Editing Angela Merkel (section)

==Criticism==
Merkel has been criticised for being personally present and involved at the M100 Media Award handover<ref>{{cite news|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-51367120100908 |work=Reuters |title=Merkel honours Mohammad cartoonist at press award |date=8 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002183108/http://in.reuters.com/article/2010/09/08/idINIndia-51367120100908 |url-status = dead|archive-date=2 October 2012 }}</ref> to Danish cartoonist [[Kurt Westergaard]], who had triggered the [[Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy|Muhammad cartoons controversy]]. This happened at a time of fierce debate over a book by the former [[Deutsche Bundesbank]] executive and finance senator of Berlin [[Thilo Sarrazin]], which was critical of Muslim immigration.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,714643-2,00.html |title=The Sarrazin Debate: Germany Is Becoming Islamophobic |work=Der Spiegel |access-date=18 April 2011 |url-status = live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917054526/http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0%2C1518%2C714643-2%2C00.html |archive-date=17 September 2011 }}</ref> At the same time, she condemned a planned burning of [[Quran]]s by a fundamentalist pastor in Florida.<ref>{{cite news|last=Connor|first=Richard|url=http://www.dw.de/merkel-defends-muhammad-cartoonist-condemns-koran-burning/a-5986351|access-date=2 May 2014|title=Merkel defends 'Muhammad' cartoonist, condemns Koran-burning|publisher=[[Deutsche Welle]]|date=8 September 2010|archive-date=7 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407010256/http://www.dw.de/merkel-defends-muhammad-cartoonist-condemns-koran-burning/a-5986351|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Central Council of Muslims in Germany]]<ref>BBC: Germany's Central Muslim Council (Zentralrat der Muslime in Deutschland) criticised Mrs. Merkel for attending the award ceremony. 8 September 2010. A ZMD spokesman, Aiman Mazyek, told public broadcaster Deutschlandradio that the Chancellor was honouring someone "who in our eyes kicked our prophet, and therefore kicked all Muslims". He said giving Mr Westergaard the prize in a "highly charged and heated time" was "highly problematic".</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11236158 |work=BBC News |title=Merkel honours Danish Muhammad cartoonist Westergaard |date=8 September 2010 |archive-date=8 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100908191909/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11236158 |url-status = live}}</ref> and the Left Party<ref>{{cite news|url-status = live|url=http://die-linke.de/nc/die_linke/nachrichten/detail/artikel/merkels-affront-gegen-muslime/ |title=Merkel's affront to Muslims |author=Buchholz, Christine |publisher=[[The Left (Germany)|Die linke]] |date=9 September 2010 |access-date=18 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718231922/http://die-linke.de/nc/die_linke/nachrichten/detail/artikel/merkels-affront-gegen-muslime/ |archive-date=18 July 2011 |language=de  }}</ref> ([[The Left (Germany)|Die Linke]]) as well as the [[German Green Party]]{{efn|Grüne/Bündnis 90 Spokesman Renate Künast: "I wouldn't have done it", said Green Party floor leader Renate Künast. It was true that the right to freedom of expression also applies to cartoons, she said. "But if a chancellor also makes a speech on top of that, it serves to heat up the debate."<ref name="Award for D------ Muhammad Cartoonist" />}}<ref name="Award for D------ Muhammad Cartoonist">{{cite news|work=Der Spiegel |access-date=18 April 2011 |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,716503,00.html |title=Award for Danish Muhammad Cartoonist: Merkel Defends Press Freedom, Condemns Koran-Burning |url-status = live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110916060009/http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0%2C1518%2C716503%2C00.html |archive-date=16 September 2011 }}</ref> criticised the action by the centre-right chancellor. The ''[[Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung]]'' newspaper wrote: "This will probably be the most explosive moment of her chancellorship so far."<ref>{{cite news|url-status = live|url=https://www.faz.net/s/Rub9B4326FE2669456BAC0CF17E0C7E9105/Doc~E6762D4CF046141829F1A9533368C843E~ATpl~Ecommon~Scontent.html |language=de |title=Ehrung des Mohammed-Karikaturisten: Angela Merkels Risiko |work=[[Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung]] |date=8 September 2010 |access-date=18 April 2011 |archive-date=8 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100908195655/https://www.faz.net/s/Rub9B4326FE2669456BAC0CF17E0C7E9105/Doc~E6762D4CF046141829F1A9533368C843E~ATpl~Ecommon~Scontent.html  }}</ref>

