German lawmaker: Merkel will run again for chancellor

“You have not drifted”.

Merkel took office in 2005 and an opinion poll published earlier this month suggested that 59 percent of Germans would support her candidacy for another term.

Merkel – arguably the world´s second most powerful democratic leader – is expected to chart a pragmatic course with Trump even as she has insisted she will hold him to basic democratic principles and values. The question is how far she will go – or can go – to embrace that mantle as she fights to stop the tide of populism engulfing her. What’s more, with the frighteningly successful rise of Germany’s anti-immigration party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), which gained traction following the country’s influx of Syrian refugees, it is also unclear if she would be successful.

But anyone who doubts Merkel’s ability to take on Trump and his machismo aught to look at her track record.

“She is absolutely determined, willing, and ready to contribute to strengthen the worldwide liberal order”. “It also shows she has passed the high point of her time as chancellor”.

On virtually every issue of importance to the German chancellor, Mr Trump seems likely to turn Washington from an ally into an adversary. The previous day, she had left little doubt where she stood.

Merkel, 62, is the daughter of a Protestant minister and was brought up in communist East Germany.

Before the surprise result in the US presidential election, Obama’s last official visit to Germany – the sixth of his presidency – was seen as a way to boost Merkel ahead of national elections next year.

After suggesting last week Trump work based on democratic values, Merkel reportedly used the speech to point out the case for deepening worldwide trade cooperation.

Obama’s last overseas trip started in Greece, where he delivered a major speech on Wednesday warning against “crude nationalism”.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest says the Obama administration has “put a lot of diplomatic capital on the table” to resolve the protracted civil war in Syria and acknowledges it “hasn’t worked”, but says military force is no solution. “She has a sense of responsibility”, said an adviser.

Christian Democratic Union spokesman Jochen Blind said that decision will be announced by Merkel in due time.

Merkel’s allies expect her to contest despite drawing criticism over her open-door migrant policy. What’s more, her electorate is already wearied by the demands made on them amid growing global expectations of German leadership. That’s despite mass protests in Germany against TTIP.

Germany has always been criticized by the alliance for not meeting its obligation to commit at least 2 percent of its GDP to defense spending.

Over the last week, Merkel has been channelling Obama’s thoughts from 2013, offering his successor a conditional co-operation on the basis of shared values of respect and tolerance.

Germany is changing in profound ways and “the German public is thinking about this: do we like this?” Overall, the celebratory nature of Obama’s final world tour has been significantly tamped down in light of the USA election results.

While normally very diplomatic, Steinmeier strongly criticized U.S. President-elect Donald Trump during election campaign, saying the prospect of a Trump presidency was a “frightening” one for the world. It’s “pulling apart that domestic political fabric”.

On his last overseas trip as president, Obama is now meeting with Merkel, a centrist leader who observers see as the heir apparent to his legacy as the leading global advocate of liberal democracy.

“I think one will see that Mr. Trump will have his own political suggestions, but that the U.S. won’t be a different country tomorrow”.

The two leaders sat down on opposite sides of a long table along with top foreign policy aides.