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Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel
Incumbent
Assumed office 
22 November 2005
President Horst Köhler
Deputy Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Preceded by Gerhard Schröder
In office
17 November 1994 – 26 October 1998
Chancellor Helmut Kohl
Preceded by Klaus Töpfer
Succeeded by Jürgen Trittin
In office
18 January 1991 – 17 November 1994
Preceded by Hannelore Rönsch
Succeeded by Claudia Nolte
Born 17 July 1954 (1954-07-17) (age 53)
Hamburg, West Germany
Political party CDU
Spouse Ulrich Merkel (div.)
Joachim Sauer
Alma mater University of Leipzig
Profession Physicist
Religion Lutheran

Angela Dorothea Merkel (help·info) (IPA: [ˈaŋɡela doʁoˈteːa ˈmɛɐ̯kəl]) (born Angela Dorothea Kasner, 17 July 1954, in Hamburg, Germany), is the Chancellor of Germany. The Head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (Kanzler Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Horst Köhler ( born 22 February 1943) is a German politician ( CDU) and economist who serves as the current President of Germany. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, (born 5 January 1956) is a German politician who has served as the Foreign Minister of Germany since 22 November ˌɡeɐ̯haɐ̯t fʁɪʦ kʊɐ̯t ˈʃʁøːdɐ (born 7 April 1944 German politician, was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005 The German Federal Ministry for the Environment Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, known by the initials BMU from the German name Bundesministerium für Events 284 - Diocletian is proclaimed emperor by his soldiers Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Helmut Josef Michael Kohl (born 3 April 1930 is a German conservative politician and statesman Klaus Töpfer (born 29 July 1938 in Waldenburg (Wałbrzych, Poland (then German Silesia) is a German politician ( CDU) Jürgen Trittin (born July 25, 1954) is a German Green politician The Federal Ministry of Family Affairs Senior Citizens Women and Youth (Bundesministerium für Familie Senioren Frauen und Jugend is a Ministry of Germany. Events 350 - Generallus Magnentius deposes Roman Emperor Constans and proclaims himself Emperor Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Events 284 - Diocletian is proclaimed emperor by his soldiers Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Hannelore Rönsch (born December 12, 1942 in Wiesbaden -Schierstein is a German conservative politician Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany ( The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest Political party in Germany. Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the termination of a Marriage. Joachim Sauer (born April 19, 1949) is a German quantum chemist, full professor at the Humboldt University of Berlin. Alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother" It was used in Ancient Rome as a title for the mother Goddess, and in Medieval The University of Leipzig (Universität Leipzig located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities A physicist is a Scientist who studies or practices Physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (Kanzler Merkel, elected to the German Parliament from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union CDU since 9 April 2000, and Chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary party group from 2002 to 2005. The Bundestag ("Federal Diet " or "Lower House of German Parliament" is the Parliament of Germany. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, sometimes translated as Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania or Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, is a state in Northern Germany comprising The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest Political party in Germany. Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. She leads a Grand coalition with its sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), and with the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), formed after the 2005 federal election on 22 November 2005. A grand coalition is a Coalition government in a Multi-party Parliamentary system where the two largest political parties unite in a coalition A political party is a Political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within Government, usually by participating in electoral German federal elections took place on September 18, 2005 to elect the members of the 16th German Bundestag, the federal parliament of Germany Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

In 2007, Merkel was also President of the European Council and chair of the G8. The President of the European Council is a position in the European Union that chairs the European Council. She played a central role in the negotiation of the Treaty of Lisbon and the Berlin Declaration. The Treaty of Lisbon (also known as the Reform Treaty) is a Treaty designed to streamline the workings of the European Union (EU with amendments to the The Berlin Declaration (officially the Declaration on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the signature of the Treaty of Rome) is a non-binding European Union In domestic policy, health care reform and problems concerning future energy development have thus far been the major issues of her tenure. This article is about political movements affecting the delivery of health care and health care systems Energy development is the ongoing effort to provide sufficient Primary energy sources and secondary Energy forms to meet civilization's needs

