1. 2015
Myron King
Winter, 2015
Angela Merkel: Her Rise to German
Chancellorship and Beyond
Photo courtesy of Google images library (www.google.ca/images)

2. 1
Executive Summary
Angela Merkel, despite political odds and challenges, has risen to the top of her political field as
Chancellor of Germany and maintained that position for several years. Germany has undergone
extensive political upheaval from the late 1980s which contributed to the political atmosphere
that facilitated Merkel’s ascension. Apolitical during her early years, Merkel is best known for
her political aspirations during the era of German reunification and beyond. Merkel’s political
journey is marked by several political ‘firsts’ for women including running for and winning the
German Chancellorship. Enormous strength as a political strategist and the ability to turn a crisis
into a political beneficial stepping stone are at the core of understanding Merkel in the political
arena. The political reach of Merkel has extended beyond the borders of journey, where she is
seen largely as the lead politician within the European Union during a time of global uncertainty.
Even though Merkel is tough and often uncompromising politician, her sense of humanism and
ability to relate to people at a personal level in solidarity are key characteristics that have helped
extensively to keep her popular with the German public and in the maintenance of her time as
chancellor.

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Table of Contents
Introduction ..............................................................................................................................................3
Background ...............................................................................................................................................3
In the beginning ........................................................................................................................................5
Social Upheaval and Change.....................................................................................................................5
Onward and Upward.................................................................................................................................8
Celebrity and Style..................................................................................................................................10
Conclusion...............................................................................................................................................12
References ..............................................................................................................................................13
Appendices.................................................................................................................................................i

4. 3
Introduction
It can be said that the rise to the top position in one’s country, is to reach the pinnacle of one’s
chosen field through dedicated work and ambition. This may be the case for many including
those who enter into the arena of politics. The truth is there is one step in a political journey
which is more difficult to reach. The task to hold on to the top office for any extended period of
time after reaching it is a feat within itself. This is the case we find with the current German
Chancellor Angela Merkel. The rise to the top job for Merkel was quick by any measure - just a
few years from meager beginnings in a post-reunification Germany to leader of arguably one of
the top three G8 nations around the globe. Merkel’s rise to chancellorship is more astounding
when viewed from the perspective of gender politics. Historically there have been very few
woman elected to significantly high offices, even fewer that become the leader of a country. For
Merkel, why was her rise to power so fast? What is it that drew people to this woman as the right
choice for leader, seemingly each political step along her journey to chancellor? Moreover, what
qualities about Merkel have helped her not just rise to the top position, but help keep her there?
These are some of the important questions I will endeavor to explore in this paper. These are
important questions about the current German Chancellor, who through her political chapters has
often been the first woman ever to successfully sit on and handle the political offices she sought.
Background
To understand the context of Merkel’s rise to power, it is important to understand the political
setting and some of the political changes that were going on in Germany over the past quarter
century. Historically since World War II Germany had redeveloped into two parts – West
Germany, with a more democratic system of politics based on Western influences, and East
Germany with a communist system based on mainly Eastern (Russian) influence. These systems

5. 4
of government were the strongholds for each region of Germany respectively, up until the fall of
the Berlin Wall and of East German communist rule itself in 1989. To see reunification through,
an interim government was formed while Germany decided what its future would look like on
the political front in the new post-Wall era. A different East German government then emerged,
holding multi-party democratic elections for the first time. It would not be long after this that
actual German reunification would occur and with several political party mergers a new, larger
democratic government system for Germany would carry on. The old east communist system,
mostly abhorred by modern Germans for its inherent restrictiveness, control, and ties to the
secret police, sat at the core of the social upheaval which initiated the end to the Berlin wall and
to communism itself. Yet while communist rule in the east was now defunct, it is important to
realize that the people that were a part of that the communist system and the citizens of East
Germany themselves would still be around and still carry some influence from communism
forward.
Other factors that are important to understand were occurring at a more global level, factors
beyond Germany’s borders which still played an important role in Merkel’s own story. The
women’s movement was still active around the world and was having an impact within political
circles too. Governments were increasing the presence of women in their benches, and some
political parties had even instituted “quotas” as a way to ensure women made up a certain
percentage of the party representation. The use of quotas in Germany was quite vigorously
adhered to by the country’s political parties in order to represent their people appropriately and
to be able to say so to the German population in efforts to be more favorable at the ballot.

