Angela Merkel reflects on her leadership and challenges with Trump and Putin in new memoir
Angela Merkel, the former German Chancellor, was widely regarded as one of the most influential politicians globally until her retirement in 2021. As Germany approaches snap elections in February, Merkel’s memoir, Freedom, co-authored with her long-time adviser Beate Baumann, is set to be released in 30 languages. The 736-page book is expected to offer an in-depth look at her 16 years in office, a period during which she was seen as one of the world’s most powerful women.
However, Merkel’s legacy is being increasingly scrutinized. Critics argue that she left a number of unresolved issues, especially as Germany grapples with a political crisis in the wake of her departure. Notably, political analyst Eckart Lohse, in his book The Illusion, suggests that Merkel failed to complete key reforms during her tenure. Furthermore, The Economist highlighted that Merkel’s leadership did not bring necessary reforms, which has negatively impacted both Germany and Europe in recent years.
Excerpts from Freedom were published in the German newspaper Die Zeit, offering some insight into the memoir’s contents. Merkel shares her experiences with two of her most prominent counterparts, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reflecting on her dealings with Trump, Merkel reveals that she sought guidance from Pope Francis when Trump was first elected. She had hoped to persuade him to stay in the Paris climate agreement, but Trump, with his business-oriented mindset, seemed unable to grasp the global perspective, viewing everything in transactional terms.
Regarding Putin, Merkel writes that she never regretted her approach toward Russia. She describes the Russian leader as someone eager to be taken seriously on the world stage. In the memoir, she recalls a conversation with Putin where he warned that once she left office, Ukraine would be on a path to NATO membership—a prediction that came to fruition with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Merkel notes that some Central and Eastern European leaders were overly optimistic about Russia’s intentions, underestimating the nuclear-armed power of the nation.
The memoir’s release comes at a time when Merkel’s leadership is being re-evaluated. Political scientist Wolfgang Schröder points to the ongoing war in Ukraine and the decline of Germany’s export-driven economy as two major developments that have shifted the political landscape since Merkel’s retirement.
Despite this, Merkel’s memoir is expected to shed new light on the challenges and complexities she faced as a global leader.
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