Former chancellor Angela Merkel has rejected the characterization that she systematically pushed male rivals aside during her political ascent, calling the label absurd. The epithet, often rendered as ‘male-killing Merkel,’ surfaced in commentary during her rise through the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
The nickname alluded to a string of high-profile men whose influence declined as Merkel’s star rose. Most notably, Helmut Kohl, the dominant figure in the party during Merkel’s early career, saw his authority collapse amid the CDU donations scandal in 1999. Merkel publicly distanced herself from Kohl in a newspaper piece that contributed to ending his hold over the party. Wolfgang Schäuble, long seen as a Kohl successor, also lost standing at the time before later serving in Merkel’s cabinets.
Merkel told the news magazine Focus that she found the framing strange and unfair. She said that whatever she did was repeatedly interpreted in relation to a man rather than as an independent decision, and that the idea of a woman being labeled in that way for pursuing the same goals as men was unfounded. She noted that male politicians routinely displace other men, and that it should not be treated as exceptional when a woman advances in the same manner.
Other figures who lost momentum as Merkel rose included Roland Koch, the influential Hesse premier once eyed as a CDU contender, and Christian Wulff, who later became president amid his own controversies. Merkel also recalled the long-running rivalry with Friedrich Merz, which goes back to an internal CDU power struggle in the early 2000s that Merkel ultimately won.
A trained physicist from former East Germany, Merkel suggested the label partly reflected the rarity of women in such contests at the time, which made rivalries involving a woman seem novel to observers.
Asked to assess the government now led by her former opponent, Merkel urged Germans to judge its record with moderation and balance, noting that citizens should try to recognize achievements even amid dissatisfaction.
On life after office, Merkel — who led Germany from 2005 to 2021 — said she has largely retreated from the public eye and appreciates no longer being on call for emergencies in the middle of the night. She still keeps a mobile phone by her bedside, she said, but not out of a sense of duty. Merkel added that after so many years in office she could step down voluntarily and felt that her time as chancellor had been complete.
In a lighter moment, she admitted to a small indulgence: enjoying fried potatoes late at night more often than she perhaps should. The interview underlined Merkel’s continued influence on German political memory, while she rejects simplified narratives about how she achieved and exercised power.