6. 5
In the beginning
Chancellor Merkel was born Angela Dorothea Kasner in Hamburg, West Germany in 1954 to a
protestant minister and his wife, a homemaker. She did not spend much time in West Germany
before the family was moved to East Germany where Angela’s father felt his call to preach was
stronger. Merkel grew up essentially in East Germany within the communist system, but was
able to maintain a general western identity due to her West German origins. Merkel’s youth was
overall apolitical, as Merkel was not active on the political scene neither as part of government
or as activist against it (Thompson & Lennartz, 2006). Merkel’s early years were really no
indication at all of her later political participation. She did well in school, and was also member
of the Free German Youth as many of her friends were during that time period. Merkel attended
university and got her degree in physics, continuing on during early years to work at the Central
Institute for Physics and Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences in Berlin.
Having completed a physics degree myself, I can relate to Merkel’s apolitical nature in her early
life which is typical of many who make their start within the natural sciences. Merkel would also
have been likely very rational in her way of thinking, and as noted by Thompson & Lennartz
(2006) quoting a Merkel colleague, she was “a young scientist without any illusions”. It is also
interesting to me to know that Merkel learned Russian and did excellent in mathematics – two
subjects I also excelled in during my own academic studies. Merkel also had a sense for logical
thinking, and had an inherited aptitude for the art of improvisation (Reutter, 2006). Finally she
enjoys strategic thinking and was an avid chess player, just as I have for many years.
Social Upheaval and Change
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Merkel decided to join the growing democracy movement
taking Germany by storm at the time. She quickly became spokesperson for a new party called

7. 6
the Democratic Awakening, which later merged with the larger Christian Democratic Union
(CDU) party based in the west. The CDU later would join force with the east Christian Social
Union (CSU), and this coalition would continue to be Merkel’s main party as she rose through
the political ranks. She won her first election as part of the CDU/CSU, being elected to the
Bundestag (parliament) in 1990. The partnership between the CDU and CSU is important to
note, as it outlines important political understanding which later plays a key role in Merkel’s
actual bid towards the German chancellorship.
The decision to join politics right at this time might be a curious one in some aspects; Merkel
was already well-fitted to a position as a scientist at a well-established academic institute. Why
make the move now? Merkel must have had inner motivation, including the urge to help see
changes come about in the political arena for her to make the move. Merkel has been called a
brilliant strategist throughout her political career, which is visible from this very beginning point
in the timing of her move to politics. The timing signalled a new start for Germany, and became
a new start for Merkel as well.
After winning her first election, Merkel was recommended to then leader Helmut Kohl who was
in need of a female member for his cabinet. The potential cabinet member was also ideally from
East Germany. Merkel was noted as fitting the bill perfectly for the appointment (Reutter, 2006).
In 1991, Kohl made Merkel his Minister for women and youth. The appointment itself is
reflective of the quota system in play in Germany which tended to want a ‘balance’ within
cabinet including representation for women and representation for East Germany. Merkel was
additionally Protestant, which was also helpful among the predominantly catholic party members
at the time. As a part of Kohl’s cabinet, the media often referred to Merkel as “Kohl’s Madchen”
(Kohl’s Girl), a derisive term from the perspective of gender equality. Merkel paid little attention

8. 7
to this labelling though, not allowing it to influence or bother her in her holding of the position.
This was an important trait of Merkel who became known for her ability to not look dismayed or
show signs of cracking, which can be construed as a weakness in politics. In 1994 Merkel was
moved to the position of Minister for environment, conservation, and safety of nuclear power
plants. During her time as minister, Merkel headed up the idea and work behind the Berlin
Mandate at the climate conference in Berlin in 1995. This mandate is the beginnings of the
Kyoto protocol, which Merkel has said is her most important achievement at the time. Having
studied this complex and intuitive work on climate change before, I can agree whole-heartedly
on the importance of this initiative for the environment and for the entire world as a climate
change achievement.
In 1998, Kohl’s government was defeated in the general election. Ever the political strategist,
Merkel moved on to an appointment as Secretary General of the CDU where she would be part
of several important electoral victories during the next 2 years. It was at this time a major party
scandal hit the CDU, causing disaster for its leadership who were accused of accepting financial
support illegally. The scandal itself, having the potential to affect Merkel’s career negatively was
nothing of her doing. Again strategy would dominate when Merkel, deciding to write a public
letter criticizing Kohl and his successor Wolfgang Schauble, would distance herself completely
from the scandal while winning the hearts and minds of grassroots party members at the same
time (Wiliarty, 2008). Following the scandal in 2000 Merkel would be elected to lead the CDU,
the first female to do so.
Merkel has been the first woman at many points along her path so far (see Appendix A for
general list of Merkel’s awards and accomplishments). These achievements are not only
testament to Merkel’s drive towards the German Chancellorship, but to her ability to play the

