Merkel Forever. No, Really—Forever

Angela Merkel has been on the world stage for over twelve years. Let that sink in. As journalist Cameron Abadi points out in this argument for Foreign Policy, it’s hard to think of a political player to rival her in longevity except for Vladimir Putin, “who of course isn’t subject to democratic laws of gravity.”

And yet, says Abadi, her citizenry seems to show little sign of tiring of her presence. She continues to lead heavily in the polls for the upcoming election in Germany and stays in public favor year after year.

Abadi attributes this ongoing success (or at least the absence of failure) to Merkel’s method of “leading-from-behind on steroids.” She sits back silently and waits for consensus, and then fervently pushes the agenda forward once it’s been decided. 

“Even if there were a revolution underway,” she has purportedly said, “Germans would only want to be told about it afterwards.”

Vagueness is another cornerstone of her strategy. As opposed to, say, France’s new Emanuel Macron, she rarely puts forth clear and energetic plans and hopes for the future. The author believes that Merkel will avoid drama within the German populace at all costs. And the populace’s aversion to drama of any kind (which sometimes looks like turning a blind eye rather than keeping calm) might keep her in power, but it may not be doing Europe any favors in the long run.