The term ''alternativlos'' (German for "without an alternative"), which was frequently used by Angela Merkel to describe her measures addressing the [[European sovereign-debt crisis]], was named the [[Un-word of the year|Un-word of the Year 2010]] by a jury of linguistic scholars. The wording was criticised as undemocratic, as any discussion on Merkel's politics would thus be deemed unnecessary or undesirable.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sprachkritik: "Alternativlos" ist das Unwort des Jahres |url=http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/gesellschaft/sprachkritik-alternativlos-ist-das-unwort-des-jahres-a-740096.html |work=Der Spiegel |access-date=2 July 2013 |date=18 January 2011 |language=de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922064713/http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/gesellschaft/sprachkritik-alternativlos-ist-das-unwort-des-jahres-a-740096.html |archive-date=22 September 2013 |url-status = live}}</ref> The expression is credited for the name of the political party [[Alternative for Germany]], which was founded in 2013.<ref>{{cite news|last=Prantl |first=Heribert |url=http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/afd-alternative-dank-merkel-1.1778969 |access-date=2 May 2014 |newspaper=[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]] |title=Alternative dank Merkel |date=24 September 2013 |archive-date=29 September 2013 |url-status = live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929110752/http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/afd-alternative-dank-merkel-1.1778969  }}</ref>

During a visit of U.S. President Barack Obama in Berlin, Merkel said on 19 June 2013 in the context of the [[2013 mass surveillance disclosures]]: "The Internet is uncharted territory for us all" ({{langx|de|link=no|Das Internet ist für uns alle Neuland}}). This statement led to various [[internet memes]] and online mockery of Merkel.<ref>{{cite news|last=Strange |first=Hannah |title=Angela Merkel refers to internet as 'virgin territory' |access-date=25 October 2013 |date=20 June 2013 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/10133039/Angela-Merkel-refers-to-internet-as-virgin-territory.html |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131206063727/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/10133039/Angela-Merkel-refers-to-internet-as-virgin-territory.html |archive-date=6 December 2013 |url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Frickel |first=Claudia |title=Merkel beim Besuch von Obama: Das Netz lacht über Merkels "Internet-Neuland" |access-date=25 October 2013 |newspaper=[[Focus (German magazine)|Der Focus (Online Version)]] |url-status = live|url=http://www.focus.de/digital/internet/merkel-beim-besuch-von-obama-das-netz-lacht-ueber-merkels-internet-neuland_aid_1020060.html |date=20 June 2013 |language=de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130930224024/http://www.focus.de/digital/internet/merkel-beim-besuch-von-obama-das-netz-lacht-ueber-merkels-internet-neuland_aid_1020060.html |archive-date=30 September 2013 }}</ref>

During a state visit of the Turkish prime minister [[Ahmet Davutoğlu]] in January 2015, Merkel stated that "Islam is part of Germany", which induced criticism from within her party. [[Parliamentary group leader]] [[Volker Kauder]] stated that Muslims belong to Germany, but Islam does not, and that Muslims should "ask themselves why so many violent people refer to the [[Quran]]."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/deutschland/gesellschaft/id_72532980/kauder-widerspricht-merkel-islam-gehoert-nicht-zu-deutschland-.html|title=Kauder: 'Der Islam gehört nicht zu Deutschland'|trans-title=Kauder: "Islam does not belong to Germany"|agency=[[Deutsche Presse-Agentur|dpa]]/[[T-Online]]|date=18 January 2015|access-date=20 January 2015|language=de|archive-date=10 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010135655/http://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/deutschland/gesellschaft/id_72532980/kauder-widerspricht-merkel-islam-gehoert-nicht-zu-deutschland-.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[http://www.idea.de/nachrichten/detail/politik/detail/gehoert-der-islam-zu-deutschland-kauder-widerspricht-merkel-89332.html "Gehört der Islam zu Deutschland? Kauder widerspricht Merkel"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122095051/http://www.idea.de/nachrichten/detail/politik/detail/gehoert-der-islam-zu-deutschland-kauder-widerspricht-merkel-89332.html |date=22 January 2015 }}, [[Idea (news agency)|Idea]], 19 January 2015 {{in lang|de}}</ref>