9. 8
“political game” despite the significant gender imbalance. People have made comparisons
between Merkel and another famous political leader - British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Merkel and Thatcher both had backgrounds in the natural sciences, both were women in the
predominantly male populated arena of politics, and both had risen to become the leader of male-
dominated, socially conservative political parties. Merkel, like Thatcher, also campaigned
heavily on economic reforms as part of her bid for election (van Zoonen, 2006) and can quite
skillfully turn a weakness into a strength (Thompson and Lennartz, 2006). Regarding the topic of
expenditures reaching outrageous heights by democratic countries (and sounding just like
Thatcher), the true to form conservative Merkel has stated “It is my firm conviction that the
twenty-first century must be the century in which the few democratic Western countries learn
that they can only spend the wealth they themselves have created.” (Merkel, 2009)
Onward and Upward
After 2000 Merkel had become quite popular in the polls with the German public. Many felt she
should be chosen as the main challenger for the chancellorship in the 2002 election. As the
general election approached, her CSU counterpart Edmund Stoiber looked poised to become
challenger as suggested by internal party popularity. Weeks before the election Merkel ceded to
Stoiber of the CSU the opportunity challenger. Stoiber subsequently lost the challenge and the
2002 government formation was maintained by Chancellor Gerhard Schroder. The political
maneuvering here is complex in that Merkel suffers a defeat to Stoiber, but looking closer tells
us about Merkel’s strategy and her ability to rethink her plans quickly and redefine them when
necessary. By ceding the right to challenge to Stoiber ahead of the election, Merkel was able to
improve her presence within the CDU by replacing parliamentary party leader Friedrich Merz
and eventually become official leader of the opposition (Wiliarty, 2008). Merkel continued to

10. 9
enjoy popularity with the people of Germany, too, who still seen her as relevant and politically
worthy.
In 2005 the ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD) lost a key regional election, leading to then
Chancellor Schroder to call a vote of confidence in order to trigger new elections. Merkel as
leader of the opposition was seen as the incumbent challenger to Schroder for the CDU/CSU. It
was believed that Merkel’s leadership within the CDU and toward the CSU partnership had
strengthened enormously since the 2002 elections (Wiliarty, 2008). The resulting elections were
to end in a stalemate and after some weeks of discussion, collaboration was reached and it was
agreed that Merkel would become Chancellor of Germany for the CDU/CSU.
As noted earlier, for some this may seem like the pinnacle position to reach for Angela Merkel;
such was the case with another conservative woman leader during the 1980s, that of Kim
Campbell in Canadian federal politics. Campbell rose to the top but subsequently spent little
time as Prime Minister of Canada, just a few short months. In contrast, Merkel’s ability to
strategize and keep her ear close to the ground within her own party as a “corporate catch-all”
leader (Wiliarty, 2008) would prove to be the difference. After becoming the Chancellor of
Germany Merkel dug in and showed the willpower to keep the position she had now reached.
She continued to face challenges as Chancellor and also continued to face down opposition to
her leadership from some political colleagues around her. Often challengers concentrated more
on her performance as a woman, rather than her performance as head of state (van Zoonen,
2006). With continuing success in the political areas of foreign policy, diplomacy, and economic
crisis, the negative perceptions about Merkel’s performance have faded. As Merkel continued to
progress as German Chancellor, she also grew enormously important as a leader within the
whole European Union. Other countries looked to her for her strategic abilities and her skillful

