Editing Angela Merkel (section)

==Early political career==
===1989–1990: German reunification===
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1990-0803-017, Lothar de Maiziere und Angela Merkel.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|[[Lothar de Maizière]] and Merkel, 1990]]
The [[fall of the Berlin Wall]] in November 1989 served as the catalyst for Merkel's political career.<ref name="Huggler-2015" /> Although she did not participate in the crowd celebrations the night the wall came down, one month later Merkel became involved in the growing democracy movement, joining the new party [[Democratic Awakening]] ({{lang|de|Demokratischer Aufbruch}}, abbreviated to DA).<ref name="Huggler-2015" /> Party Leader [[Wolfgang Schnur]] appointed her as press spokeswoman of the party in February 1990. However, Schnur was revealed to have served as an "[[Unofficial collaborator|informal co-worker]]" for the [[Stasi]] just a few weeks ahead of the [[1990 East German general election|first (and only) multi-party election in 1990]] and was later expelled from the party. As a result, the DA lost most of its electoral support, only managing to obtain four seats in the [[Volkskammer]]. However, because the DA was a member party of the [[Alliance for Germany]], which won the election in a landslide, the DA was included in the government coalition. Merkel was appointed deputy spokesperson of this last pre-[[German reunification|unification]] government under [[Lothar de Maizière]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Angela Merkel|last=Langguth|first=Gerd|date=August 2005|publisher=DTV|isbn=3-423-24485-2|location=Munich|pages=112–137|language=de|orig-year=2005}}</ref>

De Maizière was impressed with the way Merkel handled journalists investigating Schnur's role in the Stasi.<ref name="Crawford, Alan Czuczka, Tony">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-09-19/angela-merkels-early-years-in-east-germany-shaped-her-crisis-politics|title=Angela Merkel's Years in East Germany Shaped Her Crisis Politics|last1=Crawford|first1=Alan|date=20 September 2013|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.|access-date=29 April 2017|last2=Czuczka|first2=Tony|archive-date=9 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709045819/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-09-19/angela-merkels-early-years-in-east-germany-shaped-her-crisis-politics|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Huggler-2015">{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/angela-merkel/11920552/10-moments-that-define-German-chancellor-Angela-Merkel.html|title=10 moments that define German chancellor Angela Merkel|last=Huggler|first=Justin|date=9 October 2015|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=29 April 2017|language=en|archive-date=22 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170522105808/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/angela-merkel/11920552/10-moments-that-define-German-chancellor-Angela-Merkel.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 1990, the DA merged with the [[Christian Democratic Union (East Germany)|East German Christian Democratic Union]], which in turn merged with its western counterpart after reunification.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Agethen |first=Manfred |title=Demokratischer Aufbruch (DA) – Geschichte der CDU |url=https://www.kas.de/de/web/geschichte-der-cdu/demokratischer-aufbruch-da- |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung |language=de |archive-date=5 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605115239/https://www.kas.de/de/web/geschichte-der-cdu/demokratischer-aufbruch-da- |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Demokratischer Aufbruch |url=https://www.bpb.de/kurz-knapp/lexika/politiklexikon/17322/demokratischer-aufbruch/ |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung |language=de |archive-date=5 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605115238/https://www.bpb.de/kurz-knapp/lexika/politiklexikon/17322/demokratischer-aufbruch/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===1990–1994: Minister for Women and Youth===

