Berlin
Germany’s opposition Christian Democrats nominated a former East German, Angela Merkel, to run for chancellor in September. If Merkel wins, she will be the first woman to lead Germany, as well as the first leader of a reunified Germany to have grown up in the communist east. A conservative free-marketeer, she is often compared to Britain’s Margaret Thatcher. Germany must “recognize that it is a competitor in a global marketplace,” she said this week. “We need to dismantle those things that are holding our economy back—bureaucracy and overregulation.” Polls already put her ahead of the incumbent, Social Democrat Gerhard Schröder—although Schröder’s unpopularity stems largely from his attempts at the very kinds of reform Merkel advocates.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The elite falcon trade in the Middle EastUnder the Radar Popularity of the birds of prey has been ‘soaring’ despite doubts over the legality of sourcing and concerns for animal welfare
-
A running list of the international figures Donald Trump has pardonedin depth The president has grown bolder in flexing executive clemency powers beyond national borders
-
Mixed nuts: RFK Jr.’s new nutrition guidelines receive uneven reviewsTalking Points The guidelines emphasize red meat and full-fat dairy