Merkel is the first woman to become Chancellor of Germany. The Head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (Kanzler Merkel, considered by Forbes Magazine to be the most powerful woman in the world at present, is only the third woman to serve on the G8 after Margaret Thatcher and Kim Campbell, and in 2007 became the second woman to chair a G8 summit after Margaret Thatcher. Forbes is an American Publishing and media company Its flagship publication Forbes magazine is published bi-weekly Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 Avril Phaedra Douglas "Kim" Campbell, PC, CC, QC, (born March 10, 1947) was the nineteenth Prime Minister of Canada

In 2008 Merkel received the Charlemagne Prize "for her work to reform the European Union", the prize was presented by Nicolas Sarkozy. The Karlspreis ( Charlemagne Prize; Prix Charlemagne; full name originally Internationaler Karlspreis der Stadt Aachen Nicolas Sarkozy (pronounced,

Contents

Early life

Angela Merkel was born as Angela Dorothea Kasner in Hamburg, as the daughter of Horst Kasner (b. Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany 6 August 1926 in Berlin-Pankow), a Lutheran pastor and his wife, Herlind (b. Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Localities The Pankow borough consists of 13 localities History The village of Pankow is named after the small Panke river a tributary of the Spree Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther A pastor is an official person within a Protestant group of people and related to the positions of Priest or Bishop within the Anglican, Roman Catholic 8 July 1928 in Elbing as Herlind Jentzsch), a teacher of English and Latin. Events 939 - The Major Occultation or Ghaybat el-Kubra of Muhammad al-Mahdi 1099 - First Crusade: 15000 Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Elbląg (Elbing Elbinga is a City in northern Poland with 127892 inhabitants (2006 English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Her mother is a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany. Her grandparents on her mother's side lived in Elbing in East Prussia, one of them had Polish origin. East Prussia (Ostpreußen; Rytų Prūsija or Rytprūsiai; Prusy Wschodnie Восточная Пруссия or Vostochnaya Prussiya) refers to the main part She has a brother, Marcus (born 7 July 1957), and a sister, Irene (b. Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) 19 August 1964).

Merkel's father studied Theology in Heidelberg and, afterwards, in Hamburg. Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective Heidelberg is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. As of 2006 over 140000 people live within the city's area In 1954 her father received a pastorship at the church in Quitzow near Perleberg in Brandenburg, and the family moved to Templin. The von Quitzow family is a noble family of Brandenburg, whose power in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth century was so great that this period of Perleberg is the capital of the district of Prignitz, located in the northwest of the German state of Brandenburg. Brandenburg ( Lower Sorbian: Bramborska; Upper Sorbian: Braniborska) is one of the sixteen states of Germany. Templin is a small City in the Uckermark district in Brandenburg, Germany, with a population of 17535 (2004 Thus Merkel grew up in the countryside 80 km (50 miles) north of Berlin, in the socialist German Democratic Republic (GDR). Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. The term socialist state (or socialist republic, or workers' state) can carry one of several different (but related meanings In strictly speaking any The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state Gerd Langguth, a former senior member of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union states in a book[1] that the family's ability to travel freely from East to West Germany, as well as their possession of two automobiles, leads to the conclusion that Merkel's father had a 'sympathetic' relationship with the communist regime, since such freedom and perquisites for a Christian pastor and his family would have been otherwise impossible in East Germany. [2]

Like most pupils, Merkel was a member of the official, socialist-led youth movement Free German Youth (FDJ). The Free German Youth, also known as the FDJ ( German: Freie Deutsche Jugend, was the official Socialist Youth movement of Later she became a member of the district board and secretary for "Agitprop" (agitation and propaganda) at the Academy of Sciences in that organisation. Agitprop (агитпроп is a contraction of " agit ation and prop aganda" However, she did not take part in the secular coming of age ceremony Jugendweihe, which was common in East Germany, and was confirmed instead. Secularity ( adjective form secular) is the state of being separate from Religion. Coming of age is a young person's transition from Adolescence to Adulthood The age at which this transition takes place varies in society as does the nature Jugendweihe ( youth consecration) is a Secular coming of age ceremony practiced by German 14 year olds Confirmation is a Rite of initiation in many Christian Churches normally in the form of Laying on of hands and/or Anointing for

