Angela Merkel: The Chancellor of Europe?

For the eighth time since 2006, Forbes placed Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel at the top of its annual The World's 100 Most Powerful Women list. No one had foreseen that this quiet and self-composed former chemist would become the longest-serving elected head of state in the EU. Now, it's difficult to imagine Europe without her.

Merkel is Germany's first female chancellor and has been reelected to the post twice. Although each term has been rough sailing, Merkel's steady hand has earned her extraordinary domestic approval ratings of 75 percent on average. The U.S. subprime mortgage crisis rocked the world's economy during her inaugural term, and since her second term, Merkel has been absorbed in managing the European debt crisis. With the full weight of Germany's staunch economy behind her, Merkel has emerged as the crucial figure in keeping the euro afloat. While the PIIGS nations floundered on the brink of bankruptcy, many European leaders deferred to Merkel as "the decider" regarding their collective fate.

Her third term has been largely colored by the possibility of Grexit, as well as intensive diplomatic measures aimed at curbing Russia's aggression in Ukraine. The incursion enraged the normally dispassionate Merkel who, having grown up in oppressive East Germany, highly values liberty. In a world where national economies are closely intertwined and Russia remains an important trade partner, Merkel has had to play the reassuring but disciplinary mother to Putin's childlike tantrums.

主導歐洲未來的鐵娘子——德國總理梅克爾

自 2006 年以來，《富比士》第八度將德國總理安格拉．梅克爾列為年度「全球百大最有權力女性」的榜首。沒有人預見這位冷靜沉著的前化學家會成為歐盟裡在任時間最長的國家領袖。現在，已經很難想像沒有她的歐洲會是什麼模樣。
梅克爾是德國第一位女性總理，而且已兩度連任。儘管每次任期並非都一帆風順，但梅克爾穩健的作為使她獲得了非凡的國內支持率，平均高達 75%。美國次貸危機在她的首次任期間震盪了全球經濟，而自第二個任期以來，她一直專注於處理歐債危機。挾著德國健全經濟的完整力量，梅克爾已然成為維繫歐元運作的關鍵人物。在歐豬五國掙扎於破產邊緣之際，許多歐洲領袖都聽從梅克爾這位「決策者」對於歐盟共同命運的決定。
希退的可能性，以及遏止俄羅斯對烏克蘭侵略行動所採取的密集外交措施，都深深影響了梅克爾的第三任任期。俄羅斯的入侵行動激怒了通常冷靜的梅克爾，因為成長於高壓東德的她非常重視自由。在這個國與國經濟密不可分且俄羅斯又是重要貿易夥伴的世界裡，面對普丁如同孩子般耍脾氣的行為，梅克爾不得不扮演安撫但嚴厲的母親角色。