{"id":1941360,"date":"2026-05-18T13:39:38","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T10:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1941360"},"modified":"2026-05-18T13:39:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T10:39:38","slug":"eu-honours-merkel-as-stabilizer-in-nod-to-trump-era-turbulence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1941360","title":{"rendered":"EU honours Merkel as stabilizer in nod to Trump-era turbulence"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/24\/29\/1200x675_cmsv2_bfaee578-44ec-5b06-b563-0f89fa843aef-9762429.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2894332-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2894332\" data-cid=\"9761516\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894332-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/15\/16\/189x106_cmsv2_1bee0e95-eed7-5e8b-8540-6acfbf3fa7b4-9761516.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Curator Suite\u2019s massive bed turns sleep into a spectacle \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Residences<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Take a long snooze in South Korea: Is this the world\u2019s best hotel bed?\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894576-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2894576\" data-cid=\"9762474\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894576-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/24\/74\/189x106_cmsv2_5ab96fad-6a22-59ea-8104-e2450d111fd3-9762474.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"EU High Tepresentative Kaja Kallas speaks after the informal meeting of the EU Council on Foreign Affairs in Kyiv, Ukraine, 31 March 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    \u2018Feminist\u2019 top diplomat Kallas takes aim at male-dominated diplomacy\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2891619-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2891619\" data-cid=\"9748689\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2891619-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/74\/86\/89\/189x106_cmsv2_c08dd236-0d60-5465-93c6-a027d3174da9-9748689.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Adaptive cycling at the Saryarka National Velodrome in Astana has become one of the key programmes supporting children with autism through structured physical training.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Health news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    How sport is changing the lives of people with autism in Central Asia\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894594-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2894594\" data-cid=\"9762519\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894594-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/72\/35\/43\/189x106_cmsv2_e821fe87-0d57-53af-9ca8-ae377b048c34-9723543.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The BBC logo is displayed outside the company's headquarters in London, 12 November, 2025\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Former Google executive takes reins at scandal-hit BBC\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894332-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2894332\" data-cid=\"9761516\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894332-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/15\/16\/189x106_cmsv2_1bee0e95-eed7-5e8b-8540-6acfbf3fa7b4-9761516.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Curator Suite\u2019s massive bed turns sleep into a spectacle \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Residences<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Take a long snooze in South Korea: Is this the world\u2019s best hotel bed?\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894576-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2894576\" data-cid=\"9762474\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894576-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/24\/74\/189x106_cmsv2_5ab96fad-6a22-59ea-8104-e2450d111fd3-9762474.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"EU High Tepresentative Kaja Kallas speaks after the informal meeting of the EU Council on Foreign Affairs in Kyiv, Ukraine, 31 March 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    \u2018Feminist\u2019 top diplomat Kallas takes aim at male-dominated diplomacy\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2891619-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2891619\" data-cid=\"9748689\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2891619-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/74\/86\/89\/189x106_cmsv2_c08dd236-0d60-5465-93c6-a027d3174da9-9748689.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Adaptive cycling at the Saryarka National Velodrome in Astana has become one of the key programmes supporting children with autism through structured physical training.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Health news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    How sport is changing the lives of people with autism in Central Asia\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894594-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2894594\" data-cid=\"9762519\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894594-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/72\/35\/43\/189x106_cmsv2_e821fe87-0d57-53af-9ca8-ae377b048c34-9723543.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The BBC logo is displayed outside the company's headquarters in London, 12 November, 2025\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Former Google executive takes reins at scandal-hit BBC\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Europe<\/p>\n<p>                          Europe News<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            EU honours Merkel as stabilizer in nod to Trump-era turbulence<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/24\/29\/1536x864_cmsv2_bfaee578-44ec-5b06-b563-0f89fa843aef-9762429.