Merkel was educated in Templin and at the University of Leipzig, where she studied physics from 1973 to 1978. The University of Leipzig (Universität Leipzig located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities Physics (Greek Physis - φύσις in everyday terms is the Science of Matter and its motion. Merkel worked and studied at the Central Institute for Physical Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences in Berlin-Adlershof from 1978 to 1990. Physical chemistry, is the application of Physics to macroscopic microscopic atomic subatomic and particulate phenomena in chemical systems It is mostly defined as a large Adlershof is a district in the borough Treptow-Köpenick of Berlin, Germany. Angela Merkel speaks Russian fluently, and even earned a statewide prize for her proficiency. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages After being awarded a doctorate (Dr. A doctorate is an Academic degree that indicates the highest level of academic achievement rer. nat. ) based on a doctoral thesis on quantum chemistry[3] she worked in research. Quantum chemistry is a branch of Theoretical chemistry, which applies Quantum mechanics and Quantum field theory to address issues and problems in

In 1989, Merkel got involved in the growing democracy movement after the fall of the Berlin Wall, joining the new party Demokratischer Aufbruch. Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system The Berlin Wall (Berliner Mauer was a physical barrier separating West Berlin from the German Democratic Republic (GDR ( East Germany) including Democratic Awakening (Demokratischer Aufbruch was an East German opposition political movement Following the first (and only) democratic election of the East German state, she became the deputy spokesperson of the new pre-unification caretaker government under Lothar de Maizière. Lothar de Maizière mɛˈzjɛʀ}} (born 2 March 1940) is a German conservative politician who served as the first and only democratically elected [4]

Member of Bundestag

At the first post-reunification general election in December 1990, she was elected to the Bundestag from a constituency which includes the districts of Nordvorpommern and Rügen, as well as the city of Stralsund. A constituency is any cohesive corporate unit or body bound by shared structures goals or loyalty German districts (de ''Kreise'' or de ''Landkreise'' in the states of Nordrhein-Westfalen and Schleswig-Holstein, singular de ''Kreis'' and de ''Landreis'' Nordvorpommern ("North Western Pomerania" is a Kreis (district in the northern part of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Rügen (ˈʁyːgən or Rugia is Germany 's largest Island. It is located in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Stralsund (ˈʃtʁaːlzʊnt is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, situated at the southern Coast of the Strelasund (a sound This has remained her electoral district until today. Her party merged with the west German CDU and she became Minister for Women and Youth in Helmut Kohl's 3rd cabinet. Helmut Josef Michael Kohl (born 3 April 1930 is a German conservative politician and statesman In 1994, she was made Minister for the Environment and Reactor Safety, which gave her greater political visibility and a platform on which to build her political career. As one of Kohl's protégées and his youngest cabinet minister, she was referred to by Kohl as "das Mädchen" ("the girl").

From 1977 until their divorce in 1982, Merkel was married to physicist Ulrich Merkel. A physicist is a Scientist who studies or practices Physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning Since 1998, she has been married to Berlin chemistry professor Joachim Sauer. Chemistry (from Egyptian kēme (chem meaning "earth") is the Science concerned with the composition structure and properties Joachim Sauer (born April 19, 1949) is a German quantum chemist, full professor at the Humboldt University of Berlin. She has no children, but Sauer has two adult sons.

Leader of the Opposition

When the Kohl government was defeated in the 1998 general election, Merkel was named Secretary-General of the CDU. In 1998 a German federal election was conducted on September 27, 1998, to elect members to the 14th Bundestag, the lower house of Germany. In this position, Merkel oversaw a string of Christian Democrat election victories in six out of seven regional elections in 1999 alone, breaking the SPD-Green coalition's hold on the Bundesrat, the legislative body representing the states. The Bundesrat ("federal council" or "upper house of German parliament" is the representation of the 16 Federal States ( Bundesländer) of Germany (Deutschland is a Federal Republic consisting of sixteen States, known in German as Länder (singular Following a party financing scandal, which compromised many leading figures of the CDU (most notably Kohl himself, who refused to reveal the donor of DM 2,000,000 because he had given his word of honour and the then party chairman Wolfgang Schäuble, Kohl's hand-picked successor, who wasn't cooperative either), Merkel criticized her former mentor, Kohl, and advocated a fresh start for the party without him. A scandal is a widely Publicized incident that involves Allegations of wrongdoing, disgrace or moral outrage She was elected to replace Schäuble, becoming the first female chair of her party, on 10 April 2000. Events 879 - Louis III becomes King of the Western Franks. 1407 - the lama 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Her election surprised many observers, as her personality offered a contrast to the party she had been chosen to lead; Merkel is a Protestant, originating from predominantly Protestant northern Germany, while the CDU is a male-dominated, socially conservative party with deep Catholic roots, and has its strongholds in western and southern Germany. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Social conservatism is a political or moral ideology that affirms the government's role in encouraging or enforcing traditional values or behaviors in the belief that these are what