At the conclusion of the May 2017 [[Group of Seven]]'s leaders in Sicily, Merkel criticised American efforts to renege on earlier commitments on climate change. According to Merkel, the discussions were difficult and marred by dissent. "Here we have the situation where six members, or even seven if you want to add the EU, stand against one."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-05-27/trump-takes-his-own-path-as-g-7-fails-to-reach-unity-on-climate|title=Trump Goes His Own Way as G-7 Cobbles Together an Awkward Truce|last1=Fouquet|first1=Helene|last2=Delfs|first2=Arne|last3=Wingrove|first3=Josh|date=27 May 2017|work=Bloomberg|access-date=27 May 2017|archive-date=27 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170527125541/https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-05-27/trump-takes-his-own-path-as-g-7-fails-to-reach-unity-on-climate|url-status=live}}</ref>

Merkel has faced criticism for failing to take a tough line on the People's Republic of China.<ref>{{cite news |title=Germany's reluctance to speak out against China |url=https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-reluctance-to-speak-out-against-china/a-54079606 |work=Deutsche Welle |date=7 July 2020 |access-date=23 September 2020 |archive-date=23 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923135412/https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-reluctance-to-speak-out-against-china/a-54079606 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Merkel is under pressure to cut Germany's ties with China as the Hong Kong crisis triggers a European backlash against Beijing |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/german-chancellor-angela-merkel-accused-too-close-to-china-2020-7 |work=Business Insider |date=8 July 2020 |access-date=23 September 2020 |archive-date=1 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001182518/https://www.businessinsider.com/german-chancellor-angela-merkel-accused-too-close-to-china-2020-7 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=China Is Merkel's Biggest Failure in Office |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/09/15/china-merkel-trade-germany-failure-covid-19/ |work=[[Foreign Policy]] |date=15 September 2020 |access-date=23 September 2020 |archive-date=26 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926000347/https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/09/15/china-merkel-trade-germany-failure-covid-19/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The ''[[Asia Times]]'' reported that "Unlike certain of her European counterparts, her China diplomacy has focused on non-interference in Beijing's internal affairs. As such, Merkel was reportedly furious when her Foreign Minister [[Heiko Maas]] received Hong Kong dissident [[Joshua Wong]] in Berlin in September [2019], a move that Beijing publicly protested."<ref>{{cite news |title=China, Germany tight ties will face post-Merkel test |url=https://asiatimes.com/2020/08/china-germany-tight-ties-will-face-post-merkel-test/ |work=[[Asia Times]] |date=26 August 2020 |access-date=23 September 2020 |archive-date=1 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101030455/https://asiatimes.com/2020/08/china-germany-tight-ties-will-face-post-merkel-test/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Merkel's government decided to phase out both [[Nuclear power in Germany|nuclear power]] and coal plants and supported the European Commission's [[European Green Deal|Green Deal]] plans.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Green Brief: Merkel's climate 'realpolitik' legacy |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/news/the-green-brief-merkels-climate-realpolitik-legacy/ |work=Euractiv |date=15 September 2021 |access-date=22 October 2021 |archive-date=22 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022094215/https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/news/the-green-brief-merkels-climate-realpolitik-legacy/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="nuclear-exit">{{cite news |title=Germany Flirts With Power Crunch in Nuclear and Coal Exit |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-22/germany-flirts-with-power-crunch-in-nuclear-and-coal-exit |work=Bloomberg |date=22 August 2021 |access-date=22 October 2021 |archive-date=22 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022084836/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-22/germany-flirts-with-power-crunch-in-nuclear-and-coal-exit |url-status=live }}</ref> Critics blamed the [[European Union Emissions Trading System]] (EU ETS) and [[Nuclear power phase-out|closure of nuclear plants]] for contributing to the [[2021–2022 global energy crisis]].<ref name="nuclear-exit" /><ref>{{cite news |title=European Energy Crisis Fuels Carbon Trading Expansion Concerns |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-06/european-energy-crisis-fuels-carbon-trading-expansion-concerns |work=Bloomberg |date=6 October 2021 |access-date=22 October 2021 |archive-date=22 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022084826/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-06/european-energy-crisis-fuels-carbon-trading-expansion-concerns |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Climate Policy Meets Cold Reality in Europe |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/climate-policy-reality-europe-energy-costs-gas-coal-11632754849 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=27 September 2021 |access-date=22 October 2021 |archive-date=22 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022094219/https://www.wsj.com/articles/climate-policy-reality-europe-energy-costs-gas-coal-11632754849 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]], Merkel faced renewed criticisms that she had failed to curb Russian president Vladimir Putin's ambitions and aggression by insisting on diplomacy and [[détente]] policies.<ref name="CNBCUkraine">{{cite web |last1=Amaro |first1=Silvia |title=With Putin's war in Europe, the legacy of Germany's Merkel is now being seen in a very different light |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/14/russia-ukraine-legacy-of-germanys-angela-merkel-is-seen-differently.html |website=CNBC |date=14 March 2022 |access-date=4 April 2022 |archive-date=3 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220403093055/https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/14/russia-ukraine-legacy-of-germanys-angela-merkel-is-seen-differently.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="PoliticoUkraine">{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/putin-merkel-germany-scholz-foreign-policy-ukraine-war-invasion-nord-stream-2/ |title=Putin's useful German idiots |last=Karnitschnig |first=Matthew |website=Politico |date=28 March 2022 |access-date=5 April 2022 |archive-date=4 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404104812/https://www.politico.eu/article/putin-merkel-germany-scholz-foreign-policy-ukraine-war-invasion-nord-stream-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Voice of America-2022">{{cite news |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/clouds-over-merkel-s-legacy-as-russian-invasion-lays-flaws-bare/6481942.html |title=Clouds Over Merkel's Legacy as Russian Invasion Lays Flaws Bare |website=Voice of America |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=12 March 2022 |access-date=5 April 2022 |archive-date=2 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220402062403/https://www.voanews.com/a/clouds-over-merkel-s-legacy-as-russian-invasion-lays-flaws-bare/6481942.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Critics argued that under her tenure, Germany and Europe was weakened by a [[Russia in the European energy sector|dependency on Russian natural gas]], including the [[Nord Stream 1]] and [[Nord Stream 2]] pipelines,<ref name="CNBCUkraine" /><ref name="PoliticoUkraine" /> and that the [[Bundeswehr|German military]] was neglected, disorganised, and underfunded.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Connolly |first1=Kate |last2=Wintour |first2=Patrick |title=Pressure mounts on German ministers to embargo Russian energy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/04/pressure-mounts-germany-embargo-russian-energy-imports |website=The Guardian |date=4 April 2022 |access-date=4 April 2022 |archive-date=4 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404154650/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/04/pressure-mounts-germany-embargo-russian-energy-imports |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Voice of America-2022" /> By late 2021, Germany was importing 55% of its gas, 34% of its oil, and 52% of its coal from Russia.<ref name="telegraph">{{cite news |author=Daniel Johnson |date=8 April 2022 |title=Angela Merkel doesn't deserve a quiet retirement |work=Telegraph |location= |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/04/08/angela-merkel-doesnt-deserve-quiet-retirement/ |url-status=live |access-date= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412212042/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/04/08/angela-merkel-doesnt-deserve-quiet-retirement/ |archive-date=12 April 2023 }}</ref>