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Angela Merkel, former Federal Chancellor, attends the CDU federal party conference in Stuttgart, Feb. 20, 2026. (Kay Nietfeld\/dpa via AP)\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Angela Merkel, former Federal Chancellor, attends the CDU federal party conference in Stuttgart, Feb. 20, 2026. (Kay Nietfeld\/dpa via AP)<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP Photo\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspStefan Grobe&amp;nbsp&amp;&amp;nbspVincenzo Genovese\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1779111578\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-05-18 15:39:38 +02:00\">18\/05\/2026 &#8211; 15:39 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links 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class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        The former German chancellor receives the new European Order of Merit this week. This will likely revive a debate about her legacy &#8211; her accomplishments as well as her dark sides.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>When Angela Merkel receives the new European Order of Merit in Strasbourg this week, the ceremony will not simply celebrate a former German chancellor.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>It will render a broader European judgment about an era \u2014 and about the kind of leadership the European Union believes it needs in an age of instability.<\/p>\n<p>The European Parliament says the award honours individuals who made \u201csignificant contributions to European integration\u201d and to the defence of \u201cdemocracy and values.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Merkel was elevated to the highest category of \u201cDistinguished Member,\u201d alongside Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Lech Wa\u0142\u0119sa \u2014 a symbolic trio linking democratic resistance, European unity, and political endurance.<\/p>\n<p>That choice says much about how Brussels now interprets Merkel\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n<p>During her 16 years in power, Merkel rarely spoke in grand ideological terms about Europe.<\/p>\n<p>She governed through caution, compromise, and crisis management.<\/p>\n<p>Germans gave her the nickname \u201cMutti\u201d (Mom) which suggests trust in a quiet way, without drama, but also without experiments.<\/p>\n<p>With Merkel at the helm, people felt assured that the German boat would not be rocked.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6635\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/24\/29\/808x535_cmsv2_f6a2af5c-e3e7-5280-b6fd-9081d5651378-9762429.jpg\" alt=\"German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives for an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels. (AP Photo\/Olivier Matthys, Pool)\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives for an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels. (AP Photo\/Olivier Matthys, Pool)<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Yet, precisely because the EU endured a succession of existential shocks under her watch &#8211; the eurozone debt crisis, Russia\u2019s annexation of Crimea, Brexit, Donald Trump\u2019s first presidency, the migration crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic &#8211; many European leaders came to see her as the indispensable stabilizer of the European project.<\/p>\n<p>A judgement even political opponents still consider worth pointing out.<\/p>\n<p>Merkel \u201cmade an essential contribution to Europe\u2019s collective handling of crises, including the pandemic,\u201d said Terry Reintke, a German co-chair of the Greens in the European Parliament. \u201cHer successors could learn a thing or two from that approach.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For supporters, Merkel\u2019s greatest achievement was preserving European cohesion at moments when fragmentation seemed likely.<\/p>\n<p>During the euro crisis, she insisted on keeping Greece inside the eurozone despite enormous political pressure in Germany.<\/p>\n<p>During Brexit, she helped maintain a remarkably united EU front against London.<\/p>\n<p>Under Trump\u2019s attacks on NATO and the EU, she increasingly became the de facto political anchor of liberal Europe.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6635\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/24\/29\/808x535_cmsv2_57abc374-e094-58d0-adcf-1a6eaf79c87c-9762429.jpg\" alt=\"Angela Merkel speaks with US President Donald Trump during the G7 Leaders Summit in La Malbaie, Canada, June 9, 2018. (Jesco Denzel\/German Federal Govt. via AP)\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">Angela Merkel speaks with US President Donald Trump during the G7 Leaders Summit in La Malbaie, Canada, June 9, 2018. (Jesco Denzel\/German Federal Govt. via AP)<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Her famous declaration in 2017 that Europeans must \u201ctake our destiny into our own hands\u201d captured the dawning realization that the transatlantic relationship could no longer be taken for granted.<\/p>\n<p>The award also reflects a distinctly European appreciation for Merkel\u2019s governing style itself.<\/p>\n<p>In an era dominated by populists, strongmen, and ideological polarization, Merkel, who holds a PhD in physics, represented technocratic democracy: cautious, incremental, fact-driven, and institutionally minded.<\/p>\n<p>European institutions &#8211; especially the Parliament &#8211; see this as part of the EU\u2019s political DNA.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why her fellow Christian Democrat Manfred Weber, chair of the European People\u2019s Party (EPP) called her \u201ca great European\u201d.