Angela Merkel

Read the latest news, analysis, and features on former German chancellor and CDU politician Angela Merkel, who led Germany from 2005 to 2021

Herscht 07769 by László Krasznahorkai: A paean to depth and meaning amid violence and death

The novel’s protagonist, Florian Herscht, writes and rewrites a letter to Angela Merkel about what he believes to be an existential threat to the world

Sat Nov 09 2024 - 00:00

An intervention from Germany’s opposition could prove important to the EU’s approach to migration

The party is calling for a temporary closure of the country’s borders to asylum claimants

Wed Oct 16 2024 - 06:00

As French bond rates near Greece, Macron is indebted to an old foe that things are not worse

France now finds itself the sick child of Europe, so what would the French president give for a François Hollande figure to step forward?

Sat Sept 28 2024 - 06:30

Angela Merkel thwarted Friedrich Merz’s ambition to succeed her. Now they have buried the hatchet

Man who finally became CDU leader in 2022 hosts event to belatedly mark Merkel’s 70th birthday

Thu Sept 26 2024 - 17:45

Italian bank UniCredit’s bid for German stalwart Commerzbank provokes outrage

However, State sold shares accumulated during 2008-2010 banking crisis to bidder in auction

Tue Sept 24 2024 - 16:02

Friedrich Merz to compete against Olaf Scholz for chancellery in 2025

Centre-right opposition leader gets CDU and CSU backing in shift towards tougher line on migration

Tue Sept 17 2024 - 18:08

Germany’s next chancellor? Where did it all go right for Friedrich Merz?

Germany is gearing up for elections in 2025, and the CDU leader plans to come out on top

Sun May 26 2024 - 17:37

Series of shocks leaves Germany struggling to redefine itself in a moral maze

Many questions linger as Germany marks the 75th anniversary of the Basic Law - das Grundgesetz - signed on May 23rd, 1949

Sat May 25 2024 - 06:00

German politicians were ‘utterly wrong’ about Russia - Wolfgang Schäuble

The memoir of the finance minister who oversaw Germany’s response to the eurozone debt crisis has been published posthumously

Mon Apr 08 2024 - 00:01

Confident predictions about upcoming elections are worthless

The choice confronting voters will be whether the attraction of change outweighs the stability and general prosperity offered by the Government parties

Fri Jan 12 2024 - 05:00

Wolfgang Schäuble, long-serving German politician, dies aged 81

Angela Merkel’s finance minister pulled the strings of Germany’s response to eurozone debt crisis

Wed Dec 27 2023 - 10:19

‘Say hello to your leprechauns’: Leo Varadkar targeted by Russian pranksters

Russian embassy denies involvement in hoax video call

Fri Dec 22 2023 - 11:11

Germany’s obsession with debt threatens to paralyse its economy

Constitutional court ruling leaves the country’s federal budget in disarray and threatens investment in climate transition projects, rail system upgrades and Intel factory

Fri Nov 24 2023 - 05:00

Germany’s struggles to balance freedom of expression rights with moral obligation to Israel

Berlin Letter: The conflict in Gaza has led both to a rise in anti-Semitism and accusations of excessive crackdowns on expressions of support for Palestine

Tue Nov 14 2023 - 06:00

How attitudes to Israel are shifting – and hardening – in the wider German population

Merkel suggested Israel’s security was Germany’s Staatsräson (raison d’etre) but how far, and how unconditional, is that support in these challenging times?

Sat Oct 21 2023 - 06:00

Germany’s Friedrich Merz talks tough amid far-right surge

How the country's main opposition leader tackles the increasingly popular Alternative für Deutschland will go a long way to determining whether he gets an opportunity to become chancellor

Mon Jul 17 2023 - 05:00

Lara Marlowe: Can Ukraine join Nato before the war ends?

Ukraine’s wish to join the alliance is at the top of the agenda at the Nato summit in Vilnius next week, but there’s no clear consensus on how Nato should respond

Sat Jul 01 2023 - 06:30

Angela Merkel awarded Germany’s highest civil honour for ‘tireless efforts’ as chancellor

Move prompts criticism in Berlin over the ex-chancellor’s mixed record on energy security and Russia

Mon Apr 17 2023 - 19:04

German media mogul’s leaked texts cause ructions in Berlin

Billionaire Mathias Döpfner’s messages denounce Merkel’s politics and pray for Trump’s re-election

Fri Apr 14 2023 - 19:00

King Charles praises Germany’s military support for Ukraine in Bundestag address

British monarch says the UK and Germany have shown ‘vital leadership’ as Europe’s largest military aid donors to Ukraine

Thu Mar 30 2023 - 17:35

Angela Merkel mulls murder in divisive new German television comedy

Former German chancellor turns crime-solver in a fictionalised series that has split critics but tickled many viewers

Thu Mar 23 2023 - 19:19

Germany’s CDU faces headache over ex-spy chief’s refusal to leave party amid racism claims

In era of identity politics, it is not clear what Merz will do about others in party who share Maassen’s views

Wed Feb 01 2023 - 18:31

Merkel concedes failings in Russian energy and defence policy

Former German chancellor accepts she did not respond adequately to Moscow’s aggression before invasion of Ukraine

Thu Dec 08 2022 - 17:13

Merkel says she didn’t have political strength to influence Putin

Former German chancellor says she had hoped to convene talks with Russian leader before Ukraine invasion

Fri Nov 25 2022 - 09:03

EU role reversal as Germany feels the energy pinch

Europe Letter: ‘Moral hazard’ cited by Berlin during financial crisis of 2008 looms large during likely gas restrictions

Wed Jul 27 2022 - 20:00

Wait a minute: Erdogan leaves Putin standing ahead of Tehran talks

Russian leader is left shifting his weight and pulling uncomfortable faces in front of cameras for nearly a minute

Wed Jul 20 2022 - 07:50

Scholz’s G7 aspirations collide with gloomy world outlook

Analysis: The German chancellor insisted the G7 contribution of €4.5bn towards the fight against world famine was ‘a very important building block for the total task’

Tue Jun 28 2022 - 16:15

Janan Ganesh: Liberals must learn lessons of the Merkel years

Politics: German leader’s gradualism on Russia proved to be its own kind of dereliction

Tue Jun 28 2022 - 16:00

‘I can’t act as if he isn’t there’: Merkel defends record on Putin as opinion divided like never before

Former German chancellor tells interviewer she does not believe her actions contributed to Ukraine war

Wed Jun 08 2022 - 11:45

Merkel defends her personal record in dealings with Russia

Former chancellor rejects claims that she put German interests with Russia ahead of Ukrainian demands to join Nato and EU

Tue Jun 07 2022 - 21:16

Political leaders throw support behind Ireland in Brexit row

Inside Politics: Dutch prime minister and senior US democrat arrive in Ireland

Tue May 24 2022 - 06:53

Europe’s shifting power balance: Draghi, Scholz and the Ukraine invasion

Europe’s southern states, often chastised for fiscal laxity, have defied expectations in the Ukraine crisis

Sun May 08 2022 - 11:53

The Irish Times view on German foreign policy: nein, nein, ja

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has broken with the small-steps caution of Angela Merkel, often accused of doing the right thing at the wrong time

Wed Apr 27 2022 - 18:00

The Irish Times view on Emmanuel Macron: Europe’s de facto leader

If Macron’s presidency is to be truly transformational, he himself must change

Mon Apr 25 2022 - 21:02