First Woman Chancellor of Germany
“I don't believe you are simply born with the ambition of becoming chancellor. But if you want to make a difference, if you enjoy putting ideas into practice, then the post of chancellor has to be the one presenting the biggest opportunity of all.” - Angela Merkel
*Many German citizens agreed that the years under Chancellor Schröder (whose party was the Social Democratic Party [SPD]) had been marked by economic crisis and a government that became increasingly limited in their ability to maneuver the issues, and that a “new” government was needed to reverse the problem.
*Merkel went on to beat Chancellor Schröder, but because of the slim margin of victory, Chancellor Schröder initially refused to concede the victory to Merkel.
*Merkel eventually came up with a compromise that would ensure that members of both her party, the Christian Democratic Union and its sister party the Christian Socialist Union (CDU/CSU), and Schröder’s party, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), would have places in the cabinets seats of the government.
*Merkel was the first woman ever to hold the position in Germany.
*As Chancellor of Germany, Merkel has been credited with helping Germany out of the financial crisis in an incredibly expedient manner, reducing unemployment, reducing carbon emissions across Europe, and remolding capitalism.
*While much of Europe is struggling right now economically, Germany is sitting in the fourth position in a list of the world’s largest economies.
*To lower unemployment, Merkel expanded a program called Kurzarbeit (short-time work), which forced workers all over to work shorter weeks. Even though workers were losing wages, it was made up for by money German had saved ‘for a rainy day’ during better times. So while places like the United States pays people when they are unemployed, Germany came up with a way to keep people employed by supplementing their lower incomes.
*Germany currently has the largest solar and wind power industries, and she persuaded the heads of all of the European Union nations to cut their carbon emissions by 20 percent and to start using considerably more renewable resources.
*Her plans have led to the creation of many “green” jobs across Europe, and she has ensured that Germany and the other richer nations of the European Union would carry more of the costs of these green initiatives.
*Many German citizens agreed that the years under Chancellor Schröder (whose party was the Social Democratic Party [SPD]) had been marked by economic crisis and a government that became increasingly limited in their ability to maneuver the issues, and that a “new” government was needed to reverse the problem.
*Merkel went on to beat Chancellor Schröder, but because of the slim margin of victory, Chancellor Schröder initially refused to concede the victory to Merkel.
*Merkel eventually came up with a compromise that would ensure that members of both her party, the Christian Democratic Union and its sister party the Christian Socialist Union (CDU/CSU), and Schröder’s party, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), would have places in the cabinets seats of the government.
*Merkel was the first woman ever to hold the position in Germany.
*As Chancellor of Germany, Merkel has been credited with helping Germany out of the financial crisis in an incredibly expedient manner, reducing unemployment, reducing carbon emissions across Europe, and remolding capitalism.
*While much of Europe is struggling right now economically, Germany is sitting in the fourth position in a list of the world’s largest economies.
*To lower unemployment, Merkel expanded a program called Kurzarbeit (short-time work), which forced workers all over to work shorter weeks. Even though workers were losing wages, it was made up for by money German had saved ‘for a rainy day’ during better times. So while places like the United States pays people when they are unemployed, Germany came up with a way to keep people employed by supplementing their lower incomes.
*Germany currently has the largest solar and wind power industries, and she persuaded the heads of all of the European Union nations to cut their carbon emissions by 20 percent and to start using considerably more renewable resources.
*Her plans have led to the creation of many “green” jobs across Europe, and she has ensured that Germany and the other richer nations of the European Union would carry more of the costs of these green initiatives.