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.627\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/24\/29\/808x508_cmsv2_24beefba-b7c0-57ed-af99-582938b245f7-9762429.jpg\" alt=\"German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks next to Manfred Weber during a press conference in Berlin, Sept. 9, 2021. (Michael Kappeler\/dpa via AP) \"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks next to Manfred Weber during a press conference in Berlin, Sept. 9, 2021. (Michael Kappeler\/dpa via AP) <\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Honouring Merkel is therefore also a defence of consensus politics at a time when that model is under strain across the continent.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, the award will inevitably reignite fierce debate over the darker side of Merkel\u2019s record.<\/p>\n<p>Critics argue that her approach often stabilized crises without solving their underlying causes &#8211; an approach that was consensus-driven (she always led coalition governments) and made her look like a walking reconciliation committee where her own opinions were often blurred.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAngela Merkel is a fascinating contradiction: on the one hand, an impressive stateswoman, of rare stature; on the other, a poor legacy for Europe,\u201d said French Socialist MEP Chlo\u00e9 Ridel.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNothing was done to build the future and the sovereignty of the European Union. We are paying a heavy price for it today,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n<p>Merkel\u2019s insistence on fiscal austerity during the euro crisis left deep resentment in southern Europe.<\/p>\n<p>At a party event in May 2011, Merkel used Greece, Spain, and Portugal as examples of countries that needed to raise their retirement age and take fewer vacation days to restore economic balance.<\/p>\n<p>These comments sparked widespread backlash, with Greeks, who were already reeling from strict austerity measures, widely expressing frustration at the invocation of the &#8220;lazy southern European&#8221; clich\u00e9.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/24\/29\/808x539_cmsv2_0f5bcad5-e8a4-5005-af10-3677abb13dd4-9762429.jpg\" alt=\"An elderly man holds a poster with a picture of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, made to look like Adolf Hitler during a protest in Athens. May 1, 2013 (AP Photo\/Thanassis) \"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">An elderly man holds a poster with a picture of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, made to look like Adolf Hitler during a protest in Athens. May 1, 2013 (AP Photo\/Thanassis) <\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Her 2015 decision to open Germany\u2019s borders to hundreds of thousands of refugees particularly from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan became maybe the most polarizing issue for years to come.<\/p>\n<p>On the one hand, supporters saw in Merkel\u2019s decision (\u201cWir schaffen das\u201d \/ \u201cWe can manage this\u201d) a humanitarian statement of extraordinary leadership in line with Christian faith.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, critics accused Merkel of effectively encouraging large migration flows into Europe and then attempted to distribute responsibility across the EU afterward.<\/p>\n<p>The dispute poisoned relations inside the EU for years, intensified East-West divisions over sovereignty and migration and strengthened far-right movements across Europe.<\/p>\n<p>Even Chancellor Friedrich Merz, a fellow Christian Democrat, distanced himself from Merkel\u2019s policy. \u201cIn many ways, Germany didn\u2019t manage it,\u201d he said on the tenth anniversary of the decision to open the border to refugees.<\/p>\n<p>Most consequentially, Merkel\u2019s long pursuit of economic interdependence with Russia and China now looks deeply controversial.<\/p>\n<p>Germany\u2019s dependence on Russian gas &#8211; symbolized by the Gazprom-backed Nord Stream pipelines &#8211; is widely viewed in hindsight as a strategic vulnerability that helped finance the Kremlin before the invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5145\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/24\/29\/808x416_cmsv2_12969780-b271-5e7f-8190-95f0eea445ba-9762429.jpg\" alt=\"The logo of 'Gazprom Germania' is pictured at the company's headquarters in Berlin, April 6, 2022. (AP Photo\/Michael Sohn)\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">The logo of &#8216;Gazprom Germania&#8217; is pictured at the company&#8217;s headquarters in Berlin, April 6, 2022. (AP Photo\/Michael Sohn)<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Critics say Merkel underestimated the geopolitical ambitions of Vladimir Putin and prioritized economic stability over strategic resilience &#8211; like many German leaders before her.<\/p>\n<p>Her apparent closeness to China and heavy reliance on Germany\u2019s export-driven economy are regarded by some as mistakes of historic proportions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe cannot help but think of decisions that, in the medium and long term, proved harmful to the European economy: offshoring, excessive dependence on China, as well as the enormous German trade surplus accumulated under her governments, which helped strain transatlantic relations with the United States,\u201d said Paolo Borchia from the far-right Patriots for Europe in the European Parliament where he heads the Italian League delegation.<\/p>\n<p>The current European push for \u201cstrategic autonomy\u201d is, in many ways, a reaction against assumptions embedded during the Merkel era.<\/p>\n<p>This contradiction explains why Merkel remains such a uniquely European figure.