Following Merkel's election as CDU leader, she enjoyed considerable popularity among the German population and was favoured by many Germans to become Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's challenger in the 2002 election. ˌɡeɐ̯haɐ̯t fʁɪʦ kʊɐ̯t ˈʃʁøːdɐ (born 7 April 1944 German politician, was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005 The 15th German federal election 2002 was conducted on September 22, 2002, to elect members to the Bundestag (lower house of Germany. However, she did not receive enough support in her own party and particularly its sister party (the Bavarian Christian Social Union, or CSU), and was subsequently out-manoeuvred politically by CSU leader Edmund Stoiber, who had had the privilege of challenging Schröder but squandered a large lead in the opinion polls to lose the election by a razor-thin margin. Bavaria ( German:, with an area of 70553 Km² (27241 square miles and almost 12 Edmund Rüdiger Stoiber ( (born September 28, 1941) is a German politician, former Minister-president of the state After Stoiber's defeat in 2002, in addition to her role as CDU chairwoman, Merkel became leader of the conservative opposition in the lower house of the German parliament, the Bundestag. The Bundestag ("Federal Diet " or "Lower House of German Parliament" is the Parliament of Germany. Her rival, Friedrich Merz, who had held the post of parliamentary leader prior to the 2002 election, was eased out to make way for Merkel. Friedrich Merz (born 11 November 1955 in Brilon) is a German Politician, former chairman of the major centre-right party CDU

Merkel supported a substantial reform agenda concerning Germany's economic and social system and was considered to be more pro-market (and pro-deregulation) than her own party (the CDU); she advocated changes to German labour law, specifically, removing barriers to laying off employees and increasing the allowed number of work hours in a week, arguing that existing laws made the country less competitive because companies cannot easily control labour costs at times when business is slow (see [1]). Reform Movement redirects here For specific organizations by that name see Reform Movement (disambiguation A reform movement is a kind Sao Paulo Stock Exchangejpg|thumb| Virtual market arena where buyer and seller are not present and trade via intemediates and electronical information Deregulation, a term which gained widespread currency in the period 1970-2000 can be seen as a process by which governments remove reduce or simplify Restrictions on Business

Merkel argued for Germany's nuclear power to be phased out less quickly than the Schröder administration had planned. Nuclear power is any Nuclear technology designed to extract usable Energy from atomic nuclei via controlled Nuclear reactions

Merkel advocated a strong transatlantic partnership and German-American friendship. In the spring of 2003, defying strong public opposition, Merkel came out in favour of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, describing it as "unavoidable" and accusing Chancellor Gerhard Schröder of anti-Americanism. The 2003 invasion of Iraq, from March 20 to May 1 2003 was spearheaded by the United States, backed by British forces and smaller contingents from Australia ˌɡeɐ̯haɐ̯t fʁɪʦ kʊɐ̯t ˈʃʁøːdɐ (born 7 April 1944 German politician, was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005 Anti-Americanism, often anti-American sentiment, is opposition or hostility to the people culture or policies of the United States. This led some critics to characterize her as an American lackey. A lackey or lacquey is a term for a uniformed Manservant, in its original meaning (attested 1529 according to the OED) She criticised the government's support for the accession of Turkey to the European Union and favoured a "privileged partnership" instead. Turkey's application to acceede to the European Union (previously the European Communities) was made on 14 April 1987 Privileged partnership is the term coined by the German conservative party CDU for their model of the future relation between Turkey and the European Union In doing so, she was seen as being in unison with many Germans in rejecting Turkish membership of the European Union.

