Angela Merkel assured herself a place in the history books as soon as she became Germany’s first female chancellor on Nov. 22, 2005. Over the next 16 years, she was credited with enhancing Germany’s profile and influence, working to keep a fractious European Union together, overcoming a string of crises and being a role model for women. Now that near-record tenure is ending with her leaving office at the age of 67 among praise from abroad and enduring popularity at home. Her successor is Olaf Scholz who took over on December 8, 2021.
Many people may not be aware that Merkel was a former scientist holding a doctorate degree in Quantum Chemistry and is bowing out about a week short of the record for longevity held by her one-time mentor, Helmut Kohl, who reunited Germany during his 1982-1998 tenure. Merkel, the centre-right Christian Democrat came to be viewed as an indispensable crisis manager and defender of Western values in turbulent times. She....