11. 10
negotiation tactics. In his book Angela Merkel, Crawford highlights Merkel’s importance to the
EU and her chancellorship this way:
“…Merkel’s time in office came to be defined by a continuous thread of unprecedented
turmoil not of her making but which required her to act nonetheless. Her first term was
dominated by the U.S. subprime-led banking meltdown and subsequent global recession,
which led straight into the crisis in the euro area spreading from Greece that rocked her
second term. Greece and its aftermath were to mark the evolution of her chancellorship,
forcing her transition from one of many political leaders in the Europe to the region’s
pre-eminent crisis handler…Merkel was forced to look beyond just Germany’s interests
and assume leadership in Europe.” (Crawford, 2013, pp 2-3)
As Crawford notes above, Merkel continued to ring in general election success leading her
CDU/CSU collaboration to victory in two further general elections keeping herself solely at the
helm in Germany and highly popular with the people.
Celebrity and Style
The ability to strategize on the fly, and keep all stakeholders interested in a developing issue
sitting around the table are key reasons why Merkel continues as Germany’s leader. Her role
model is “Catherine the Great”, the Prussian Princess who ruled Russia alone for 34 years and
whom Merkel keeps a picture of on her office desk. When asked about Catherine the Great,
Merkel is quoted as stating she “was very courageous and accomplished many things under
difficult circumstances” (Crawford, 2013) citing also her ability as a “clever strategist”
(Crawford, 2013). In our new internet and media-heightened era where everyone wants to know
more about their political leader, a notion referred to as “Celebrity Politics” by van Zoonen

12. 11
(2006), Merkel’s calmness and habit to ignore what is said about her or how she is portrayed in
the political arena helps keep her solidly grounded. In recent months Merkel has shown she is
not the cold, indifferent as women in politics are often portrayed as by their opposition or
uninformed critics. This is evident in the World War II Holocaust Ceremony recently held in
remembrance of the six million Jewish victims at the hands of Fascist Germany. Merkel
participated in the ceremony, the first Chancellor to ever do so laying a wreath in silent honor on
behalf of her country. The compassion shown by Merkel is evidence of her historical knowledge
on the subject as well as her understanding and approach to it at both a personal level and as the
current German Chancellor. Her description of Jewish writer Hannah Arendt, author of the
authoritative report on the trial of a German Nazi Leader after World War II as “trail-blazing” is
sign of such understanding. Merkel used the reference during her Honorary Degree acceptance
speech given at Leipzig University at the American Academy in Berlin. Merkel additionally
quoted Arendt to describe her belief in freedom in combination with obligation, a topic navigated
thoroughly by Arendt, saying “freedom was the raison d’etre1
of politics” (Merkel, 2009).
Even at the time of this paper Merkel is showing her enduring humanism in support and
solidarity with others. A recent plane crash in the Swiss Alps where 150 people were killed
aboard a German airliner has captured worldwide attention. By association, it is also very
important to Chancellor Merkel who stands onsite and engaged with those in mourning. Merkel
can also be tough, though, and is not afraid to fight when necessary, even when the subject
matter is complex and could have varying internal and external impacts. This seems to be the
case in regards to the topic of “multiculturalism” as it applies to Germany, with writers having
quoted Merkel as stating multiculturalism has “failed totally” for Germany (Ruitenberg, 2011;
1
“raison d’etre” meaning reason or justification for being or existence.

13. 12
Sefa Dei, 2011). As part of domestic policy this stand is fairly radical even during times of
global uneasiness due to terrorism abroad where multiculturalism has come under some scrutiny.
Conclusion
While some have said Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany had an easy road to the top job, it
needs to be emphasized that Merkel’s personal qualities played as large (or larger) a role in her
political journey. In studying her learned academic past and certain character traits demonstrated
at key events in her political career and Chancellorship thus far, it can be determined that her
gender, geographical origins and religious background while assets are not the only reasons
behind her ascension. Merkel’s adept political strategies, her ability to improvise in the face of
crisis and her cool handling under pressure also had a sizable impact in terms of political
outcomes. Merkel’s humanistic qualities and ability to show solidarity also carries substantial
credit. Furthermore it is doubtful that Merkel would have continued to hold on to the
Chancellorship without these characteristics in the face of continued political opposition to her
reign or under the continued and contagious atmosphere of celebrity politics. Chancellor Merkel
has proven herself with a string of general election victories, numerous successes in policy, and
continued support from the German population in an era of increasingly wide and complex
uncertainties. It seems that Merkel, ever the rational and thinking woman, was and remains a
great fit for her current political office and her significant impact will also endure.