Comparisons

As a female politician from a centre right party, and a scientist, Merkel has been compared by many in the English language press to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The centre-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals political parties or organizations (such as Think tanks whose views English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 Some have referred to her as "Iron Lady", "Iron Girl" and even "The Iron Frau" (both alluding to Thatcher, whose nickname was "The Iron Lady" -- Thatcher has an undergraduate degree in chemistry). Iron Lady is a Nickname that has frequently been used to describe female Heads of government around the world Political commentators have debated the precise extent to which their agendas are similar (see [2]).

In addition to being the first female German chancellor and the youngest German chancellor after the War, Merkel is also the first from East Germany (although born in Hamburg), the first born after World War II, and the first with a background in natural sciences. She studied physics; her predecessors law, business and history.

Merkel topped Forbes magazine's list of "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women" in 2006 and 2007. Forbes is an American Publishing and media company Its flagship publication Forbes magazine is published bi-weekly Starting in 2004 Forbes magazine has made a list of the 100 most powerful women in the world. [5]

On 30 May 2005, Merkel won the CDU/CSU nomination as challenger to Chancellor Gerhard Schröder of the SPD in the 2005 national elections. Events 1416 - The Council of Constance, called by the Emperor Sigismund a supporter of Antipope John XXIII burns Jerome of Prague following Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ˌɡeɐ̯haɐ̯t fʁɪʦ kʊɐ̯t ˈʃʁøːdɐ (born 7 April 1944 German politician, was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005 German federal elections took place on September 18, 2005 to elect the members of the 16th German Bundestag, the federal parliament of Germany Her party began the campaign with a 21% lead over the SPD in national opinion polls, although her personal popularity lagged behind that of the incumbent. An opinion poll is a survey of Public opinion from a particular sample. However, the CDU/CSU campaign suffered when Merkel, having made economic competence central to the CDU's platform, confused gross and net income twice during a televised debate. Gross income is commonly defined as the amount of a Company 's or a Person 's income before all deductions or any taxpayer’s income except that which is specifically Net income is equal to the Income that a firm has after subtracting costs and Expenses from the total Revenue. She regained some momentum after she announced that she would appoint Paul Kirchhof, a former judge at the German Constitutional Court and leading fiscal policy expert, as Minister of Finance. Paul Kirchhof (born February 21 1943 in Osnabrück) is a German Jurist and Tax law expert

Merkel and the CDU lost ground after Kirchhof proposed the introduction of a flat tax in Germany, again undermining the party's credibility on economic affairs and convincing many voters that the CDU's platform of deregulation was designed to benefit only the rich. A flat tax (short for flat rate tax is a Tax system with a constant tax rate This was compounded by Merkel proposing to increase VAT to reduce Germany's deficit and fill the gap in revenue from a flat tax. Value added tax ( VAT) or goods and services tax ( GST) is a consumption Tax levied on value added. The SPD were able to increase their support simply by pledging not to introduce flat taxes or increase VAT. Although Merkel's standing recovered after she distanced herself from Kirchhof's proposals, she remained considerably less popular than Schröder, and the CDU's lead was down to 9% on the eve of the election. Merkel was also criticized for plagiarizing a passage from a speech used by President Ronald Reagan in a 1980 US presidential debate for her own television election duel with Gerhard Schröder, the Social Democratic chancellor. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by

On 18 September Merkel's CDU/CSU and Schröder's SPD went head-to-head in the national elections, with the CDU/CSU winning 35. Events 96 - Nerva is proclaimed Roman Emperor after Domitian is assassinated 3% (CDU 27. 8%/CSU 7. 5%) of the second votes to the SPD's 34. 2%. Neither the SPD-Green coalition nor the CDU/CSU and its preferred coalition partners, the Free Democratic Party, held enough seats to form a majority in the Bundestag, and both Schröder and Merkel claimed victory. The Free Democratic Party ( Freie Demokratische Partei, FDP is a liberal Political party in Germany. A Grand Coalition between the CDU/CSU and SPD faced the challenge that both parties demanded the chancellorship. A grand coalition is a Coalition government in a Multi-party Parliamentary system where the two largest political parties unite in a coalition However, after three weeks of negotiations, the two parties reached a deal whereby Merkel would become Chancellor and the SPD would hold 8 of the 16 seats in the cabinet (see [3] and [4]). For Wikipedia's negotiation policy see WikipediaNegotiation. For other uses see Negotiation (disambiguation. The coalition deal was approved by both parties at party conferences on November 14 (see [5]). Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca Merkel was elected Chancellor by the majority of delegates (397 to 217) in the newly assembled Bundestag on 22 November but 51 members of the governing coalition voted against her (see [6]). Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran

