Opinion of Angela Merkel

[President Johnson]

What's your opinion of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel? The former sounds still pretty weird now that she's left office today.

Perhaps I would have answered HP for most of the time at least politically, however, I feel like that's too harsh. Obviously there's a lot to criticize in my opinion, especially her handling of the Eurocrisis, refugee crisis and most importantly the lack of reform desire from her part. Most of the reforms under her tenure were the work of Social Democrats as coalition partners, while she took credit for popular measures anyway. With that being said, she deserves credit for her pragmatic governing style both in domestic and foreign policy. It's also fair to say that she helped Germany to gain positive influence in the world and it's also undeniable she contributed to Germany's strong reputation around the world. Especially in time with a lot of instability and rising populism that can still be considered an accomplishment.

All summed up, I'd give her an FF vote despite numerous things I have to criticize. I think it's definitely fair to say Merkel is a strong FF personally. She never had a scandal involving her person, never appeared arrogant or made huge waves to gain attention or make cheap shots at others expense and even apologized in public when she had to correct a decision. At least I feel she wanted to serve honorably, even if I don't support many, or a majority, of her decisions.

[gerritcole]

Loyal East German who sold her nations energy needs to big bad Russia but talks a good talk and so the media adores her

[Astatine]

Loyal East German who sold her nations energy needs to big bad Russia but talks a good talk and so the media adores her

To be fair, both the nuclear phase-out and the North Stream project both started under Schröder who's now a lobbyist for Gazprom.

[Horus]

Unimpressive.

[Sir Mohamed]

An all in all mixed record, though she has guided Europe and frankly the world in a long and defining era. For sure a role model for other leaders with a sense pragmatism and compromise ability. Easy FF on balance.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Unimpressive.

[parochial boy]

Dreadful. Her dogmatic obsession with budget surpluses and restrictive monetary policy caused an uneccesary decade of real economic and human pain, espcially in Southern Europe. Her greatest "achievement" in energy policy was an exit from nuclear energy that has left Germany with the dirtiest energy sector in Western Europe. She completely failed on all of the pressing issues facing Germany and the world - not just in foreign policy but in terms of completel missing the ball on the energy transition or upgrading Germany's digital and phyical infrastructure such that it is now facing a cliff edge in terms of its future economic and social development. All the while having been famously well developed in all those areas just a decade ago.

Yet liberals love her because of one brave decision she made in 2015 and the fact that she wasn't Trump.

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

To be fair, both the nuclear phase-out and the North Stream project both started under Schröder who's now a lobbyist for Gazprom.

Yes, but if you think it was bad, then it is a big difference to approve North Stream 1 then (1998?) before all the wars and now.

Personally, I think, it was great policy. The more Europe-Russia economy are coupled the better for both.

the nuclear phase-out

Again. It is much stranger to do it now, when it's even more clear than we need less fuel and WAY more carbon-free electricity (cars, green steel, green concrete etc), which nuclear energy is a safe and reliable source of.


FF

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

In 20 years, we will look back on politicians like Merkel as examples of how doing nothing can be one of the most destructive courses of action. Inaction is a willful action.

I am shocked at how backwards and stagnant Germany as a country is compared to Sweden, the UK, and the U.S., and the fact that Germany is hurtling towards major crises in the not-so-distant future has made me question if it's such a good idea to stay long-term.