a new chancellor is sworn in, Angela Merkel will remain the leader.
As Merkel’s tenure as the German Chancellor is coming to an end she explained that she was not looking for another political role. Instead, she asked herself, “Do I want to write, speak, hike? Do I want to be at home? Do I want to travel the world?”