Merkel’s challenge is just beginning
ANGELA Merkel could be about to start one of the most difficult chapters of her political career.
Her reputation as one of the great survivors of European politics is beyond doubt. She has been Chancellor since 2005 and she should be able to forge a new coalition which will keep her in power.
But she is unlikely to feel euphoria at having “won” an election.
Support for her CDU-CSU alliance crashed while many voters backed the Alternative for Germany (AfD) – a party which has vowed to oppose “an invasion of foreigners”.
A battle could be about to commence for the soul of Germany.
Mrs Merkel welcomed refugees with the quiet confidence that her country could accommodate hundreds of thousands of desperate people. Her stance sent a powerful message to watching world; she cast modern Germany as a country with both the moral and economic strength to provide leadership while other nations panicked.
The election results are conclusive proof that not all Germans believe their country can or should adopt such a policy. The new AfD MPs will articulate the anger of their supporters.
This will alarm those for whom any lurch to the right in German politics kindles memories of the darkest chapter of its past.
Mrs Merkel has been regularly described as the most powerful person in Europe but domestic priorities will command her attention, not just during the long period of coalition negotiations but in the months ahead as she will work to tug her country back to the centre.
The most likely link-up will involve the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) and the Greens. These two parties are not natural bedfellows, and British diplomats will be trying to figure out how this will affect Brexit negotiations.
It has been suggested that the chances of Germany joining France in a push for deeper integration of the eurozone has taken a blow, with the FDP's leader in particular known for his dislike of the rescue scheme.
Mrs Merkel could have bowed out with grace and dignity and left the political stage with the admiration of her international peers and millions of her fellow citizens intact. Now she is deep in the world of horse-trading and fighting back nativist forces.
If she can ensure Germany navigates this chapter of change with its best values and proudest principles unscathed she may still merit a place in the pantheon of great chancellors, but the scale of the challenge now facing her is daunting.
She has enjoyed a position on the world stage as the anti-Trump. Instead of building walls and pushing for travel bans, she championed compassion and generosity.
Her country's predicament is a reminder that citizens’ fears about security and the pace of change must be taken seriously by mainstream politicians; otherwise they will be exploited by populists. She will have done the world a service if she can show how these anxieties can be addressed.