Merkel's chancellorship has become tightly associated with the policy of [[Wandel durch Handel]], which advocates pursuing close economic ties with authoritarian governments with the goal of inducing [[democratization]]. When the ''Wandel durch Handel'' policy came under intense domestic and international scrutiny following the Russian invasion, Merkel received much of the blame,<ref name="Matthijs-2021" /><ref name="Schulz-2022" /> leading [[Politico]] to write "[n]o German is more responsible for the crisis in Ukraine than Merkel".<ref name="Karnitschnig-2022" /> Ukrainian president [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]] also blamed Merkel and then-French president [[Nicolas Sarkozy]]'s decision to block Ukraine from joining NATO in 2008 for the war; Merkel released a statement that she stands by her decision,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.dw.com/en/merkel-stands-by-past-ukraine-nato-decision-after-zelenskyy-criticism/a-61359003 |title=Merkel 'stands by' past Ukraine NATO decision after Zelenskyy criticism |website=Deutsche Welle |date=4 April 2022 |access-date=5 April 2022 |archive-date=4 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404201419/https://www.dw.com/en/merkel-stands-by-past-ukraine-nato-decision-after-zelenskyy-criticism/a-61359003 |url-status=live}}</ref> later adding that the war would have broken out earlier at a greater military disadvantage for Ukraine.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3e8y1qly52o |title=Angela Merkel defends ties with Russia and blocking Ukraine from Nato |website=BBC |date=25 November 2024 |access-date=25 November 2024 |archive-date=25 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241125062208/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3e8y1qly52o |url-status=live}}</ref>