Angela Dorothea Merkel

Angela Dorothea Merkel is a former German chancellor and CDU leader who shaped European politics for 16 years; she now holds no public office and belongs to the European People's Party (PPE).

Political career

Angela Merkel was born in Hamburg in 1954 and grew up in the German Democratic Republic, in the town of Templin in Brandenburg. Trained as a physicist, she studied physics at the University of Leipzig and later earned a doctorate in quantum chemistry at the Academy of Sciences in East Berlin. Her scientific background remained an important part of her political image: precise, methodical and largely unemotional.

Merkel entered politics after the peaceful revolution of 1989. She joined the newly formed Democratic Awakening movement and soon became involved in the Christian Democratic camp after German reunification. In 1990 she was elected to the Bundestag and began a rapid rise within the CDU under Helmut Kohl. She first served in federal government as Federal Minister for Women and Youth from 1991 to 1994, and then as Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety from 1994 to 1998.

After the CDU’s defeat in the 1998 federal election and the later donations scandal that weakened Kohl’s standing, Merkel emerged as a reform-minded figure within the party. In 2000 she became Chair of the CDU, the first woman to lead the party, and repositioned it towards the centre ground. In 2002 she also became leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, though this role later passed to others.

Her national breakthrough came after the 2005 federal election, when no clear governing majority emerged. Merkel became Federal Chancellor of Germany on 22 November 2005, heading a grand coalition with the SPD. She remained chancellor until 8 December 2021, leading four successive governments:

• 2005–2009: first grand coalition with the SPD.
• 2009–2013: coalition with the FDP.
• 2013–2018: second grand coalition with the SPD.
• 2018–2021: third grand coalition with the SPD.

She resigned the CDU chair in 2018 after a period of internal pressure and declining support in some elections, but remained chancellor until her term ended in 2021. Since then, she has held no public office.

Relationship with the public

Merkel developed a reputation for calm, sobriety and competence, qualities that made her one of the most trusted political figures in Germany for much of her tenure. Her style was deliberately low-key: she rarely used ideological language, preferred careful statements and often waited until a political situation had developed before defining her position. This helped her appeal to moderate voters and sections of civil society that valued stability.

Her relationship with the media was generally controlled rather than charismatic. She was not a naturally media-driven politician, and her public communication was often criticised as cautious or opaque. Supporters saw this as discipline; critics viewed it as a lack of vision. Nonetheless, her press conferences and crisis statements were highly influential, particularly during moments of European instability.

Across the electorate, Merkel was often seen as a steadying presence in times of uncertainty. That image strengthened during the euro crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, when many Germans and Europeans perceived her as responsible and reassuring. At the same time, her decision in 2015 to allow large numbers of refugees to enter Germany sharply polarised public opinion. It mobilised strong support from humanitarian and church organisations, but also fuelled resentment among some voters and strengthened the far right.

Within civil society, Merkel was frequently viewed as pragmatic and accessible to compromise. Trade unions, churches, business groups and many international actors often regarded her as a reliable interlocutor, even when they disagreed with her policy choices. Her public appeal was less about enthusiasm than confidence and continuity.

Positions and political profile

Merkel is generally associated with pragmatism, centrism and incrementalism rather than ideological conservatism. Although she led the CDU, she often governed from the middle, adapting the party to changes in German society and the broader European environment. She was willing to borrow ideas from political opponents when she judged them practical or electorally necessary.

Several key positions and decisions define her political profile:

• European integration: Merkel was strongly committed to the European Union and became one of its most influential leaders. During the euro crisis, she defended fiscal discipline, institutional reform and conditional support for struggling eurozone members. Her approach was admired in some northern European capitals and sharply criticised in parts of southern Europe for being too restrictive.
• Migration and asylum: Her 2015 decision to admit large numbers of refugees, symbolised by the phrase “Wir schaffen das” (“We can do this”), became one of the defining moments of her chancellorship. It reinforced her humanitarian image, but also marked a turning point in German politics and the CDU’s electoral landscape.
• Climate and energy: Although she came from an environment ministry background, her record on climate was mixed. She supported emission reduction targets and international climate diplomacy, but also oversaw the expansion of coal-related compromises and the complex Energiewende transition. After the Fukushima disaster in 2011, she accelerated Germany’s nuclear phase-out.
• COVID-19: During the pandemic, she was widely praised for her scientifically grounded communication and careful appeals to public responsibility, particularly in its early stages.
• Party profile: Inside the CDU, Merkel was often seen as a moderniser who weakened some traditional conservative markers on family, social and cultural issues. This broadened the party’s electoral base for some years, but also fuelled criticism from its right wing, especially over migration and social liberalisation.

Outside her party, she was frequently regarded as one of the most important European leaders of the 21st century, admired for resilience and administrative competence. At the same time, critics argued that her caution sometimes delayed structural change, especially on energy, digital policy and demographic reform. Her legacy is therefore usually described as that of a pragmatic crisis manager whose authority was strongest in periods of uncertainty and whose most controversial choices were often made in response to external shocks.

Frequently asked questions

What party does Angela Merkel belong to? She belongs to the European People's Party (PPE) at European level and was long the leading figure of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

When was Angela Merkel Chancellor of Germany? She served as Federal Chancellor from 2005 to 2021, making her the longest-serving German chancellor in the post-war period.

What is Angela Merkel best known for? She is best known for leading Germany through the euro crisis, the 2015 migration crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as for her long CDU leadership.

Was Angela Merkel a scientist before entering politics? Yes. She studied physics and earned a doctorate in quantum chemistry before entering politics after German reunification.

How is Angela Merkel viewed politically? She is usually seen as a centrist pragmatist: a conservative by party affiliation, but often a moderate who governed by compromise rather than ideology.

Does Angela Merkel hold any public office now? No. She does not hold public office at present.