Reports had indicated that the Grand Coalition would pursue a mix of policies, some of which differ from Merkel's political platform as leader of the opposition and candidate for Chancellor. The coalitions intent was to cut public spending whilst increasing VAT (from 16 to 19%), social insurance contributions and the top rate of income tax. Value added tax ( VAT) or goods and services tax ( GST) is a consumption Tax levied on value added. Social insurance is any Government -sponsored program with the following four characteristics the benefits eligibility requirements and other aspects of the program [6] Employment protection will no longer cover employees during their first two years in a job, pensions will be frozen and subsidies for first-time home buyers will be scrapped. On foreign policy, Germany would maintain its strong ties with France and eastern European states, particularly Russia, and support Turkey for one day joining the European Union. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

Merkel had stated that the main aim of her government would be to reduce unemployment, and that it is this issue on which her government will be judged. [7]

Chancellor of Germany

Merkel at the European Parliament in Strasbourg (17 January 2007).
Merkel at the European Parliament in Strasbourg (17 January 2007). The European Parliament ( Europarl or EP) is the only directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union (EU Strasbourg (Strasbourg stʁazbuʁ Alsatian: Strossburi,; Straßburg) is the capital and principal City of the Alsace région [8]

Merkel's first foreign trip took place on the day she was sworn in as Chancellor, and went to Paris for a meeting with the then French president, Jacques Chirac. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city In his speech, Chirac emphasized the importance of the Franco-German Companionship for Europe. After the meeting with Chirac, she travelled to Brussels for talks with EU leaders and the Secretary-General of NATO, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. Brussels (Bruxelles pronounced; Brussel pronounced) officially the Brussels Capital-Region, is The North Atlantic Treaty Jakob Gijsbert "Jaap" de Hoop Scheffer (/jɑːp də hoːp ˈsxɛfər/ born 3 April 1948 is a Dutch Politician and the 11th NATO Secretary She then traveled to London where she met with the then British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to On November 28 she received her first state guest: President Pohamba of Namibia, a former colony of Germany. Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba (born August 18, 1935) is the second and current President of Namibia. Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa on the Atlantic coast In her first government address on 30 November 2005 she announced her objective of improving the German Economy and reducing unemployment. Events 1700 - Battle of Narva — A Swedish army of 8500 men under Charles XII defeats Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Merkel made her first visit to the Middle East as President-in-office of the European Council on 1 April 2007. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The President of the European Council is a position in the European Union that chairs the European Council. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. She offered Europe's help to get Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table, and tried to restart international efforts for renewed peace talks. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn [9]

On September 25, 2007, Chancellor Angela Merkel met the Dalai Lama for "private and informal talks" in Berlin in the Chancellery amid protest from China. Events 303 - On a voyage preaching the Gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona is beheaded in Amiens, France Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (born Lhamo Döndrub ( 6 July 1935 in Qinghai) He is the head of the Tibetan government-in-exile The Chancellor's Office (Chancellery (in German Bundeskanzleramt, or more commonly Kanzleramt) is the office of the Chancellor, the head of the China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National China afterwards cancelled separate talks with German officials, including talks with Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries. Brigitte Zypries (born November 16, 1953, in Kassel, Germany) is a German Politician. [10]

Chancellor Merkel told Israel of Germany's "Holocaust shame," and asserted its support for the Jewish state during a speech to the Knesset on March 18, 2008. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as For Beit Knesset a Jewish Place of worship, see Synagogue. The Knesset (כנסת lit Events 37 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius ' will and proclaims Caligula emperor 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common [11]

Cabinet

See also Cabinet Merkel

The cabinet of Angela Merkel was sworn in at 16:00 CET, November 22, 2005. The cabinet of Angela Merkel is the current Government of Germany since November 22 2005, during the 16th legislature of the Bundestag Central European Time ( CET) is one of the names of the Time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