==== Elections ====
In the [[1990 German federal election|German federal election of 1990]], the first to be held following reunification, Merkel successfully stood for election to the [[Bundestag]] in the parliamentary constituency of [[Stralsund&nbsp;– Nordvorpommern&nbsp;– Rügen (electoral district)|Stralsund – Nordvorpommern – Rügen]] in North [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.focus.de/regional/mecklenburg-vorpommern/kommunen-merkel-im-landkreis-vorpommern-ruegen-erwartet_id_6455183.html|agency=dpa|title=Merkel wirbt für gute Finanzausstattung der Kommunen|date=6 January 2010|work=Focus Online|access-date=29 April 2017|language=de|archive-date=9 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109094717/http://www.focus.de/regional/mecklenburg-vorpommern/kommunen-merkel-im-landkreis-vorpommern-ruegen-erwartet_id_6455183.html|url-status=live}}</ref> She received the crucial backing of influential CDU minister and state party chairman [[Günther Krause]]. She was re-elected from this constituency (renamed, with slightly adjusted borders, [[Vorpommern-Rügen – Vorpommern-Greifswald I]] in 2003) in every election until the CDU lost its [[Direktmandat|direct mandate]] from the constituency in the [[2021 German federal election|2021 federal election]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=27 September 2021 |title=Merkel gewann acht Mal in Folge das Direktmandat in ihrem Wahlkreis – jetzt siegte eine junge SPD-Politikerin |url=https://www.stern.de/politik/deutschland/cdu-verliert-direktmandat-in-merkels-bisherigem-wahlkreis-an-spd-politikerin-30777532.html |access-date=21 June 2023 |website=stern.de |language=de |archive-date=6 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206203902/https://www.stern.de/politik/deutschland/cdu-verliert-direktmandat-in-merkels-bisherigem-wahlkreis-an-spd-politikerin-30777532.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Almost immediately following her entry into parliament, Merkel was appointed by [[Chancellor of Germany|Chancellor]] [[Helmut Kohl]] to serve as [[Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth|Minister for Women and Youth]] in the [[Cabinet of Germany|federal cabinet]].

In November 1991, Merkel, with the support of the federal CDU, ran for the state leadership of the CDU in the state of Brandenburg, which neighbours Berlin. She lost to [[Ulf Fink]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Brandenburg: Merkels Union der Probleme |language=de-DE |work=Der Tagesspiegel Online |url=https://www.tagesspiegel.de/potsdam/brandenburg/merkels-union-der-probleme-7386607.html |access-date=5 June 2023 |issn=1865-2263 |archive-date=5 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605115239/https://www.tagesspiegel.de/potsdam/brandenburg/merkels-union-der-probleme-7386607.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In June 1993, Merkel was elected leader of the CDU in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, succeeding her former mentor [[Günther Krause]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mecklenburg-Vorpommern – Geschichte der CDU |url=https://www.kas.de/en/web/geschichte-der-cdu/mecklenburg-vorpommern |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung |language=en |archive-date=5 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605115238/https://www.kas.de/en/web/geschichte-der-cdu/mecklenburg-vorpommern |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Policy ====
Although Merkel had little interest in the political position as such, it has been described as instrumental in building her early political image.<ref name="Vick-2015">{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2015-angela-merkel/|title=Time Person of the Year 2015: Angela Merkel|last=Vick|first=Karl|year=2015|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=30 April 2017|archive-date=29 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529051902/http://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2015-angela-merkel/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Packer-2014">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/12/01/quiet-german|title=The Astonishing Rise of Angela Merkel|last=Packer|first=George|date=1 December 2014|magazine=The New Yorker|access-date=30 April 2017|archive-date=9 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209073023/http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/12/01/quiet-german|url-status=live}}</ref> During her tenure, the government codified the right to [[Kindergarten|preschool education]], although the law only went into effect in 1996.