Angela Merkel Is No Longer The German Chancellor

angela merkel
angela merkel

On Sunday, millions in Germany will be voting for a new government as Angela Merkel steps down after sixteen years as the chancellor of Germany. The federal election will determine Merkel’s successor.

Who Will Succeed Angela Merkel?

The most recent polls say that the Social Democratic Party of Germany has a slight advantage over Angela Merkel’s party. The SDP is center-left while the CDU (Christian Democratic Union that Merkel belongs to) is center-right. They also have a partnership with the CSU (Christian Social Union).

In close proximity are the Greens. They are alternative far-right in Germany. For the libertarians, there is the Free Democratic Party. All of them have poll numbers in double digits before the elections on Sunday.

German Foreign Relations Council senior fellow associate Josef Janning explained that the 2 traditional powerhouses have not attracted much support apart from their most loyal followers. Germany has become much more diverse since Angela Merkel’s election. There are a lot of voters who are not bound by religion or class.

Janning explains that these voters are not as willing to compromise. They would choose to satisfy their own preferences and interests with groups who are like-minded. As a result, the party system becomes much more fragmented.

Angela Merkel is also leaving behind a massive vacuum. Many would have preferred Angela Merkel to have been the Chancellor once more. For example, Jessica Laufer, 27, also wants it. Right now, she would like Annalena Baerbrock, the candidate for the Green party to win as Angela Merkel is not there. But she does not think Baerbrock will get the majority.

A lot of the younger generation are supporting the Greens in hopes that climate change will be addressed better. The older ones who had been Merkel’s supporters just do not like Armin Laschet, CDU’s succeeding candidate, as much.