Her name was not polluted by a scandal

Merkel rises above the bad qualities of some leaders: pride, greed, and laziness

  • Merkel came out of power free from the flaws of her peers.

    AFP

  • Chancellor Helmut Kohl's shares rose, after he oversaw the unification of Germany.

    EPA

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Much has been written about how Angela Merkel is on the cusp of becoming the country's longest-serving German leader since Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, but even that doesn't diminish her achievement. Looking into the new year, you will have served just over 16 consecutive years, longer than any leader of a major advanced democracy since the nineteenth century, save for one, the Prime Minister of Sweden, Crown Erlander. Merkel has challenged the natural evolution of power, which is that leaders age with years in office and leave at their lowest level. Those who stay in office tend to become arrogant or complacency over time, and fall into scandal or be overtaken by events. Most of them lose momentum and support, usually long before their first contract expires.As far back as 1900, 31 leaders in the 20 largest advanced democracies, on a GDP basis, lasted only 10 years or more, and giants of them regularly suffered from the "low-powered leader" syndrome. When the late French president, Charles de Gaulle, left the presidency in 1969, opinion polls showed that most voters thought he was old, selfish and tyrannical. President François Mitterrand served longer than any other French leader since Napoleon III but stepped down in 1995, was hated by some of his people, tolerated by others, but loved by few. President Jacques Chirac eventually admitted that he had lost contact with young voters and had been expelled from his party by one of his subjects. Roosevelt, who was widely loved as a war hero but hated by his critics as a dangerous socialist, died in office months before the Allied victory in Europe.His unprecedented four terms fueled fears of an imperial presidency, quickly limiting the term of his successors. However, of the 14 US presidents since Roosevelt, 11 have experienced a decline in their popularity ratings over the course of their administrations. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her successor, Tony Blair, both secured multiple terms in Britain, but left office with poor approval ratings, below 25%. Thatcher overstepped her bounds with a "community tax", which would kill the Tories in the next election, giving Tory rivals an excuse to force her out of office.British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her successor, Tony Blair, both secured multiple terms in Britain, but left office with poor approval ratings, below 25%. Thatcher overstepped her bounds with a "community tax", which would kill the Tories in the next election, giving Tory rivals an excuse to force her out of office.British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her successor, Tony Blair, both secured multiple terms in Britain, but left office with poor approval ratings, below 25%. Thatcher overstepped her bounds with a "community tax", which would kill the Tories in the next election, giving Tory rivals an excuse to force her out of office.

Germany, before Merkel, was a clear example of how leaders are running out of steam. The founding chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Konrad Adenauer, who oversaw the "economic miracle" after the war, was ousted 14 years later by rivals who invoked his government's abuse of power in the "Spiegel Affair". Chancellor Helmut Kohl, who oversaw German reunification, rose rapidly and sought an unprecedented fifth term, but lost hard. In the end, as the American thinker, Ralph Waldo Emerson, wrote, every hero becomes a boring person. Such a trend becomes more pronounced in developing countries, where controls on power are weaker. Presidents Muhammed Suharto and Mahathir Muhammed, respectively, have been honored as the Fathers of Development in Indonesia and Malaysia respectively; Both held power for decades, but left amid protests and accusations of nepotism.Chinese President Deng Xiaoping, arguably the most important economic reformer of the 20th century, lost his major titles after nearly 10 years in power in the wake of the Tiananmen Square protests. Leaders who retired in good esteem - such as Singapore's first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew or Erlander, who served 23 years as Sweden's prime minister after World War II - were exceptions to the rule. Many rulers only gain popularity after their death, when their nations are looking for new heroes or at least reimagining them. But Merkel, still Germany's most popular politician, is breaking stereotypes during troubled times.Many rulers only gain popularity after their death, when their nations are looking for new heroes or at least reimagining them. But Merkel, still Germany's most popular politician, is breaking stereotypes during troubled times.Many rulers only gain popularity after their death, when their nations are looking for new heroes or at least reimagining them. But Merkel, still Germany's most popular politician, is breaking stereotypes during troubled times.

Politics is an increasingly polarizing object. The coronavirus pandemic has undermined the standing of leaders in many major democracies; As for Merkel, she was one of only two leaders to have a popularity rating of more than 50%. The other is Italy's prime minister, Mario Draghi, who only spent eight months in office. Had Merkel run for a fifth term, she would likely have won, succeeding where Kohl failed. Her party did not turn on her, and instead of discrediting her, the main opposition leader ran and won as her true heir. No scandal has polluted its name. Merkel's most controversial move was to open Germany's doors to refugees in 2015, which is also her boldest reform. It will leave Germany much richer, compared to its closest rivals: Britain and France. The only drawback against Merkel is that she is a timid reformer who has left behind a long list of unaccomplished tasks, from energy supply to digital competitiveness.But these political sins should not overshadow the bad human qualities that I have exalted: pride, greed, and sloth. Power corrupts leaders and time weakens them, but neither has had much influence on Merkel. Going back over a century, it is rare to find any leader who ruled for so long and came out with such strength.

Rocher Sharma ■ Chief Global Strategist at Morgan Stanley Investment Management

• Germany, before Merkel, was a clear example of how leaders exhausted their energies.

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