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2018 |title=Zur Rechtsprechung in Bezug auf Kindertagesbetreuung nach § 24 SGB VIII |trans-title=On the jurisprudence of childcare pursuant to § 24 SGB VIII |url=https://www.bundestag.de/resource/blob/569574/caa1dd6c9010844748c3739925c8c2ac/WD-9-055-18-pdf-data.pdf |journal=Wissenschaftliche Dienste (Deutscher Bundestag) |language=de |page=10 |archive-date=27 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211127121033/https://www.bundestag.de/resource/blob/569574/caa1dd6c9010844748c3739925c8c2ac/WD-9-055-18-pdf-data.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> In June 1992, § 218 of the [[Strafgesetzbuch|StGB]], which governed abortion rights, was rewritten to allow abortions until the 12th week of pregnancy.<ref name="Bildung-2023">{{Cite web |date=24 May 2023 |title=Vor 30 Jahren: Reform für Schwangerschaftsabbrüche gekippt |url=https://www.bpb.de/kurz-knapp/hintergrund-aktuell/521296/vor-30-jahren-reform-fuer-schwangerschaftsabbrueche-gekippt/ |access-date=23 June 2023 |website=bpb.de |language=de |archive-date=25 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525004054/https://www.bpb.de/kurz-knapp/hintergrund-aktuell/521296/vor-30-jahren-reform-fuer-schwangerschaftsabbrueche-gekippt/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Though she was personally opposed to abortion at the time, Merkel abstained during the vote on the bill.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Angela Merkel |url=https://www.fembio.org/biographie.php/frau/biographie/angela-merkel/ |access-date=23 June 2023 |website=www.fembio.org |language=de |archive-date=27 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227073933/https://www.fembio.org/biographie.php/frau/biographie/angela-merkel/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The law was later overturned by the [[Federal Constitutional Court]] on the basis that there must be a general prohibition of abortion.<ref name="Bildung-2023" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bundesgesetzblatt BGBl. Online-Archiv 1949 – 2022 |url=https://www.bgbl.de/xaver/bgbl/start.xav?start=//*%5B@attr_id=%27bgbl193s0820.pdf%27%5D#__bgbl__//*%5B@attr_id=%27bgbl193s0820.pdf%27%5D__1687518539514 |access-date=23 June 2023 |website=www.bgbl.de |language=de |archive-date=25 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525023106/https://www.bgbl.de/xaver/bgbl/start.xav?start=//*%5B@attr_id=%27bgbl193s0820.pdf%27%5D#__bgbl__//*%5B@attr_id=%27bgbl193s0820.pdf%27%5D__1687518539514 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===1994–1998: Minister for the Environment===
[[File:KAS-Merkel, Angela-Bild-14890-2.jpg|thumb|upright|Merkel in a CDU campaign poster, 1995|left]]
In 1994, she was promoted to the position of [[Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety|Minister for the Environment and Nuclear Safety]], which gave her greater political visibility and a platform on which to build her personal political career. As one of Kohl's protégées and his youngest Cabinet Minister, she was frequently referred to by Kohl as "my girl" ({{lang|de|mein Mädchen}}).<ref>{{cite news|language=de |work=Der Spiegel |date=30 May 2005 |url=http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,357997,00.html |title=Kohls unterschätztes Mädchen |trans-title=Kohl's Underestimated Girl  |access-date=19 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090718100625/http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0%2C1518%2C357997%2C00.html |archive-date=18 July 2009 |url-status = live|last1=Weiland |first1=Severin }}</ref> During this period, she was closely mentored by Kohl.<ref name="Packer-2014" />