14. 13
References
Crawford, A., & Czuczka, T. (2013). Bloomberg (UK) : Angela Merkel : A Chancellorship
Forged in Crisis. Somerset, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons. Retrieved from
http://www.ebrary.com
Dei, G. J. S. (2011). Defense of official multiculturalism and recognition of the necessity of
critical anti-racism. Canadian Issues, 15-19. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1008913710?accountid=12378
Merkel, A.(2009). Honorary Degree Acceptance Speech. Social Research: An International
Quarterly 76(3), 781-788. The Johns Hopkins University Press. Retrieved May 1, 2014, from
Project MUSE database
Reutter, Werner, (2006) Who’s afraid of Angela Merkel? International Journal (Toronto),
January 2006. 61:214-226
Ruitenberg, C. W. (2011) Diversity and education for entanglement. Canadian Issues. 20-23.
Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1008913714?accountid=12378
Thompson, Mark R. & Lennartz, Ludmilla, (2007) The making of chancellor Merkel. German
Politics. 2007. 15(1) 99-110
van Zoonen, L. (2006) The personal, the political and the popular: A woman’s guide to celebrity
politics. European journal of cultural studies. 2006. 9(3) 287-301
Wiliarty, S. E. (2008). Angela Merkel’s path to power: the role of internal party dynamics and
leadership. German Politics. 2008. 9(3) 287-301
Wiliarty, S. E. (2008). Chancellor angela merkel--A sign of hope or the exception that proves the
rule? Politics & Gender, 4(3), 485-496. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1743923X08000391

15. Appendices
Appendix A
National honors and medals
 Italy: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (21 March 2006)
 Germany: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
(January 2008)
 USA: Presidential Medal of Freedom (15 February 2011), awarded by U.S. President
Barack Obama. The medal is presented to people who have made an especially
meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world
peace, or cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.
 India: Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding (2009)
 Norway: Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit (15 October 2007)
 India: Indira Gandhi Peace Prize (2013)
 Israel: President's Medal (25 February 2014)
 Portugal: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry
 Peru: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru
 Saudi Arabia: Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud
Honorary degree
 In 2007, Merkel was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem.
 She was also awarded the honorary doctorate from Leipzig University in June 2008
 University of Technology in Wrocław (Poland) in September 2008[
and Babeş-Bolyai
University from Cluj-Napoca, Romania on 12 October 2010 for her historical
contribution to the European unification and for her global role in renewing international
cooperation.
 On 23 May 2013, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Radboud University
Nijmegen.
 In November 2013, she was awarded the Honorary Doctorate (Honoris Causa) title by the
University of Szeged.
 In November 2014 she was awarded the title Doctor Honoris Causa by Comenius
University in Bratislava.
Other awards
 In 2006, Angela Merkel was awarded the Vision for Europe Award for her contribution
toward greater European integration.

16. ii
 She received the Karlspreis (Charlemagne Prize) in 2008 for distinguished services to
European unity.
 In March 2008 she received the B'nai B'rith Europe Award of Merit.
 Merkel topped Forbes magazine's list of "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women" in
2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
 New Statesman named Angela Merkel in "The World's 50 Most Influential Figures"
2010.
 On 16 June 2010, the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies at Johns
Hopkins University in Washington D.C. awarded Chancellor Merkel its Global
Leadership Award (AICGS) in recognition of her outstanding dedication to strengthening
German-American relations.
 On 21 September 2010, the Leo Baeck Institute, a research institution in New York City
devoted to the history of German-speaking Jewry, awarded Angela Merkel the Leo Baeck
Medal. The medal was presented by former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and current
Director of the Jewish Museum Berlin, W. Michael Blumenthal, who cited Merkel's
support of Jewish cultural life and the integration of minorities in Germany.
 On 31 May 2011, she received the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for the year 2009 from the
Indian government. She received the award for International understanding.
 Forbes Magazine's List of The World's Most Powerful People ranked Merkel as the
world's second most powerful person in 2012, the highest ranking achieved by a woman
in the list's short history (it began in 2009), though she was reduced to 5th in 2013.
 On 28 November 2012, she received the Heinz Galinski Award in Berlin, Germany.
Source: Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Merkel