Robert Brent Toplin
In December 2021 Angela Merkel stepped down as Germany’s Chancellor after 16 years of successful management. She had been an obscure researcher in quantum physics when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, yet she quickly became a prominent official in Germany’s newly unified government. Merkel then experienced a meteoric rise to power and influence in German and global affairs.
Germany’s first female Chancellor is the country’s most popular and influential politician. Evidence of her impact can be seen in the way Olaf Scholz, who succeeds her as Chancellor, expects to govern as Merkel did. Scholz promised to manage through coalition-building and political compromise. He aims to avoid intense partisanship, personal animosity, and demagoguery. Scholz’s governing style, pundits noted, is likely to be “boring,” and that appeals to many Germans.
Angela Merkel’s example is worthy of consideration by Americans. In recent years, politics in the USA have been roiled by nasty partisanship, culture wars, conspiracy-mongering, and fallacious rhetoric. If an American political aspirant promotes bi-partisanship and competent management, that individual is not likely to fare as well as someone in Germany. Many American voters prefer flame-throwers. They are drawn to colorful figures that excel in the Three Cs: Charisma, Chutzpah, and Combat. Individuals that exhibit strong egos, audacity, and a fighting spirit frequently become favorites of the voters. An American politician that resembles Merkel — someone bland and known for expertise in management – faces difficulties achieving popularity.
Germany’s modern history is different, of course, and the distinction throws some light on the contrast. Adolf Hitler’s influence weighs heavily in national affairs. Germans are cognizant of the Nazi’s reign of destruction, which produced enormous human suffering at home and abroad. Many Germans are deeply suspicious of demagogues. From the post-war years to modern times, they’ve often selected figures with reputations as nose-to-the grindstone workers such as Konrad Adenauer, Helmut Kohl, and Gerhard Schroder. Also, German electoral system contrasts with the USA’s. In the United States, a winner-take-all arrangement prevails. It benefits candidates that take sharply partisan stands. In Germany a parliamentary arrangement makes compromise and coalition-building useful for advancement in politics.
Angela Merkel achieved prominence by projecting a serious and professional image. She kept her private life under wraps. Merkel wanted to depersonalize politics. She rarely used colorful or soaring rhetoric to achieve goals. Instead, Merkel led through displays of competence. Her strategy proved effective not only in Germany; it appealed to European and global leaders. Henry Kissinger, Barack Obama, and Tony Blair admired Angela Merkel and sought her advice.
Service as Germany’s Chancellor was not a cakewalk from 2005 to 2021. Angela Merkel had to make bold decisions in times of crisis. Controversy ensued. After the Fukushima nuclear disaster occurred in Japan, she moved aggressively to push her country away from reliance on nuclear power. Some Germans criticized those efforts because they cut the nation’s energy supply and complicated efforts to deal with climate change. When hundreds of thousands of immigrants from the Middle East and other areas fled to Europe, Merkel welcomed the desperate people into her country. She was determined to compensate for the record of humanitarian tragedies under the Nazis. Many Germans approved of her generous response. They assisted the newcomers. But Merkel’s policy ignited anti-immigrant feelings and benefited far-right groups.
Nevertheless, many Germans now look back on Merkel’s sixteen years at the helm with satisfaction and pride. They recognize her achievements in guiding Germany and the European Union out of the financial crisis of 2008. They also admire her management of the EU’s difficult negotiations with Russia. Vladimir Putin angered the West when he seized control of Crimea and threatened the eastern region of Ukraine. Merkel recommended sanctions that helped to limit Putin’s aggression. And, of course, many Germans are pleased that their country’s economy grew enormously during the years of Merkel’s deft management.
American political leaders are unlikely to imitate Angela Merkel’s subdued, brainy, technocratic approach. They understand that the U.S. political system favors lively personalities. America’s flashy speechmakers appeal to voters with promises of big changes. Anglela Merkel attempted to build power by emphasizing deeds over words.
President Joe Biden has been attempting to lead somewhat in Merkel’s fashion, but the experience has been frustrating. Biden is not a colorful speechmaker, and he lacks charisma. He does not inspire the masses. Yet Joe Biden has tried to project the image of a serious leader who is working calmly and conscientiously to improve conditions. Although inflation remains a problem, unemployment dropped substantially, corporate profits grew enormously, and stock markets surged during Biden’s first year. Furthermore, President Joe Biden has been laser-focused on getting Americans vaccinated and dealing with a pandemic. So far, he has done a respectable job under difficult conditions, yet his poll numbers tanked. Many Americans are labeling him a failed president. One suspects that a leader like Joe Biden would fare better in Germany’s political culture.
