#spin this

Could the German electorate end the reign of the most powerful woman in the world?

Angela Merkel has been in power since 2005. She is seen by many as the evergreen, strong leader of the massive economic and cultural power that is Germany. Merkel is the widely-respected champion of the EU, and after the election of Donald Trump as US president, some even claim she is the new leader of the free world. In September, she will face yet another federal election.

This week’s dilemma is thus, is it worth it to fix something that isn’t broken? Will progressive Germans opt for an alternative to Merkel? How well can the country cope with the uncertainty that comes with new leadership?

Germans are used to very long terms which allow leadership to pursue long-term strategies. Before Merkel, Schröder served as chancellor for 7 years and before him, the giant of German reunification, the late Helmut Kohl, served for 16 years. The past 12 years of CDU government have brought economic prosperity, an almost absolute control of EU economic affairs and a centre stage position in world affairs. Younger voters cannot even remember a Germany without Merkel. It brought too, an ever closer European Union. With a GDP of 48839 USD per capita and an unemployment rate of 4%, the economic performance of Merkel’s Germany is beyond any doubt.

On the other hand, Merkel is perceived by the left wing as the antiquated, conservative face of an EU that has much to improve. Last week’s vote on the proposal for the legalisation of same sex marriages shows precisely this other side of the coin. Although it is an often forgotten fact, Merkel is the head of the Christian Democratic Union, and holds traditional values dear. Her negative vote on the proposal disappointed many, including other EU members. This suggests that perhaps Merkel’s views are not entirely fit for modern times or younger, liberal voters. The surge of Eurosceptical populism, though tamed by electoral defeats in the Netherlands and France, still poses a threat to Merkel. For most Europeans, Merkel is the unofficial head of the Union, and the critique to the immigration and refugee policy, democratic deficit and lack of accountability is all attributable to her. Even after Macron’s big win, the mainstream EU project is a hard sell for a national campaign and could bring problems for the CDU’s aspirations.  

The contender: Schulz and the Social Democrats

Martin Schulz, chairman of the Social Democrats, has had a bit of a rollercoaster in the build-up to this election. In February, the ex-president of the European Parliament had a spectacular surge in the polls, even surpassing favourite Merkel; something that hadn’t happened in more than ten years. Schulz lost his lead lately, with the status quo gaining terrain and placing Mutti comfortably ahead. With his momentum lost, Schulz is attempting to present himself as similar to Merkel but ostensibly more 2017: staunchly pro-EU, socially liberal and closer to the German youth. His chances, though, don’t look as promising as they once did.