Angela Dorothea Merkel is a German politician and scientist who served as the chancellor of Germany from 2005 to 2021. She served as the leader of the Opposition from 2002 to 2005 and as the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) from 2000 to 2018. Merkel was the first woman to be elected as Chancellor, and the first Chancellor since reunification to have been raised in the former East Germany. During her tenure as Chancellor, Merkel was frequently referred to as the de facto leader of the European Union (EU) and the most powerful woman in the world.
Merkel entered politics in the wake of the Revolutions of 1989, briefly serving as deputy spokesperson for the first democratically elected Government of East Germany led by Lothar de Maizière. Following German reunification in 1990, Merkel was elected to the Bundestag for the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. As the protégée of Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Merkel was appointed as Minister for Women and Youth in 1991, later becoming Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety in 1994.
After the CDU lost the 1998 federal election, Merkel was elected CDU General Secretary, before becoming the party’s first female leader and the first female Leader of the Opposition two years later, in the aftermath of a donations scandal that toppled Wolfgang Schäuble. Following the 2005 federal election, Merkel was appointed to succeed Gerhard Schröder as Chancellor of Germany, leading a grand coalition consisting of the CDU, its Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU) and the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).
In foreign policy, Merkel has emphasised international cooperation, both in the context of the EU and NATO, and strengthening transatlantic economic relations. In 2008, Merkel served as President of the European Council and played a central role in the negotiation of the Treaty of Lisbon and the Berlin Declaration. Merkel played a crucial role in managing the global financial crisis of 2007-2008 and the European debt crisis.
She negotiated the 2008 European Union stimulus plan focusing on infrastructure spending and public investment to counteract the Great Recession. In domestic policy, Merkel’s Energiewende program has focused on future energy development, seeking to phase out nuclear power in Germany, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase renewable energy sources.
Reforms to the Bundeswehr which abolished conscription, health care reform, and her government’s response to the 2010s European migrant crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany were major issues during her chancellorship. She served as the senior G7 leader from 2011 to 2012 and again from 2014 to 2021. In 2014 she became the longest-serving incumbent head of government in the EU. In October 2018, Merkel announced that she would stand down as Leader of the CDU at the party convention, and would not seek a fifth term as Chancellor in the 2021 federal election.
Some of the best quotes from Angela Merkel are listed below.
- “A good compromise is one where everybody makes a contribution.” – Angela Merkel
- “Always be more than you appear and never appear to be more than you are.” – Angela Merkel
- “Anything that seems to be set in stone or inalterable can, indeed, change. In matters both large and small, it holds true that every change begins in the mind.” – Angela Merkel
- “As far as an upper limit [on refugees] is concerned, my position is clear I will not accept it.” – Angela Merkel
- “As the head of the government, it is my responsibility to make the overriding political goals and relationships more clear. Part of the reason the public didn’t understand some of the reforms enacted during the past legislative period was that there was far too much talk about the details, while the general picture often remained invisible.” – Angela Merkel
- “At German unification, we were lucky to get so much help from West Germany. Now, we have the good fortune of being able to help each other in Europe.” – Angela Merkel
- “Climate change knows no borders. It will not stop before the Pacific islands and the whole of the international community here has to shoulder a responsibility to bring about a sustainable development.” – Angela Merkel
- “Climate negotiations with American presidents… were not easy in the past.” – Angela Merkel
- “Don’t forget that freedom is never something that can be taken for granted.” – Angela Merkel
- “Every person who comes is a human being and has the right to be treated as such.” – Angela Merkel
- “Fear has never been a good adviser, neither in our personal lives nor in our society. Cultures and societies that are shaped by fear, will without doubt not get a grip on the future.” – Angela Merkel
