Angela Merkel's spell to rule Europe

Angela Merkel consistently assumes a central role through the superb art of negotiation, whether it be in discussions with Russia to resolve the Ukraine crisis, discussions about the terms of a financial bailout for Greece, or discussions about how to handle the largest wave of refugees in European history since World War II.

The civil conflict in Ukraine, the instability over Greece's public debt, and the unprecedented flood of refugees all contributed to Europe being thrown into a major crisis in 2015. The image of German Chancellor Angela Merkel as a genuine European leader began to develop during that period of unrest and conflict. In order to prevent Greece from going into default and quitting the euro area during the Greek public debt crisis, Mrs. Merkel successfully convinced eurozone countries to reduce public spending. Even when it appeared that the talks between Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the international creditors had stalled at times, Angela Merkel remained optimistic that a deal would be reached. Every time the German chancellor tries to persuade an EU member state, she repeats the phrase "We can accomplish this" (EU). Ultimately, an agreement between Athens and the EU was negotiated and endorsed by all member states.

She did, however, also face a lot of criticism in addition to admiration for her capacity to inspire more than ever. The female chancellor faced calls to resign at home after making the daring decision to welcome Syrian migrants into Germany, and several EU member states distanced her.