What's left of the German model? The Merkel years revisited

François PICARD | Rebecca GNIGNATI | Guillaume GOUGEON | Famke KRUMBMULLER | Klaus-Peter WILLSCH | Joachim BITTERLICH | Vivienne WALT

Edité par France 24 - 2024

Her successor, Olaf Scholz, who came to power in the midst of a pandemic, was chosen in part for his resemblance to Merkel's no-drama, steady approach. Yet three years later, Scholz's coalition has collapsed, and Germany – the European Union's economic engine – is grappling with the fallout of losing cheap Russian gas, amid growing Chinese competition and an export-driven model under strain. 

Merkel's era saw its share of challenges too: her energy policies, her handling of Vladimir Putin, and her response to the rise of Donald Trump, who some predict will return to the White House with renewed force. And what about the European Union, which under her watch grew increasingly fractured, nationalist and anti-immigrant? 

How much of Europe's current struggles can be traced back to Merkel's choices? And can Germany, often seen as the EU's reluctant leader, rise to the challenge the next time the bloc faces a crisis? 

Produced by François Picard, Rebecca Gnignati, Guillaume Gougeon and Ilayda Habip.

Note
  • It's hard to believe she’s only been out of power for three years. While no one expects Angela Merkel's supporters to rally behind calls to "make Germany great again", the excitement surrounding the release of her memoirs highlights a sense of nostalgia for a leader whose record-breaking tenure came to embody stability in a changing world. But what is Merkel's true legacy? 

Langue
anglais
Date de publication
26/11/2024
Collection
The Debate
Contributeurs
Famke KRUMBMULLER Executive Director, Geostrategic Business Group, EY France
Klaus-Peter WILLSCH Member of German Parliament, CDU
Joachim BITTERLICH Former German Ambassador to NATO (1998-99)
Vivienne WALT Paris Correspondent, Time Magazine

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