Against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s conservative nationalistic policies, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is being described by the media as the new leader of the free world. Her open-minded and humanitarian views and policies on the immigration of Middle East refugees to Germany despite numerous terror attacks by Islamist terrorists in her country have gained respect in many liberal capitals in the world.
The international system appears to be split nowadays between nationalistic regimes and governments that cling to multiculturalism. The former makes opposition to Islamic immigration their political flag and an excuse for curtailing freedom of movement, free trade and globalization; the latter champions globalization and human rights. And so, Merkel has become an important player within the world’s most important schism.
A senior German official in the Kanzleramt in Berlin told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that despite this being an election year, Merkel will stick to her core conservative and liberal strategy: “Above all, the chancellor is the defender of the European Union’s integrity. She believes that world peace depends on this. She also believes in protecting the European Union from the separatist nationalistic policies of Russia, the US and European right-wing parties, principally those in the Netherlands and France.”
The senior official close to the chancellor listed Merkel's strategic priorities, starting with the integrity of the EU, including driving a hard bargain with the United Kingdom on the Brexit deal. The second priority is a sound European immigration policy. Then there is the issue of free global trade. The chancellor is wary of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attempts to weaken the EU and NATO. She also prioritizes fighting Islamic terror in coordination with the United States and the pragmatic Arab countries. Merkel believes that the Iran deal should be upheld, and she also believes in a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, which will, in her view, help to stabilize the Middle Eastern region.
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