Angela Merkel applauded by European leaders at her last summit in Brussels
European Council President Charles Michel, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and members of the European Council pose for a family photo during a face-to-face European summit in Brussels, Belgium, October 21, 2021 REUTERS - JOHANNA GERON
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
On the occasion of the last summit in Brussels of the German Chancellor, European leaders paid her a heartfelt tribute.
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A
standing ovation for Angela Merkel
is the vibrant tribute paid to the German Chancellor by her European counterparts in Brussels. The Chancellor has participated since Thursday in what should be her last European summit, the 107th since she came to power 16 years ago. European leaders hailed
a leader
presented as a "
compromise machine
" who helped stabilize the European Union through many crises. The image is rare for a European summit, more accustomed to psychodramas than to effusions.
“I remember in the summer of 2020 some very difficult financial discussions and at this critical moment Angela was the person, the Lady, who stepped in and helped us find a solution! I appreciated his work very much, and I wish him the best for the
future
, ”said
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.
"
He's someone who, for 16 years, really marked Europe"
Criticized at the end of the 2000s during the crisis in the euro zone, Angela Merkel is hailed for her attitude in 2015 during the migration crisis, and in 2020 for having accepted a common debt of the 27. “
She is someone. who, for 16 years, really left a mark on Europe, helped all 27 of us to take good decisions with a lot of humanity at times which were difficult
”, testified Alexander de Croo, the Belgian Prime Minister.
And for this last summit, Angela Merkel has lived up to her reputation.
Pleading for compromise and dialogue with Warsaw, while Poland is accused of turning its back on the founding principles of
the European Union.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel also said she was "
worried
" on Friday for the future of the EU, judging that her successors would have "
major projects
" ahead of them in terms of the rule of law, migration and the economy.
“
I am now leaving this European Union in my responsibility as Chancellor in a situation that worries me.
We have overcome many crises [...] but we have a series of unresolved problems,
”said Angela Merkel.
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Germany
European Union
Angela Merkel