On October 31, after the defeat of his favoured candidate for the position of Secretary General of the SPD, Franz Müntefering indicated that he would resign as Chairman of the party in November, which he did. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, (born 5 January 1956) is a German politician who has served as the Foreign Minister of Germany since 22 November Brigitte Zypries (born November 16, 1953, in Kassel, Germany) is a German Politician. Peer Steinbrück (born 10 January 1947 in Hamburg) is a German SPD politician Michael Glos (born December 14, 1944 in Brünnau) is a German Politician ( CSU) and Minister for Economics and Olaf Scholz (pronounced ˈoːlɐf ˈʃɔlts born in Osnabrück) is a German politician from the Social Democratic Party of Germany. Horst Lorenz Seehofer (born July 4 1949 in Ingolstadt) is a German politician ( CSU) Franz Josef Jung (born 5 March 1949) is a German Politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU. Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen (born 8 October 1958) is a German Politician Von der Leyen was born in Brussels to Heidi Adele Ursula ( Ulla) Schmidt (born June 13 1949 in Aachen) is a German politician Sigmar Gabriel (born 12 September 1959 in Goslar) is a German politician ( SPD) (born June 10, 1955 in Jüchen) is a German politician ( CDU) Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul (born November 21, 1942 in Frankfurt am Main) is a German Politician and a member of the Social Thomas de Maizière mɛˈzjɛʀ}} (born January 21, 1954 in Bonn) is a German politician ( CDU) Events 445 BC – Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 91 NLTse (born January 16, 1940) is a German politician He was Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SPD from 2004 to 2005 and is expected to assume Ostensibly responding to this, Edmund Stoiber (CSU), who was originally nominated for the Economics and Technology post, announced his withdrawal on November 1. Edmund Rüdiger Stoiber ( (born September 28, 1941) is a German politician, former Minister-president of the state Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi While this was initially seen as a blow to Merkel's attempt at forming a viable coalition and cabinet, the manner in which Stoiber withdrew earned him much ridicule and severely undermined his position as a Merkel rival. Separate conferences of the CDU, CSU and SPD approved the proposed Cabinet on November 14. Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca

Personal life

In 1977, Angela Kasner married physics student Ulrich Merkel. The marriage ended in divorce in 1982. [12] Her second husband is quantum chemist and professor Joachim Sauer. Joachim Sauer (born April 19, 1949) is a German quantum chemist, full professor at the Humboldt University of Berlin. He remains out of the spotlight. [13]

Honours

In 2007 Angela Merkel was awarded the honorary doctorate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa ( Latin: 'for the sake of the honour' is an Academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (האוניברסיטה העברית בירושלים الجامعة العبرية في القدس abbreviated HUJI) is [14][15] She received the Karlspreis (Charlemagne Prize) for 2008 for distinguished services to European unity. The Karlspreis ( Charlemagne Prize; Prix Charlemagne; full name originally Internationaler Karlspreis der Stadt Aachen [16][17] In January 2008 she was awarded the Bundesverdienstkreuz (Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany). Bundesverdienstkreuz (Federal Cross of Merit officially Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only [18] She was also awarded the honorary doctorate from Leipzig University in June 2008. [19]