- “For me, it is always important that I go through all the possible options for a decision.” – Angela Merkel
- “For me, personally, marriage is a man and a woman living together.” – Angela Merkel
- “Freedom does not mean being free of something, but to be free to do something.” – Angela Merkel
- “Germany has become a country that many people abroad associate with hope.” – Angela Merkel
- “Germany stands in the fight against terrorism at France’s side, united with many, many others. I am convinced that, despite all the difficulties, we shall win this fight.” – Angela Merkel
- “Hatred, racism, and extremism have no place in this country.” – Angela Merkel
- “I am not an expert in this field but I do try to keep up to date with the Bundesliga. And I do follow World Cups and European Championships more closely.” – Angela Merkel
- “I am regarded as a permanent delayer sometimes, but I think it is essential and extremely important to take people along and really listen to them in political talks.” – Angela Merkel
- “I believe those that produce the least emissions in autos will also be those who have the greatest success worldwide.” – Angela Merkel
- “I chose to pursue a career in physics because there the truth isn’t so easily bent.” – Angela Merkel
- “I have asked a lot of you because the times have asked a lot of us – I am well aware of that. And I cannot promise you that there will be fewer demands in the future, because we must do what the times demand of us.” – Angela Merkel
- “I might bend, but I will never break because it’s in my nature as a strong woman.” – Angela Merkel
- “I never underestimated myself. And I never saw anything wrong with ambition.” – Angela Merkel
- “I personally hope and wish that Britain will stay part and parcel of the European Union.” – Angela Merkel
- “I take my share of the responsibility that lies with me as party chairwoman and chancellor.” – Angela Merkel
- “I want our strong German economy to be able to cope with the merger of the real economy and the digital economy, otherwise we will lose out to the competition.” – Angela Merkel
- “I want us to be a secure, prosperous, tolerant country – a magnet for international talent and a home to the pioneers and innovators who will shape the world ahead.” – Angela Merkel
- “I will not let anyone tell me we must spend more money. This crisis did not come about because we issued too little money but because we created economic growth with too much money and it was not sustainable growth.” – Angela Merkel
- “If Europe fails on the question of refugees, then it won’t be the Europe we wished for. If we now have to start apologizing for showing a friendly face in response to emergency situations, then that’s not my country. We will cope.” – Angela Merkel
- “If we look at where relations between the Soviet Union and Germany were in 1945 and where we stand now, then we have achieved so much.” – Angela Merkel
- “If you’re enjoying these quotes, you’ll love our collection of climate change quotes to inspire you to take action.” – Angela Merkel
- “In East Germany, we always ran into boundaries before we were able to discover our own personal boundaries.” – Angela Merkel
- “In order to maintain Europe in the long term, but above all to strengthen Europe in the long term, we must preserve and defend the achievements of European integration.” – Angela Merkel
- “In terms of substance and organisation, we are very well prepared.” – Angela Merkel
- “India needs jobs, Germany needs people, and collaboration is crucial to meet the demographic needs of both countries.” – Angela Merkel
- “It’s much, much better to talk to one another than about one another.” – Angela Merkel
- “It’s my damn duty and obligation to do everything possible for Europe to find a united path.” – Angela Merkel
- “It’s not just about big words in such a declaration, it’s about the fact that you can say after one, two, three or five years: We have achieved, what we’ve written down.” – Angela Merkel
- “Let’s be a bit more curious about what happens in other parts of the world, engage in a little less navel-gazing… I must say I am very pleased and a little bit proud to be part of the European Union.” – Angela Merkel
- “Letting go of the old is part of the new beginning.” – Angela Merkel
- “Maybe I’ve just become more hardened. The exposure to so many extreme situations tends to harden a person. You have to develop survival strategies.” – Angela Merkel
- “No one knew how the Cold War would end at the time, but it did end. This is within our living experience… I’m surprised at how fainthearted we sometimes are, and how quickly we lose courage.” – Angela Merkel
- “Nobody in Europe will be abandoned. Nobody in Europe will be excluded. Europe only succeeds if we work together.” – Angela Merkel
