Portrait of Angela Merkel
From history

Angela Merkel

Chancellor of Germany, 2005 to 2021

A physicist who steered the EU through the euro crisis, opened Germany to over a million refugees in 2015 and phased out nuclear power after Fukushima.

Angela Merkel sits in the right-libertarian part of the Caucus economy and liberty compass: slightly free market and slightly libertarian. The clearest positions are strongly institutional on institutions, leaning globalist on nation and leaning nature-first on environment.

Read more about Angela Merkel on Wikipedia →

Where Angela Merkel sits on eight dimensions

Each scale runs from one pole to the other, and the dot shows the overall tendency of this leader's record and public life. These are simplified estimates and open to debate.

💰EconomySlightly free market
State-ledFree market
⚖️Liberty and authoritySlightly libertarian
LibertarianAuthoritarian
🎭CultureSlightly traditional
ProgressiveTraditional
🌍NationLeaning globalist
GlobalistNationalist
🌱EnvironmentLeaning nature-first
Growth-firstNature-first
🤖TechnologyLeaning tech-optimist
Tech-cautiousTech-optimist
🕊️War and peaceSlightly peace-first
Peace-firstStrength-first
🏛️InstitutionsStrongly institutional
Anti-establishmentInstitutional

Leaders most like Angela Merkel

Micheál Martin Taoiseach of Ireland, 2020 to 2022 and 2025 to present89%Maia Sandu President of Moldova, 2020 to present82%Luca Beccari Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs of San Marino, 2020 to present82%Nikos Christodoulides President of Cyprus, 2023 to present81%Cyril Ramaphosa President of South Africa, 2018 to present80%Mark Carney Prime Minister of Canada, 2025 to present79%

Leaders furthest from Angela Merkel

Jair Bolsonaro President of Brazil, 2019 to 202211%Benito Mussolini Prime Minister of Italy, 1922 to 194313%Donald Trump US President, 2017 to 2021 and 2025 to present13%

Political views closest to Angela Merkel

OrdoliberalismFavors competitive markets protected by firm rules and a strong state, the basis of…83%Third Way centrismCombines market economics with moderate social policy and pragmatic problem solving.82%KeynesianismSupports government spending and central bank action to smooth recessions and protect…79%

Percentages show how close two profiles are across all eight dimensions. Including a person here is for historical study and comparison, not approval. Portrait: Raimond Spekking, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; see all photo credits.