Selected published works

References

  1. ^ Langguth, Gerd [August 2005]. Angela Merkel (in German). Munich: dtv. ISBN 3-423-24485-2.  
  2. ^ Luke Harding: East German past of iron lady unveiled. The Observer, 26 June 2005
  3. ^ Merkel, Angela (1986). The Observer is a British Newspaper published on Sundays In about the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Untersuchung des Mechanismus von Zerfallsreaktionen mit einfachem Bindungsbruch und Berechnung ihrer Geschwindigkeitskonstanten auf der Grundlage quantenchemischer und statistischer Methoden (Investigation of the mechanism of decay reactions with single bond breaking and calculation of their velocity constants on the basis of quantum chemical and statistical methods) (in German). Berlin: Academy of Sciences of the German Democratic Republic (dissertation).   cited in Langguth, Gerd (August 2005). Angela Merkel (in German). Munich: DTV, p 109. ISBN 3-423-24495-2.   and listed in the Catalogue of the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek under subject code 30 (Chemistry)
  4. ^ Langguth, Gerd [August 2005]. Angela Merkel (in German). Munich: dtv, pp 112-137. ISBN 3-423-24485-2.  
  5. ^ The World's 100 Most Powerful Women.
  6. ^ BBC NEWS | World | Europe | German coalition poised for power
  7. ^ BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Merkel defends German reform plan
  8. ^ Speech by Merkel, to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, 17 January 2007.
  9. ^ "Merkel visits Mideast as EU president", International Herald Tribune, 2007-04-01. The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international Newspaper Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Retrieved on 2007-04-01. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne  
  10. ^ Euronews.net, Merkel meets with the Dalai Lama
  11. ^ cnn.com, Merkel admits Germany's 'Holocaust shame'
  12. ^ Biographie: Angela Merkel, geb. 1954
  13. ^ Germany's First Fella, Angela Merkel Is Germany's Chancellor; But Her Husband Stays Out Of The Spotlight - CBS News
  14. ^ http://www.afhu.org/site/press_releases/news_merkel.htm
  15. ^ http://www3.huji.ac.il/htbin/hon_doc/doc_search.pl
  16. ^ Charlemagne Prize 2008: Angela Merkel
  17. ^ http://www.karlspreis.de/index.php?id=32&doc=68 (German)
  18. ^ http://www.tagesschau.de/inland/merkelgrosskreuz2.html
  19. ^ Pressemitteilung 2008/106 der Universität Leipzig

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Hannelore Rönsch		 Minister for Women and Youth of Germany
1991 – 1994		 Succeeded by
Claudia Nolte
Preceded by
Klaus Töpfer		 Minister for the Environment and Reactor Safety
1994 – 1998		 Succeeded by
Jürgen Trittin
Preceded by
Gerhard Schröder		 Chancellor of Germany
2005 – present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Vladimir Putin
Russia		 Chair of the G8
2007		 Succeeded by
Yasuo Fukuda
Japan
Preceded by
Matti Vanhanen
Finland		 President of the European Council
Spring 2007		 Succeeded by
José Sócrates
Portugal
Party political offices
Preceded by
Peter Hintze		 Secretary General of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany
1998 – 2000		 Succeeded by
Ruprecht Polenz
Preceded by
Wolfgang Schäuble		 Chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany
2000 – present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Friedrich Merz		 Chairwoman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group
2002 – 2005		 Succeeded by
Volker Kauder
Persondata
NAME Merkel, Angela
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Angela Dorothea Merkel
SHORT DESCRIPTION German politician
DATE OF BIRTH July 17, 1954
PLACE OF BIRTH Hamburg, Germany
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
Hannelore Rönsch (born December 12, 1942 in Wiesbaden -Schierstein is a German conservative politician The Federal Ministry of Family Affairs Senior Citizens Women and Youth (Bundesministerium für Familie Senioren Frauen und Jugend is a Ministry of Germany. Klaus Töpfer (born 29 July 1938 in Waldenburg (Wałbrzych, Poland (then German Silesia) is a German politician ( CDU) The German Federal Ministry for the Environment Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, known by the initials BMU from the German name Bundesministerium für Jürgen Trittin (born July 25, 1954) is a German Green politician ˌɡeɐ̯haɐ̯t fʁɪʦ kʊɐ̯t ˈʃʁøːdɐ (born 7 April 1944 German politician, was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005 The Head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (Kanzler Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (; born 7 October 1952 in Leningrad, USSR; now Saint Petersburg, Russia was the second President of Russia Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending was the 91st Prime Minister of Japan, serving from 2007 to 2008 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Matti Taneli Vanhanen ( (born November 4 1955) is the current Prime Minister of Finland, as well as Chairman of the Centre Party. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. The President of the European Council is a position in the European Union that chairs the European Council. José Sócrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa, GCIH (ʒuˈzɛ ˈsɔkɾɐtɨʃ; born in Vilar de Maçada degree as a civil Technical engineer Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest Political party in Germany. Ruprecht Polenz ( May 26, 1946 in Denkwitz near Bautzen) is a German Politician and member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest Political party in Germany. Friedrich Merz (born 11 November 1955 in Brilon) is a German Politician, former chairman of the major centre-right party CDU The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest Political party in Germany. Volker Kauder (born 3 September 1949 in Sinsheim) is a German CDU politician Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.
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