Tuesday, June 30, 2020

ANGELA MERKEL: World's most Powerful Lady!

Angela Merkel is presently serving as Chancellor of Germany since 2005. She is the first female to serve this position in German history. She has been awarded with 'most powerful leader' as well as 'world's most powerful lady' and several other titles. Let us get into her personal, professional life to learn more about her.
EARLY LIFE:
Angela Merkel's full name is Angela Dorothea Merkel. She was born on 17 July 1954 in Hamburg, West Germany. When she was infant, her family moved to East Germany.
Her father was Horst Kasner, who was Lutheran pastor. He was the native of Berlin. Her mother's name was Herlind, who was polish and a teacher of English and Latin. Angela Merkel has two younger siblings.
Angela Merkel's real name is Angela Dorothea Kasner before marriage.
Angela's grandparents were catholic but they changed to Lutheranism during her father's childhood. In 1954, When Angela was three months old, her father got a pastor in church, which was in East Germany, her family moved from West Germany to Templin, East Germany.
In 1968, Merkel joined Free German Youth(FDJ) , which was official communist movement by Socialist Unity Party of Germany.
EDUCATION:
From 1973 to 1978, Angela studied at Karl Marx University, Leipzig in Physics. When she was a student, she participated in rebuilding the ruined Moritzbastei, a project initiated by students to build clubs and recreational activities in campus. Such movement were not regular but this movement was backed by local leadership of SED party.
When she was in school, she learned Russian. She had received awards for fluency in Russian and Mathematics.
From 1978 to 1980, Angela Merkel studied and worked at Central Institute for Physical Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences in Berlin-Adlershof. At Academy of Sciences, she became member of its FDJ secretariat. In 1986, she has been awarded with Doctorate for her theses in Quantum Chemistry. Then, she worked as researcher and published several papers. She also participated in multi language course at Donetsk.
START OF POLITICAL CAREER:
When fall of Berlin wall took place in November 1989, Angela joined growing democracy movement by joining Democracy Awakening party. The party eventually merged into East German Christian Democratic Union, which finally merged with its counter parts in West Germany.
In 1990 federal election, Merkel stood for election to Bundestag from the constituency of Stalsund-Nordvorpommern-Rugen in north Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. After winning elections, she was appointed by chancellor Helmut Kohl to serve in Ministry of Women and Youth in the federal cabinet. She got political visibility, when she was appointed to serve in Ministry for the Environment and Nuclear Safety.
BECOMING LEADER OF OPPOSITION:
After the defeat of CDU in 1998 federal elections, Merkel became Secretary-General of CDU. Following the party funding scandal, many leading figures compromised. Merkel criticized them publicly and told for a fresh start. She became the first ever female leader of CDU on 10 April 2000. In 2001, Friedrich Merz made clear to become the challenger of then chancellor Gerhard Schroder. Merkel also wanted to become the challenger but lacked support from her own party members.
Merkel and CDU-CSU supported the invasion of Iraq war. In 2002, she became the leader of opposition in Bundestag.
She supported reforms for Germany's economy and social system.
She also favored changes in labor laws. She also favored transatlantic relations and friendly German-America friendship. She also criticized accession of Turkey to European Union rather she supported privileged partnership.
BECOMING CHANCELLOR FOR FIRST TIME:
On 30 May 2005, Merkel won the nomination for challenger to chancellor Gerhard Schroder from CDU-CSU in 2005 federal elections. She gained momentum after declaring that she would appoint Paul Kirchhoff, former judge at German Constitutional Court and leading fiscal policy expert as Minister of Finance. Paul introduced flat tax, which undermined Merkel's chances to win elections. This was compounded by Merkel's proposal to increase VAT. On 18 September 2005, federal elections took place. CDU/CSU won election with 35.2% votes and SPD got second highest votes (34.2%).
The result was so close that both the parties claimed for victory.
Neither of the coalition have majority to form government except grand coalition of CDU/CSU with SPD. Both parties demanded for chancellorship but after three weeks of negotiations, it was decided that Merkel will be chancellor of Germany while SPD would hold 8 of 16 seats in cabinet.
WORK DONE BY ANGELA MERKEL AS CHANCELLOR OF GERMANY:
After coalition between CDU/CSU with SPD was confirmed on 14 November 2005, Merkel was appointed as Chancellor of Germany on 22 November 2005.
Public spending was cut with increase in VAT, social insurance contribution, top rate of income tax. The main aim of Merkel's government is to reduce unemployment.
In 2009, she was reelected and formed a government in coalition with FDP. In this term, European Crises occurred. In September 2013, she was again reelected but again grand coalition with SPD occured because FDP failed to achieve 5% votes, which is minimum criteria to form coalition in Bundestag.
In 2017, CDU/CSU as well as SPD got less number of votes as compared to 2013 elections. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier appealed both parties to again form coalition. Hence, in 2017 third grand coalition took place.
DOMESTIC REFORMS:
Angela has been constantly working to reduce unemployment in Germany. She has also come up with many reforms in health sector. She has been also focusing on future energy development in Germany. She also reformed migration policies.
IMMIGRATION POLICY:
Angela Merkel has told that immigrant must integrate and adopt German's culture and values. The debates over level of immigration and its effects on Germany along with integration of Muslim immigrants with German society increased.

