Post Reports

The end of the Merkel era

Sep 16, 2021

Ishaan Tharoor, a foreign affairs columnist for The Washington Post, dives into Angela Merkel's impactful legacy as she steps down after 16 years. They explore her rise from East Germany to Chancellor, highlighting her steady leadership during multiple crises. The discussion also delves into the political vacuum her departure creates and the emerging forces in German politics, including challenges she faced with the refugee crisis and climate policies. Tharoor offers insights on what her exit means for Germany and the broader world.

19:11

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Ishaan Tharoor

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Episode notes

Intro

3min

The Rise of a Political Icon: The Journey of Germany's Chancellor

4min

The Contradictions of Leadership During Crises

2min

Climate Policy and Political Uncertainty in Germany

2min

Germany's Political Shift: Merkel's Departure and Upcoming Elections

7min

After a decade and a half in office, Germany’s Angela Merkel is stepping down. On today’s show, we take a closer look at the chancellor’s life and legacy, and what this shift in power will mean for Germany and the world.

Angela Merkel grew up the daughter of a pastor in communist East Germany, and political possibilities opened up for her after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. As chancellor she carried Germany and by extension the European Union through crisis after crisis with a steady hand. But her legacy is somewhat more complicated at home than it is abroad, as Loveday Morris and Ishaan Tharoor report.

“Some applaud her humble, consensus-driven political style,” Morris writes. “Others see a lack of bold leadership, particularly in the face of a more aggressive Russia and rising Chinese power.”

As Merkel leaves office, we talk about the vacuum of power she leaves behind and what might happen next.

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