What is it that makes Angela Merkel so successful in the high brow male dominated political world? Well, it's her devotion to duty and determination to achieve the goal. She determines the aim and maintains it so that she knows how to go about achieving it. Criticism of detractors does not bother her except that she doubles her effort to reach the goal surmounting hurdles on the way. It is not the dress or the facial makeover that matters to her, it is the ability to do for the country what her countrymen expect of her.

 

As a Chancellor of Germany elected to the office in 2005 with a wafer thin majority, Merkel won the hearts and minds of her compatriots by her hard work and spectacular results in ameliorating hardships of the common man. She successfully steered Germany out of the economic recession and made the German economy the biggest in Europe, leaving erstwhile economic giants way behind. In the European Union she came to be known as a high achiever and one who solved problems in an amicable manner. When in trouble, other European nations look up to her to lend a hand and find solutions to their problems.

 

Her critics say that she compromises her principles for political expediency. She does not contest this charge. When she came to power in 2005, she invited the opposition, including her challenger to the high office, to join the coalition government and they did. This sagacious move gave political stability to her government and she did not have to waste time and energy in saving her government from opposition attacks every now and then. Indeed, as a Christian Democrat she had to make concessions to Social democrats in the shape of fixing minimum wages and social welfare more akin to the communist philosophy than to her own. That is indeed the art of running a successful government for the sake of the country by making compromises. In India we call it the Coalition Dharma and the people get used to it.

 

Angela Merkel,54, visited India in 2007 and had paid a visit to the Rajghat to lay a wreath at the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi. She studied regional problems and ways to neutralise impact of Islamic terrorism. She maintains an independent foreign policy and overrides illogical opposition of other countries.

 

Once she had decided to meet the Dalai Lama and had gone ahead with the pre-determined schedule, notwithstanding diplomatic opposition by the People’s Republic of China. Her will power and her resolve makes her stand in line with Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of the United kingdom, also known as the Iron Lady. Apparently, Merkel also enjoys such comparisons as these will ensure for her a place in the world history. As it is, US magazine Forbes ranks her as the most powerful women of the world there for three consecutive years.

 

She won the elections held on Sunday, September 27, and is slated to carry out a second term as the Chancellor of Germany.