As Minister of the Environment, Merkel was instrumental in setting up the United Nations [[1995 United Nations Climate Change Conference|1995 Berlin Climate Change Conference]]. She is often credited as having brought about its most notable result, the first international commitment to a reduction of [[greenhouse gas emissions]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Gerade auf LeMO gesehen: LeMO Biografie: Angela Merkel |url=https://www.hdg.de/lemo/biografie/angela-merkel.html |access-date=23 June 2023 |website=www.hdg.de |language=de |archive-date=12 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612221411/https://www.hdg.de/lemo/biografie/angela-merkel.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Vick-2015" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Berlin Climate Change Conference – March 1995 |url=https://unfccc.int/event/berlin-climate-change-conference-march-1995 |access-date=23 June 2023 |website=unfccc.int |archive-date=23 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230623102743/https://unfccc.int/event/berlin-climate-change-conference-march-1995 |url-status=live}}</ref> Around this time, she also first hired [[Beate Baumann]], who would remain a close advisor to Merkel.<ref name="Packer-2014" /> Merkel's performance as Minister of the Environment was criticised as "pitiful" by [[Gerhard Schröder]].<ref name="Vick-2015" />

===1998–2000: General Secretary of the CDU===
[[File:KAS-Sympathiewerbung-Bild-12009-1.jpg|thumb|1998 CDU campaign poster depicting Merkel between [[Wolfgang Schäuble]] and [[Matthias Wissmann]]]]
After the [[Helmut Kohl|Kohl Government]] was [[1998 German federal election|defeated at the 1998 election]], Merkel was appointed Secretary-General of the [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]].<ref name="Packer-2014" /> The 1998 election had widespread impacts; it was the CDU's worst performance in a federal election since 1949, and it resulted in Germany's first post-war left-wing government,{{efn |Although some [[List of Federal Republic of Germany governments|previous governments]] had been led by the SPD, this was the first government to contain only left-wing parties.}} led by the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=James |first=Peter |date=2000 |title=The 1998 German Federal Election |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9256.00108 |journal=Politics |language=en |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=33–38 |doi=10.1111/1467-9256.00108 |s2cid=143788580 |issn=0263-3957 |access-date=21 June 2023 |archive-date=20 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230220054824/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9256.00108 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the wake of this defeat on the federal level, Merkel oversaw a string of CDU election victories in six out of seven state elections in 1999, breaking the long-standing SPD-[[Alliance 90/The Greens|Green]] hold on the [[Bundesrat of Germany|Bundesrat]]. Following a [[1999 CDU contributions scandal|party funding scandal]] that compromised many leading figures of the CDU{{snd}}including Kohl himself and his successor as CDU Leader, [[Wolfgang Schäuble]]{{snd}}Merkel criticised her former mentor publicly and advocated a fresh start for the party without him.<ref name="Packer-2014" />

===Early 2000s===

==== Chairperson of the CDU ====
On 10 April 2000, Merkel was elected to replace Schäuble as Chairperson of the CDU, becoming the first female leader of a German party.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G4QnDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT117 |title=Angela Merkel: Europe's Most Influential Leader|last=Qvortrup|first=Matthew|date=2016|publisher=The Overlook Press|isbn=978-1-4683-1408-3|language=en|archive-date=26 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211126210103/https://books.google.com/books?id=G4QnDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT117 |url-status=live}}</ref> Her election surprised many observers, as her personality offered a contrast to the party she had been elected to lead; Merkel is a [[Centrism|centrist]] [[Protestant]] originating from predominantly Protestant northern Germany, while the CDU is a male-dominated, [[social conservative|socially conservative]] party with strongholds in western and southern Germany, and its Bavarian sister party, the CSU, has deep Catholic roots.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chase |first=Jefferson |date=4 December 2021 |title=Bavaria's Christian Social Union: What you need to know |url=https://www.dw.com/en/bavarias-christian-social-union-what-you-need-to-know/a-39192183 |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=dw.com |language=en |archive-date=5 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605115241/https://www.dw.com/en/bavarias-christian-social-union-what-you-need-to-know/a-39192183 |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Angela Merkel and Vladimir Putin in Moscow 2002.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Merkel and Russian president [[Vladimir Putin]] in [[Moscow]], 8 February 2002]]

