Angela Merkel on European Union

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s core position on the European Union was one of pragmatic commitment, viewing a strong, unified bloc as essential for Germany’s prosperity and global standing. Throughout her tenure, she repeatedly earned recognition as the de facto leader of the EU, often by bridging internal divides and acting as the principal crisis manager during turbulent periods like the Eurozone debt crisis and the migration influx. Her approach was frequently characterized as 'driving by sight,' focusing on immediate stabilization and achieving compromises, such as resisting a 'Grexit' despite initial austerity skepticism from her finance minister, or later championing the unprecedented joint EU borrowing for the Covid recovery fund.

Her evolution involved shifting political weight toward the European Council over the Commission, which critics argue limited grand European visions but allowed Germany to set the integration tempo. While praised for keeping the Union together through successive threats, including Brexit and external geopolitical pressure, Merkel also faced criticism for a perceived lack of proactive vision beyond crisis management, and for decisions like promoting joint EU borrowing only after significant political shifts occurred. Nevertheless, her efforts to ensure EU cohesion and back key institutional figures, like supporting Mario Draghi for the ECB, reflect a deep, if often cautious, belief in the necessity of the European project.