BERLIN: In a year of crises for Europe, from the Ukraine war to Greece’s debt turmoil to the historic refugee influx, Germany’s Angela Merkel emerged as the continent’s de facto leader, drawing more praise and fire than ever.
Whether spearheading EU diplomacy with Moscow, bargaining with Athens over tough bail-out terms or responding to the world’s biggest refugee wave since World War II — Merkel was in the middle, again and again.
At a time of growing uncertainty and division in Europe, the pragmatic quantum chemist whom Germans call “Mutti”, or mummy, preached fiscal rectitude and humanitarian principles, often drawing a mixed response.
Her unusually bold move to throw open Germany’s doors to Syrian refugees has particularly battered her long-stellar poll ratings at home, and left the leader of Europe’s top economy isolated on key issues in the 28-member EU.
“2015 has been an incredible year, hard to comprehend really,” said the 61-year-old chancellor, who is not usually given to hyperbole, at a congress of her centre-right party this month.
“I’ve never experienced such a rapid sequence of highly significant events.”
That was quite a statement for the Protestant pastor’s daughter, who grew up behind the Iron Curtain and lived through the fall of the Berlin Wall a quarter-century ago.
‘Historic challenge’
An asylum seeker takes a selfie picture with German Chancellor Angela Merkel following her visit to a camp for asylum-seekers in Berlin in September 2015 – DPA/AFP / Bernd Von Jutrczenka
Many Germans, however, now have doubts, fearing that Merkel, their trusted guarantor of stability, is plunging the country into chaos.
Polls point to growing fears about the influx of mostly Muslims, a right-wing populist party has been gathering steam and there has been a spike in racist hate crimes.
“Germany is definitely split,” said Oskar Niedermayer of Berlin’s Free University.
“In general, Merkel and her work are still very highly regarded, but on the refugee crisis a majority think she is pursuing the wrong policy.”
At the party congress, Merkel conceded that the refugee influx – “a rendezvous with globalisation” – presented an “enormous” task and would change the country forever.
“It is a historic challenge for Europe, and I say we want Europe to meet this challenge,” she said, to thundering applause. “And I am convinced it will.”
Niedermayer said that Merkel, in her best speech so far, had “bought herself a few months, but not more” while voters and her own party base would likely grow more impatient.
“That’s why 2016 will be the true acid test.” – AFP
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