Following Merkel's election as CDU Leader, the CDU did not obtain electoral victories in subsequent state elections. In February 2001, her rival [[Friedrich Merz]] voiced his intention to become [[Gerhard Schröder]]'s main challenger for Chancellorship in the [[2002 German federal election|2002 election]]. Merkel's ambition to become Chancellor was well-known, but she lacked the support of the most influential members within her own party. Rival candidate and leader of the CSU [[Edmund Stoiber]] was much more popular within the party at the time. In a private negotiation that came to be known as the {{ill |Wolfratshausen Breakfast |de |Wolfratshauser Frühstück |lt=Wolfratshausen Breakfast,|v=sup}} Merkel agreed to cede the opportunity to challenge Schröder to Stoiber; in exchange, she was to become leader of the CDU/CSU faction in the Bundestag following the election.<ref>Barry Turner (ed.) ''The Statesman's Yearbook 2015: The Politics, Cultures and Economies of the World'', Springer 2014 p. 516</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=11 January 2022 |title=Angela Merkel lässt Edmund Stoiber Kanzlerkandidat werden |url=https://www.swr.de/swr2/wissen/archivradio/angela-merkel-laesst-edmund-stoiber-kanzlerkandidat-werden-100.html |access-date=25 June 2023 |website=swr.online |language=de |archive-date=22 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422233615/https://www.swr.de/swr2/wissen/archivradio/angela-merkel-laesst-edmund-stoiber-kanzlerkandidat-werden-100.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=15 October 2012 |title=Stoiber & Merkel: Das gab es zum Frühstück in Wolfratshausen |url=https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article109416019/Das-gab-es-zum-Fruehstueck-in-Wolfratshausen.html |access-date=25 June 2023 |website=Die Welt |language=de |archive-date=25 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230625104811/https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article109416019/Das-gab-es-zum-Fruehstueck-in-Wolfratshausen.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Although pre-election polling had indicated that voters strongly favoured Stoiber, he went on to lose the election by a thin margin. The election campaign was dominated by the [[Iraq War]]. While Chancellor Schröder had made clear he would not join the war in Iraq,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/09/23/germany.0700/ |title=Schroeder wins second term |work=[[CNN]] |date=23 September 2002 |access-date=18 May 2021 |archive-date=23 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323164545/http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/09/23/germany.0700/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Merkel was in support of the war at the time, although she later claimed that she had opposed it.<ref name="dw.com-2016">{{Cite web |date=30 July 2016 |title=Merkel speaks; DW checks the facts |url=https://www.dw.com/en/angela-merkel-spoke-in-berlin-and-dw-checked-the-facts/a-19439266 |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=dw.com |language=en |archive-date=5 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605115238/https://www.dw.com/en/angela-merkel-spoke-in-berlin-and-dw-checked-the-facts/a-19439266 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Merkel's Other Legacy |url=https://dgap.org/en/research/publications/merkels-other-legacy |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=dgap.org |archive-date=5 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605115240/https://dgap.org/en/research/publications/merkels-other-legacy |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== 2002–2005: Leader of the Opposition ====
After Stoiber's defeat in 2002, in addition to her role as CDU Leader, Merkel became Leader of the Opposition in the [[Bundestag]], as had been agreed upon between her and Stoiber. Friedrich Merz, who had held the post prior to the 2002 election, was eased out to make way for Merkel.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/opposition-meltdown-the-great-disintegration-act-a-324300.html|title=Opposition meltdown: The great disintegration act|work=Der Spiegel|date=22 October 2004|access-date=28 November 2015|archive-date=10 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010140141/http://www.spiegel.de/international/opposition-meltdown-the-great-disintegration-act-a-324300.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Merkel supported a substantial [[Agenda 2010|reform agenda]] for Germany's economic and social system and was considered more pro-market than her own party (the CDU). She advocated [[German labour law]] changes, specifically removing barriers to laying off employees and increasing the allowed number of work hours in a week. She argued that existing laws made the country less competitive, because companies could not easily control labour costs when business was slow.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,249207,00.html |title=Merkel fordert längere Arbeitszeit |language=de |newspaper=[[Der Spiegel]] |date=18 May 2003 |access-date=27 August 2011 |archive-date=13 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080613150234/http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0%2C1518%2C249207%2C00.html |url-status = live}}</ref>

Merkel argued that Germany should phase out [[nuclear power]] less quickly than the Schröder administration had planned.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NP_Merkel_Nuclear_phase_out_is_wrong_1006081.html|title=Merkel: Nuclear phase-out is wrong|newspaper=[[World Nuclear News]]|date=10 June 2008|access-date=27 August 2011|archive-date=16 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616040957/http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NP_Merkel_Nuclear_phase_out_is_wrong_1006081.html|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-nuclear-phaseout-explained/a-39171204 |date=15 June 2017 |first=Rebecca |last=Staudenmaier |title=Germany's nuclear phase-out explained |work=DW |access-date=27 July 2019 |archive-date=24 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200824011914/https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-nuclear-phaseout-explained/a-39171204 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Merkel advocated a strong transatlantic partnership and German-American friendship. In the spring of 2003, defying strong public opposition, Merkel came out in favour of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, describing it as "unavoidable".<ref name="dw.com-2016" /> She also criticised the government's support for the [[accession of Turkey to the European Union]], instead arguing in favour of a "[[European Union Association Agreement|privileged partnership]]".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Merkel Calls For Petition Against Turkish Membership |url=https://www.dw.com/en/merkel-calls-for-petition-against-turkish-membership/a-1356052 |access-date=26 June 2023 |website=dw.com |archive-date=27 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127013235/https://www.dw.com/en/merkel-calls-for-petition-against-turkish-membership/a-1356052 |url-status=live}}</ref>