 MIGRATION POLICY:
In late August 2015,
Merkel has announced to process asylum applications of Syrian refugees who are coming through other EU countries. In that year abound 1.1 million asylum seekers entered into Germany.
FOREIGN POLICY:
Angela Merkel is considered as de facto leader of European Union. She has focused on strengthening international trade agreements and European cooperation. She worked for strengthening transatlantic relations. She has also signed agreement of transatlantic economic council on 30 April 2007 at White House. She has good relations with US presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama. On 25 September 2007, Merkel meet 14th Dalai Lama for "Private and Informal talks".
In 2006, she had raised concern on overreliance on Russian energy. Merkel favors Association Agreement of Ukraine with European Union but also stated that it will depend on Ukraine's policies. Merkel also supported Israel over it's right to defend itself on Israel-Gaza conflict 2014. Merkel also considered China as important element for Germany's economy. In June 2017, she criticized US sanctions on Russia over EU-Russia energy project.
MERKEL AND INDIA:
In 2008, Angela Merkel visited India and signed agreements to strengthen the relation between both the nations in the field of Science & Technology, Commerce, Defense. In 2013, She visited India or second India-Germany Intergovernmental Consultation at New Delhi. In 2015, she visited India for third India-Germany Intergovernmental Consultations. In 2008, Indian navy conducted a joint exercise with German navy. Narendra Modi visited Germany in 2018.
ANGELA MERKEL ON BREXIT:
Angela Merkel has stated that Britain has to bear with consequences after Brexit. Britain will have weaker economic ties with European Union after Brexit.
INTERNATIONAL STATUS:
She has been termed as world's most powerful lady and second most powerful person. On 26 March 2014, she became the longest serving incumbent head of government in EU. In 2017, Hillary Clinton stated Angela as most important leader of fresh world. She is currently senior leader of G7. In 2018 survey, it was mentioned that she is the most respected leader internationally.
RESIGNATION PLAN:
In October 2018, Angela Merkel announced to stand down as party leader and would not seek fifth term as chancellor of Germany in 2021.
PERSONAL LIFE:
In 1977, at the age of 23 Angela Kasner married to Ulrich Merkel and took his surname. The couple got divorced in 1982. She married to Professor Joachim Sauer, who was quantum chemist. They both met each other in 1981 and got married secretly on 30 December 1998. She has no children but Sauer had two children from previous marriage.
RELIGION:
Angela Merkel is said to be a member of evangelical church. She believes in god and consider Christians to be not afraid for standing for their believes.
HONOURS AND AWARDS:
  1. She has been awarded with national as well as foreign honors. She has received awards from countries like Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, India, Israel, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, United States of America, Slovakia.
  2. She has received Doctorates from various universities
    like Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2007, Leipzig University in 2008, Radboud University Nijmegen in 2013, University of Szeged in 2013, Comenius University in Bratislava in 2014, University of Bern in 2015, University of Helsinki in 2017, Harvard University in 2019 etc.
  3. In 2006, Merkel was awarded with vision for Europe award towards her contribution for European integration.
  4. She has also topped Forbes magazine's list of 'World's 100 most powerful women' in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
  5. On 16 June 2010, Merkel has been awarded with Global Leadership Award for her work in strengthening German-American relations.
  6. On 21 September 2010, Merkel was awarded with Leo Baeck Medal.
  7. On 31 May 2011, She was awarded with Jawaharlal Nehru award for 2009 from the Indian government.
  8. In 2012, she was ranked second in Forbes list of world's most powerful people.
  9. On 29 November 2012, she was awarded with Heinz Galinski Award in Berlin, Germany.
  10. In 2013, she was awarded with Indira Gandhi Peace Prize.
  11. In December 2015, she was named as person of the year by Time's magazine.
  12. In May 2016, She was awarded with International Four Freedoms Award from the Roosevelt foundation in Middleburg, the Netherlands.
  13. In 2017, She recieved the Elie Wiesel award from the United states Holocaust Memorial Museum.
FAVORITES OF ANGELA MERKEL:
  1. Favorite Sports: Angela Merkel like Football. She also visit to watch her national team's gameplay sometimes.
  2. Favorite Movie: The Legend of Paul and Paula (released in 1973).
  3. Favorite food: Hungarian vegetable stew called Letcho and a meat and pickled vegetable soup known as Solyanka.
  4. Favorite color: Blue
  5. Dream tourist place: Hawaii
  6. She fears from thunderstorm and dogs after she was attacked by a dog in 1995.
  7. She was also sometime seen shaking while speaking on the stage. Afterwards, she cleared that it may be because of dehydration.


NICKNAMES:
Angela Merkel was called as "Kasi" due to her surname Kasner. She was also called sometimes as "Angie".

SOMETHING MORE ABOUT ANGELA MERKEL:






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