Merkel was in power for so long that German youth is often dubbed the “Merkel-generation”. This includes ex-Communists also as well as the Nationalist Party (AFD),” adds on Villapadierna. And I think that’s also exciting to see the extreme party losing ground to the center. “It was also exciting to see powerful Merkel quietly leaving the floor and also her successor unable to stand in her big shoes. This seems very different from what is happening in the United States,” points out Altamar’s Peter Schechter. The far right Alternatif fur Deutschland went from 13% to 10.5%. “But a very exciting piece of news is the loss of the far right. But media outlets-both domestically and internationally-focused headlines about how unexciting and boring this year’s elections were. You would expect to see more excitement about such a transformative moment for the country. The EU’s fiscal policies also pose a huge challenge ahead,” answers Villapadierna.
First of all, an overhaul of the tax system, which are a burden for the economy. While Germany got away with it, and the country has been prosperous and stable, trouble is brewing…The country needs really meaningful economic reforms. Merkel’s government has neglected too much nationally and internationally. “The successor to the admirable Chancellor Merkel will face bigger problems. “What are the biggest domestic challenges facing the next German government, and what are the new government’s metrics of success inside Germany?” asks Altamar’s Muni Jensen. With a new government comes new expectations and new problems. He’s seen as the next big player in the global economy,” points out Villapadierna.
This is the Free Democrats leader, Christian Lindner, who could be the finance minister in the final coalition. But as coalitions and agreements are being made, who should we really keep our eye on? “ As some observers say, it’s someone else who might end up with the most influence. So who are the people to look out for? The Social Democrats winner, Olaf Scholz, outvoted Merkel’s CDU party, the Christian Democrats, by a narrow margin and now we wait to see what happens. “ With only a difference of 1.6% of turnout among the big center right and center left parties who are used to ruling Germany alone or together, the political spectrum is wider now and more fragile than ever,” explains Villapadierna. But who could be up to the challenge? There may be a winner following the recent German elections, but in a country heavily dependent on coalitions, it’ll be a few months an agreement is reached. “ Whoever follows Merkel will have, in any event, big shoes to fill since they should match Merkel’s strengths, like her statesmanship and presence, management skills, while also making up for her very significant weaknesses, like the lack of strategic and ambitious vision for Europe, ” says Villapadierna. Villapadierna was the former Executive Director of the Instituto Cervantes and has been a longtime Berlin, Vienna, and Prague-based journalist and commentator, affiliated with international media and political institutes.
What happens next? This week, Ramiro Villapadierna, a longstanding Europe analyst and former member of the Spanish Embassy in Berlin, joins Altamar to explain what life after Merkel looks like. Merkel was named ‘Most Powerful Woman in the World’ by Forbes and considered Europe’s unofficial leader. Merkel’s departure from power leaves a huge hole in Europe. Guest: Ramiro Villapadierna, columnist and writer on Central European affairs and former Executive Director of the Instituto CervantesĪngela Merkel will step down after 16 years in Germany’s top job. In a country used to coalitions as a symbol of stability, Social Democrat Olaf Scholz’s narrow victory now opens the door to a long negotiating process.