Perhaps, not a single politician in the post-war history of Germany was underestimated as much as the daughter of a pastor from the East German province of Angela Merkel.

Not only the first woman chancellor of Germany, but also a political long-liver - Merkel ruled the country longer than all male colleagues, not counting Kohl and Adenauer. But they did not believe in it, writes DW.

Petrogenic, devoid of charisma and outstanding oratorical abilities. Nevertheless, the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany is moving to a new, already fourth in a row, term. In the parliamentary elections that will be held in Germany on September 24, her party has every chance of winning, and Merkel, respectively, - to retain the Chancery post. What is the phenomenon of Angela Merkel?.

Childhood and youth in the GDR Parents of Angela Merkel, nee Casner, were not oppositionists or dissidents. And although in the GDR children from the faithful families (father Merkel was a pastor) paid increased attention, the socialist regime did not subject it to special deprivations. "My childhood was cloudless," the German Chancellor later admitted.

At school she attracted attention due to her success in mathematics and in Russian. Studying at the physics faculty of the University of Leipzig, she met with fellow student Ulrich Merkel and married him. The marriage quickly disintegrated, but she retained the surname.

"Girl Kohl" In the politics of Angela Merkel came to 35 years and began very quickly to move up the career ladder - from the moment that was presented to the then Chancellor of Germany Helmut Kohl. She was considered as a candidate for the post of Minister for Women and Youth Affairs. It was said that in the end she got this place only because she was "a young woman from East Germany".

All the same, but Merkel had obvious talents, which peers noted in their youth - the ability to establish contacts with different people, listen carefully to the interlocutors. For many it was a surprise how confidently Merkel moved forward, including on the party line. Already in 1991 Kohl placed Merkel on the post of his deputy in the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

In 1994, becoming the Minister of Environmental Protection, Merkel attracted attention by dismissing the deputy who remained to her from the previous head of this department. In the press, for the first time, they started talking about the fact that "Kolya's girl" demonstrates self-confidence. And although at that time she was not yet very well versed in how the political mechanisms work in Germany, she showed herself to be quite a tough player in the political establishment, where men predominate.

"Eurocancel" Helmut Kohl's resignation from politics, caused by the scandal over the illegal financing schemes of the CDU, Angela Merkel used as a chance to enter the first roles. In 2000, she was elected chairman of the party. And in the elections to the Bundestag in 2005, the CDU won with a minimal margin, and Merkel became chancellor of Germany. She, however, had to create a "big coalition" with the Social Democrats (SPD). Then her victory seemed to many to be fragile, and the Chancellor's own prospects were vague.

But for 17 years Angela Merkel has been the leader of Christian democrats and 12 of them are headed by the government of the country with one of the leading economies of the world. During this time she managed either to withdraw from the game inner male party rivals, or to integrate them into her system. And all this is quiet, without scandals. "She rearranges the pieces on a chessboard so that no one is dangerous for her," explains Merkel's biographer, journalist Jacqueline Boyzen.

The Chancellor stood in the financial crisis of 2008, often playing in the international arena the role of an anti-crisis manager. And quite successfully, as time showed: by 2017, not only Germany, but also Europe came in a good economic form. In the EU, finally, the unemployment rate is dropping, and the leading European economies are showing growth.

Legendary pragmatism The pragmatism of Angela Merkel is legendary. "It makes decisions based on numbers, data and facts, easily forgetting about the ideological attitudes of its party, if the arguments speak in favor of any step," says Jacqueline Boysen. Perhaps the most famous example of Merkel's pragmatism is the conclusions she made from the accident at the Japanese nuclear power plant "Fukushima". A former supporter of nuclear energy, the chancellor quickly turned into her opponent. Many people did not like the speed with which she took this decision, but now this is a fact: Germany is gradually closing its nuclear power plants.

Although many party members do not see Merkel as the soul of the Christian Democratic Union and blame it for shifting the party to the center of the political spectrum, it can not be said that the pragmatism of the former "Kolya girl", long ago turned into a "mother" (as she is called behind her eyes) Or she was badly hurt.

True, during the years of government pragmatism has turned into her second face: a person has practically disappeared behind the Chancellor's facade, as the weekly Der Spiegel. The main characteristics of Merkel, which her colleagues give her - a cold calculation and the desire to keep everything under control.

The last time the chancellor surprised the Germans in 2015, when, speaking of the mass influx of refugees, several times repeated the already famous phrase: "We will manage!" Someone was inspired, someone was outraged. No matter how one may feel about its optimism of that time, the German authorities are gradually able to cope with the crisis of refugees.

But will not the predictable calculation of Merkel become the main shortcoming in the struggle for the post of Chancellor with the Social Democrat Martin Schultz? Moreover, as a Schultz person in many respects - its complete opposite. Is it not imperceptible to alienate Merkel from her voters, whom she can easily get bored with? - asks Der Spiegel. Elections to the Bundestag will take place in September, and, according to recent opinion polls, Merkel's popularity has reached the same level as before the beginning of the migration crisis of 2015.

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