It’s still hard to digest that the German chancellor Angela Merkel is preparing to leave office after 15 years, 294 days to be specific.
Under her rule, Germany gained a substantial influence not only in Europe but globally. Many analysts are anticipating that Germany’s “golden age” will be over as soon as the power transition happens.
According to a recent poll, both Germans and Europeans believe that Germany’s “golden era” will come to an end.
It’s interesting to see what post-Merkel Germany will look like in terms of its local leadership, relationship with the rest of the EU, and most importantly geopolitically. The election is set to take place on September 26 and the chancellor is expected to leave after the result is out. It’s also worth noting that it’s still unclear who will succeed Merkel, as there are several players in the court, most notably: Armin Laschet (center-right), Annalena Baerbock (Greens), Olaf Scholz (center-left Social Democrats, SPD)