Ulrike Guérot is director of the European Democracy Lab. She says: "Praising Angela Merkel today as the only remaining leader of the free world makes us forget quickly about the enormous responsibility of Germany for the populist crisis in Europe."

 

Malte Lehming: "Due to Germany’s terrible history, Germany’s strong pacifistic tradition and Germanys polarizing refugee policy in Europe, Angela Merkel can only be a strong international moderator, but not the leader of the free world."

 

 

Friedrich Thelen, a former chief editor, works as a freelance journalist and political consultant. He says: “Chancellor Angela Merkel will try to get elected for the fourth time. She and her party declare this to be a decision for stability in difficult times, and not as a signal for reforms and new politics.”