- “Nothing can be taken for granted. Everything is possible.” – Angela Merkel
- “Of course, I will then say that I believe that climate change is absolutely caused by people. We want to see how the positions develop.” – Angela Merkel
- “Politicians have to be committed to people in equal measures.” – Angela Merkel
- “Remember that openness always involves risks.” – Angela Merkel
- “So, one has to try to find compromises with mutual respect, but also with a clear opinion. That’s politics – always looking to find a common way forward.” – Angela Merkel
- “Solidarity and competitiveness are the two sides of a European coin.” – Angela Merkel
- “Surprise yourself with what is possible.” – Angela Merkel
- “The entire discussion about climate was very difficult, if not to say very dissatisfying. There are no indications whether the United States will stay in the Paris Agreement or not.” – Angela Merkel
- “The euro is our common fate, and Europe is our common future.” – Angela Merkel
- “The question is not whether we are able to change but whether we are changing fast enough.” – Angela Merkel
- “The strongest response to terrorists is to carry on living our lives and our values as we have until now – self-confident and free, considerate and engaged. We Europeans will show our free life is stronger than any terror.” – Angela Merkel
- “The willingness to learn new skills is very high.” – Angela Merkel
- “There is one red line that we should not cross. It is a commitment to human rights, the respect of the dignity of the human being. There should be no compromises.” – Angela Merkel
- “We are a country based on democracy, tolerance, and openness to the world.” – Angela Merkel
- “We are responsible for each other. I am trying to convince doubters. There is still work to do.” – Angela Merkel
- “We are responsible for each other. I am trying to convince doubters. There is still work to do.” – Angela Merkel
- “We do not want isolation. We want open trade and to fight against protectionism. This will be a tough issue within the G20 negotiations, but when working on a political document, it would of course be a great support for us if the economies in all G20 countries supported it.” – Angela Merkel
- “We don’t want the clocks to go back on Sunday; we want the clocks to be put forward.” – Angela Merkel
- “We expect the people who come to us to stick to our laws.” – Angela Merkel
- “We had done too little in the past, that is why we took in refugees – because it was the right thing to do.” – Angela Merkel
- “We have a duty as the state to protect our economy… We are for the protection of intellectual property.” – Angela Merkel
- “We have stood up for our values; of freedom of the press, of freedom of democracy, freedom of religion and freedom of expression.” – Angela Merkel
- “We must have the courage to accept that some countries can move forward a little more quickly than others.” – Angela Merkel
- “We need long-term horizons and companies that invest in the future. It is important that electric mobility is ready for the market as quickly as possible. This should be a lesson for technology policy. We don’t want to experience that again. If we are involved in research and in prototypes, there is a better chance of bringing the production of the next generation of cells to Europe or to Germany.” – Angela Merkel
- “We want to remain a stable anchor in Europe.” – Angela Merkel
- “We will have to accept a certain degree of legal immigration; that’s globalisation… In the era of the smartphone, we cannot shut ourselves away… people know full well how we live in Europe.” – Angela Merkel
- “Well, people are different. Sometimes, it’s difficult to find compromises, but that’s what we’ve been elected for. If everything just went like that without a problem, well, you don’t need politicians to do these jobs. I am very glad to note that apparently the perspective on that has changed a little bit at least in Germany, too.” – Angela Merkel
- “Whoever decides to dedicate their life to politics knows that earning money isn’t the top priority.” – Angela Merkel
- “Whoever decides to leave that family cannot expect all obligations to be omitted while keeping its privileges.” – Angela Merkel
- “Will we be able to continue working well together or will we all fall back into our individual roles? I call on us, and I hope we will find a common position on this, let’s make the world better together and then things will get better for every single one of us.” – Angela Merkel
- “Yes, now little girls in Germany know they can become a hairdresser, or chancellor. Let’s see.” – Angela Merkel
- “You could certainly say that I’ve never underestimated myself, there’s nothing wrong with being ambitious.” – Angela Merkel
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