<\/p>\n<p>She is admired not because Europeans think she was always right, but because she came to embody the EU\u2019s central tension: the attempt to reconcile peace, prosperity, democracy, and interdependence in an increasingly hostile world.<\/p>\n<p>Even some of her harshest critics like former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis and former Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt concede that Europe emerged from her tenure more unified institutionally than many expected.<\/p>\n<p>The timing of the award is also politically revealing.<\/p>\n<p>Europe today faces renewed uncertainty: Russia\u2019s war against Ukraine, pressure to massively increase defence spending, fears about a second disruptive Trump presidency, and intensifying competition with China.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/24\/29\/808x539_cmsv2_f9388bd0-27eb-56a6-953d-0842919c2b9d-9762429.jpg\" alt=\"German Chancellor Angela Merkel debates the future of Europe with the members of the European Parliament, in Strasbourg, Nov. 13, 2018. (AP Photo\/Jean-Francois Badias)\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">German Chancellor Angela Merkel debates the future of Europe with the members of the European Parliament, in Strasbourg, Nov. 13, 2018. (AP Photo\/Jean-Francois Badias)<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By honouring Merkel now, the European Parliament is signalling continuity with a political tradition centred on multilateralism, democratic institutions, and European integration \u2014 even as the continent shifts toward a more geopolitical and security-driven posture.<\/p>\n<p>In that sense, the ceremony in Strasbourg is about more than Merkel herself.<\/p>\n<p>It is about Europe\u2019s attempt to define what kind of leadership deserves recognition in the 21st century.<\/p>\n<p>The EU is effectively canonizing a leader associated not with charisma or revolutionary change, but with endurance, restraint, and the preservation of the European centre.<\/p>\n<p>Whether history ultimately judges Merkel as the woman who saved Europe through crisis management &#8211; or as the leader who postponed Europe\u2019s reckoning with geopolitical realities &#8211; remains to be seen.<\/p>\n<p>The European Order of Merit suggests that, for now, Brussels believes her contribution to holding Europe together outweighs the mistakes that became visible afterward.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Haunted by Merkel: Trump still grappling with Europe\u2019s lost leader<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  MEPs critique Angela Merkel&#8217;s legacy as memoirs hit the shelves<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Merkel looks back on Putin&#8217;s &#8216;power tactics&#8217; and shifting US presidencies in her memoirs<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Migration Policy<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  European Parliament<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  European Union<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Germany<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Austerity<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Angela Merkel<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2894536-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894536\" data-cid=\"9762275\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894536-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/22\/75\/320x180_cmsv2_55ccaa10-4a30-55ea-9855-4f40080c2ad6-9762275.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar attends the first, 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data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894536-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894536\" data-cid=\"9762275\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894536-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/22\/75\/320x180_cmsv2_55ccaa10-4a30-55ea-9855-4f40080c2ad6-9762275.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar attends the first, out-of-town cabinet meeting of the new Tisza government in the Opusztaszer National Historical Memorial Park in Opuszt\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Magyar signals openness to Ukraine accession talks after Orb\u00e1n exit<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894418-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894418\" data-cid=\"9761750\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894418-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/17\/50\/320x180_cmsv2_88605e28-4756-586e-bab0-39acd82fb694-9761750.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A man walks past an anti-Israel mural in downtown Tehran, 17 May, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Iran has responded to latest US peace proposal, Tehran official says<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894576-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894576\" data-cid=\"9762474\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894576-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/24\/74\/320x180_cmsv2_5ab96fad-6a22-59ea-8104-e2450d111fd3-9762474.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"EU High Tepresentative Kaja Kallas speaks after the informal meeting of the EU Council on Foreign Affairs in Kyiv, Ukraine, 31 March 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    \u2018Feminist\u2019 top diplomat Kallas takes aim at male-dominated diplomacy<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894504-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894504\" data-cid=\"9762098\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894504-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/20\/98\/320x180_cmsv2_8c5d1a69-973d-521d-8e66-c73d80b02f51-9762098.