Legacies of Leadership

Assessing Angela Merkel’s Role in Foreign Relations and the European Union through a Gender-Sensitive Lens

authored by

Christiane Lemke

Abstract

Leaving office after 16 years as German chancellor, Angela Merkel has multifold and complex legacies. While Merkel’s leadership style has frequently been described as cautious in domestic politics, her role in international relations is often characterized as that of an active defender of liberal international norms and values. Yet she was also responsible for some of the most controversial decisions regarding Europe, often raising questions about Germany’s commitments and goals. This article explores her foreign policy and her role in the European Union through a gender-sensitive lens. It examines the scope and significance of her leadership based on three case studies to allow for a differentiated analysis: the Eurozone crisis, the migrant crisis, and the COVID-19 crisis.

Organisation(s)

Institute of Political Science

Type

Article

Journal

German Politics and Society

Volume

41

Pages

18-38

No. of pages

21

ISSN

1045-0300

Publication date

01.12.2023

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Cultural Studies, History, Sociology and Political Science

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 5 - Gender Equality

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.3167/gps.2023.410402 (Access: Closed)