Merkel is reminiscent of Trump's fascination for strong men like Putin and Kim

Merkel is reminiscent of Trump's fascination for strong men like Putin and Kim

The former German Chancellor Angela Merkel shared her impressions of Donald Trump during his first term in the White House. She noticed that the newly elected American president showed a "fascination for the sheer power" by strong leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Merkel's assessment of Trump's power game

"The way he talked about Putin, and the way he spoke about the North Korean leader - apart from the critical remarks he made - has always been a kind of fascination for the sheer that can exercise these people," said Merkel in an exclusive Interview with Christiane Amanpour by CNN.

A look at Merkel's memories

In the comprehensive interview, Merkel spoke about her new book "Freiheit", which is the first woman to reflect on her 16-year term at the top of the largest economy in Europe. During its chancellorship, the continent was confronted with several crises - from economic challenges to migration to climate issues and pandemics. Shortly after she left the office, Russia started a comprehensive invasion of Ukraine, which raised questions about Germany's dependence on cheap Russian gas and made some of its decisions appear in a more critical light.

a life in two halves

In her book, Merkel describes how her life is shared in half. She spent the first 35 years with studying and working as a chemist in the communist East Germany. After the fall of the wall, she lived in a free, liberal democracy - a system whose threat is worried today.

The threat of liberal democracies

"Nowadays, liberal democracies are under fire. They are under pressure," said Merkel compared to CNN. She remembered her first meeting with Trump in the White House in 2017. When the two leading politicians were asked by reporters to shake their hands to clear, Trump seemed to reject this request, even though they shook their hands at another time during Merkel.

Trump's fascination for autocrats

Merkel said Trump "live from acting unconventional" and often try to set an example. In her book, she describes how Trump was "obviously fascinated" by Putin and "seemed tied up by politicians with autocratic tendencies". "My impression was always that he dreamed of avoiding all of these parliamentary bodies that he felt as a burden and that he wanted to decide things himself," said Merkel. "In a democracy - well, that cannot be reconciled with democratic values."

Putin's influence on Merkel's policy

Merkel's comments reflect the views of several US officials who worked closely with Trump. Before the elections in November, John Kelly, Trump's long-time chief of staff, said that Trump embodied the general definition of fascism "and has spoken positively about the loyalty of Adolf Hitler's Nazi generis, which Trump's campaign was back.

Merkel's experience with Vladimir Putin

Putin, to which Merkel was more closely related to Merkel than many other European leaders, floated over the events during their tenure. Merkel remembered how Putin came to a meeting with his big Labrador in 2007, even though she was once injured by a dog and felt uncomfortable in her area. "It was a little attempt to test your own strength - to see how resistant a person is," said Merkel. "It's a power game."

criticism of Merkel's legacy

Despite a relatively quiet phase in Europe, Merkel is accused of her critics that the events of the past few years spoil their legacy. In particular, it is argued that Germany's extreme dependence on cheap Russian gas has strengthened the economy of Moscow and its influence in Europe. When asked whether she had made malfunctions during her chancellery, Merkel replied: "We always have to look at the circumstances under which we acted at the time. I do not think it makes sense to judge in retrospect from today's perspective."