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Italy's Premier Giorgia Meloni attends a press conference with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after their meeting in Rome, April 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Meloni asks EU to treat energy crisis like defence, relax fiscal rules<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894416-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894416\" data-cid=\"9761748\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894416-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/17\/48\/320x180_cmsv2_f2c6a209-927f-5214-b226-e95cdf8cc284-9761748.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Deserving poor wait in lines behind a sign reading 'Soup Kitchen' to get free food at the old town of Cologne, Germany, Friday, Nov. 11, 2016. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Europe\u2019s poverty divide: Which cities and regions are most at risk?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893902-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893902\" data-cid=\"9759469\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    China unveils a giant rideable robot straight out of sci-fi movie<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893999-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893999\" data-cid=\"9760136\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Why experts predict a looming surge in solar panel prices<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894135-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894135\" data-cid=\"9761374\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Spanish PM S\u00e1nchez&#8217;s party suffers historic loss in key Andalusia vote<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893950-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893950\" data-cid=\"9759857\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Pompeii: A doctor identified thanks to his instruments<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894284-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894284\" data-cid=\"9761309\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Terrorism scenario excluded following Modena car attack<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">When Angela Merkel receives the new European Order of Merit in Strasbourg this week, the ceremony will not simply celebrate a former German chancellor.It will render a broader European judgment about an era \u2014 and about the kind of leadership the European Union believes it needs in an age of instability.The European Parliament says the award honours individuals who made \u201csignificant contributions to European integration\u201d and to the defence of \u201cdemocracy and values.\u201dMerkel was elevated to the highest category of \u201cDistinguished Member,\u201d alongside Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Lech Wa\u0142\u0119sa \u2014 a symbolic trio linking democratic resistance, European unity, and political endurance.That choice says much about how Brussels now interprets Merkel\u2019s legacy.During her 16 years in power, Merkel rarely spoke in grand ideological terms about Europe.She governed through caution, compromise, and crisis management.Germans gave her the nickname \u201cMutti\u201d (Mom) which suggests trust in a quiet way, without drama, but also without experiments.With Merkel at the helm, people felt assured that the German boat would not be rocked.Yet, precisely because the EU endured a succession of existential shocks under her watch &#8211; the eurozone debt crisis, Russia\u2019s annexation of Crimea, Brexit, Donald Trump\u2019s first presidency, the migration crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic &#8211; many European leaders came to see her as the indispensable stabilizer of the European project.A judgement even political opponents still consider worth pointing out.Merkel \u201cmade an essential contribution to Europe\u2019s collective handling of crises, including the pandemic,\u201d said Terry Reintke, a German co-chair of the Greens in the European Parliament. \u201cHer successors could learn a thing or two from that approach.\u201dFor supporters, Merkel\u2019s greatest achievement was preserving European cohesion at moments when fragmentation seemed likely.During the euro crisis, she insisted on keeping Greece inside the eurozone despite enormous political pressure in Germany.During Brexit, she helped maintain a remarkably united EU front against London.Under Trump\u2019s attacks on NATO and the EU, she increasingly became the de facto political anchor of liberal Europe.Her famous declaration in 2017 that Europeans must \u201ctake our destiny into our own hands\u201d captured the dawning realization that the transatlantic relationship could no longer be taken for granted.The award also reflects a distinctly European appreciation for Merkel\u2019s governing style itself.In an era dominated by populists, strongmen, and ideological polarization, Merkel, who holds a PhD in physics, represented technocratic democracy: cautious, incremental, fact-driven, and institutionally minded.European institutions &#8211; especially the Parliament &#8211; see this as part of the EU\u2019s political DNA.That\u2019s why her fellow Christian Democrat Manfred Weber, chair of the European People\u2019s Party (EPP) called her \u201ca great European\u201d.Honouring Merkel is therefore also a defence of consensus politics at a time when that model is under strain across the continent.Yet, the award will inevitably reignite fierce debate over the darker side of Merkel\u2019s record.Critics argue that her approach often stabilized crises without solving their underlying causes &#8211; an approach that was consensus-driven (she always led coalition governments) and made her look like a walking reconciliation committee where her own opinions were often blurred.\u201cAngela Merkel is a fascinating contradiction: on the one hand, an impressive stateswoman, of rare stature; on the other, a poor legacy for Europe,\u201d said French Socialist MEP Chlo\u00e9 Ridel.