Paradox behind power of Germany’s ‘mutti’
Win for Merkel is a victory for politics of principles
BERLIN — As widely expected, Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union party again won Germany’s federal elections on Sunday by garnering 32.5 percent of the votes.
The chancellor of the past 12 years is regarded by many Germans as a competent “mutti”, or “mommy”, protecting her country and also the wider Europe from a series of dangers that almost doomed the European Union.
As European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said on Monday: “In the light of the important global challenges, Europe needs a strong German government now more than ever, one able to actively shape the future of our continent.”
Merkel, 63, served as a sort of firefighter in tackling the global financial crash, euro crisis and refugee emergency. She has presided over Germany’s rapid growth and its lowest unemployment rate after the 1990 unification. Its influence on global issues has increased, too.
While Merkel’s achievements have been widely recognized, her refugee policies have also drawn fierce criticism. She may have an “unconditional will for power”, as the late political commentator Gerd Langguth put it, but she also refuses to abandon principles despite political risks.
A gifted language learner, a dedicated aficionado of Richard Wagner at the Bayreuth opera festival, a die-hard football fan who listens to games in the Bundestag, Merkel was also vice-spokesperson for the last East German government, minister of a united Germany and opposition leader. In 2005, she finally obtained the highest political post in Germany, and even the whole of Europe.
Political observers say her career and character demonstrate two paradoxical features — pursuing power while adhering to principles.
On her office desk sits a portrait of Russia’s Catherine the Great. Although Merkel tends to dismiss excessive interpretations, her official biographer writes that, like Catherine, she pursues policies much in the spirit of the Enlightenment and loves to play politics with the aim of expanding her authority.
In her political life, Merkel has abandoned confidants when they fell out of favor with the public or powerful politicians. She did not come to the rescue of her two benefactors, both ministers who had to resign over scandals, but she took over the two men’s respective roles in the party.
Over 12 years in office, Merkel has cultivated her “mutti’ image, promoting her moral principles and instilling economic strength.
Sometimes, Merkel displays her down-to-earth side, such as when she told the media how to make her favorite potato soup.
The idea explains why Merkel welcomes refugees, in defiance of many domestic and foreign objections, and partly explains why she, not a French or British leader, became the chief negotiator with Russia in the Ukraine crisis.
How Germany continues to deal with its “semi-hegemony” will have an impact on the future path of the country and Europe in the long run.
Europe needs a strong German government now more than ever.” Jean-Claude Juncker, European Commission chief after Merkel’s election victory