Andreas Kluth, Columnist

This Is Angela Merkel’s Swan Song as Leader

For the next six months, Germany will try to do something counterintuitive: lead Europe “from the center.”

July 1, 2020 at 5:00 AM UTC

Andreas Kluth is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering US diplomacy, national security and geopolitics. Previously, he was editor-in-chief of Handelsblatt Global and a writer for the Economist.

Last chance at legacy.
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Covid-19 is a crucible of leadership. Some people are failing this test — the presidents of Brazil, Russia and the U.S. spring to mind. Others are passing it with flying colors, notably the leaders of New Zealand, Denmark and Taiwan. All three happen to be women and have largely controlled the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in their countries while preserving social cohesion.

And then there’s German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who’s also been having a relatively good pandemic. As she entered 2020, her 15th year in office, she looked exhausted. Having ruled out a fifth term and resigned as boss of her party, she was in effect a lame duck. But Covid changed all that. It rejuvenated Merkel as a leader.