A new report, based on a poll conducted in 12 EU countries, suggests the outgoing German chancellor Angela Merkel She is highly esteemed and that there would be more conflicts in the world if she were not in power.
The poll, conducted by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), shows that well over a third of Europeans are in favor of strengthening Germany’s leadership position within the EU.
36% of respondents said they trust Germany in economic and financial policy and 35% that they trust it in defending human rights.
Merkel herself still enjoys confidence despite the austerity measures promoted in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and her handling of the 2015 immigration crisis.
The report shows that EU citizens believe that if Merkel had not been chancellor, there would have been more international conflict, a view that is more pronounced in Spain, the Netherlands and Portugal.
Merkel also appears to be a very likely candidate for the EU presidency in the future, as she is considered a unifying force.
The ECFR report entitled “Beyond Merkelism: What Europeans Expect from Post-Election Germany” argues that the next German government should come up with clear ideas to combat the collapse of the rule of law within the bloc.
He will also have to work hard to maintain the confidence that Germany has gained while Merkel was chancellor.
The ECFR survey was conducted in 12 member countries with a combined population of 300 million and representing 80% of the European Union’s GDP.
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