LETTER FROM BERLIN
Despite the numerous books written about Angela Merkel, Germany is now taking a critical look at her 16-year reign. Even her own party, the CDU, is reevaluating her legacy. The CDU celebrated Merkel’s 70th birthday, hinting at a shift away from her policies towards future reforms under Friedrich Merz’s leadership.
Anticipating Merkel’s upcoming memoir release, a newly published book by journalist Eckart Lohse critiques her lack of major reforms during her time as chancellor. The book argues that Merkel’s focus on maintaining the status quo hindered progress in areas like defense, infrastructure, and ecological concerns despite growing global challenges.
As Merkel stepped down in 2021 and Germany faced economic challenges and dependencies on foreign powers like China and Russia, the country began to reassess Merkel’s approach. The aftermath of her tenure exposed vulnerabilities in the German model, leading to economic crises and a deeper evaluation of political decisions.
Lohse emphasizes that Merkel’s actions were often in line with public expectations and political survival, rather than against the will of voters. This reveals a deeper issue of complacency and blind trust in leadership that has now come under scrutiny in the face of present crises.