\u201cNothing was done to build the future and the sovereignty of the European Union. We are paying a heavy price for it today,\u201d she added.Merkel\u2019s insistence on fiscal austerity during the euro crisis left deep resentment in southern Europe.At a party event in May 2011, Merkel used Greece, Spain, and Portugal as examples of countries that needed to raise their retirement age and take fewer vacation days to restore economic balance.These comments sparked widespread backlash, with Greeks, who were already reeling from strict austerity measures, widely expressing frustration at the invocation of the &#8220;lazy southern European&#8221; clich\u00e9.Her 2015 decision to open Germany\u2019s borders to hundreds of thousands of refugees particularly from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan became maybe the most polarizing issue for years to come.On the one hand, supporters saw in Merkel\u2019s decision (\u201cWir schaffen das\u201d \/ \u201cWe can manage this\u201d) a humanitarian statement of extraordinary leadership in line with Christian faith.On the other hand, critics accused Merkel of effectively encouraging large migration flows into Europe and then attempted to distribute responsibility across the EU afterward.The dispute poisoned relations inside the EU for years, intensified East-West divisions over sovereignty and migration and strengthened far-right movements across Europe.Even Chancellor Friedrich Merz, a fellow Christian Democrat, distanced himself from Merkel\u2019s policy. \u201cIn many ways, Germany didn\u2019t manage it,\u201d he said on the tenth anniversary of the decision to open the border to refugees.Most consequentially, Merkel\u2019s long pursuit of economic interdependence with Russia and China now looks deeply controversial.Germany\u2019s dependence on Russian gas &#8211; symbolized by the Gazprom-backed Nord Stream pipelines &#8211; is widely viewed in hindsight as a strategic vulnerability that helped finance the Kremlin before the invasion of Ukraine.Critics say Merkel underestimated the geopolitical ambitions of Vladimir Putin and prioritized economic stability over strategic resilience &#8211; like many German leaders before her.Her apparent closeness to China and heavy reliance on Germany\u2019s export-driven economy are regarded by some as mistakes of historic proportions.\u201cWe cannot help but think of decisions that, in the medium and long term, proved harmful to the European economy: offshoring, excessive dependence on China, as well as the enormous German trade surplus accumulated under her governments, which helped strain transatlantic relations with the United States,\u201d said Paolo Borchia from the far-right Patriots for Europe in the European Parliament where he heads the Italian League delegation.The current European push for \u201cstrategic autonomy\u201d is, in many ways, a reaction against assumptions embedded during the Merkel era.This contradiction explains why Merkel remains such a uniquely European figure.She is admired not because Europeans think she was always right, but because she came to embody the EU\u2019s central tension: the attempt to reconcile peace, prosperity, democracy, and interdependence in an increasingly hostile world.Even some of her harshest critics like former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis and former Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt concede that Europe emerged from her tenure more unified institutionally than many expected.The timing of the award is also politically revealing.Europe today faces renewed uncertainty: Russia\u2019s war against Ukraine, pressure to massively increase defence spending, fears about a second disruptive Trump presidency, and intensifying competition with China.By honouring Merkel now, the European Parliament is signalling continuity with a political tradition centred on multilateralism, democratic institutions, and European integration \u2014 even as the continent shifts toward a more geopolitical and security-driven posture.In that sense, the ceremony in Strasbourg is about more than Merkel herself.It is about Europe\u2019s attempt to define what kind of leadership deserves recognition in the 21st century.The EU is effectively canonizing a leader associated not with charisma or revolutionary change, but with endurance, restraint, and the preservation of the European centre.Whether history ultimately judges Merkel as the woman who saved Europe through crisis management &#8211; or as the leader who postponed Europe\u2019s reckoning with geopolitical realities &#8211; remains to be seen.The European Order of Merit suggests that, for now, Brussels believes her contribution to holding Europe together outweighs the mistakes that became visible afterward.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2026\/05\/18\/eu-honours-merkel-as-stabilizer-in-nod-to-trump-era-turbulence&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/24\/29\/1200x675_cmsv2_bfaee578-44ec-5b06-b563-0f89fa843aef-9762429.jpg&#8221;] Residences Take a long snooze in South Korea: Is this the world\u2019s best hotel bed? Europe News \u2018Feminist\u2019 top diplomat Kallas takes aim at male-dominated diplomacy Health news How sport is changing the lives of people with autism in Central Asia Europe News Former Google executive takes reins at scandal-hit BBC Residences [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-1941360","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1941360","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1941360"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1941360\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1941360"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1941360"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1941360"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}