Merkel tops at enduring

ANGELA Merkel has been derided as Europe’s “austerity queen”, cheered as a saviour by refugees and hailed as the new “leader of the free world”.

But as the pastor’s daughter raised behind the Iron Curtain heads toward a likely fourth term at the helm of Europe’s biggest economy, many Germans simply call her the “eternal chancellor”.

“Mutti” (Mummy) Merkel, with her pragmatic, modest and reassuringly bland style, has perfected the art of staying in power.

She has remained in power ever since she became Germany’s youngest and first female chancellor in 2005.