Editing Angela Merkel (section)

==Personal life==
{{Main|Family of Angela Merkel}}
[[File:Pedro Sánchez y Angela Merkel 02.jpg|thumb|Spanish Prime Minister [[Pedro Sánchez]], [[Begoña Gómez]], Merkel, and her husband [[Joachim Sauer]], 2018]]

In 1977, at the age of 23, Merkel, then Angela Kasner, married physics student Ulrich Merkel (born 1953)<ref>{{cite web |title=Eines Tages zog sie aus |url=https://www.focus.de/politik/deutschland/deutschland-eines-tages-zog-sie-aus_aid_200326.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508201712/https://www.focus.de/politik/deutschland/deutschland-eines-tages-zog-sie-aus_aid_200326.html |archive-date=8 May 2019 |access-date=8 May 2019 |website=FOCUS Online}}</ref> and took his surname. The couple divorced in 1982.<ref>{{cite web |title=Biographie: Angela Merkel, geb. 1954 |url=http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/MerkelAngela/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225210100/http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/MerkelAngela/index.html |archive-date=25 February 2009 |access-date=2 March 2010 |work=DHM}}</ref> Her second and current husband is quantum chemist and professor [[Joachim Sauer]], who has largely avoided media attention during and after Merkel's political career.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Huggler |first=Justin |date=27 May 2016 |title=Rare sighting of Angela Merkel's publicity-shy husband at G7 summit |language=en-GB |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/27/rare-sighting-of-angela-merkels-publicity-shy-husband-at-g7-summ/ |access-date=21 July 2023 |issn=0307-1235 |archive-date=27 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527134105/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/27/rare-sighting-of-angela-merkels-publicity-shy-husband-at-g7-summ/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Adam |title=We Pretty Much Only Know These 8 Things About Angela Merkel's Husband |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/we-pretty-much-only-know-these-8-things-about-angela-merkels-husband-2012-5 |access-date=21 July 2023 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US |archive-date=19 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519042220/https://www.businessinsider.com/we-pretty-much-only-know-these-8-things-about-angela-merkels-husband-2012-5 |url-status=live}}</ref> They first met in 1981<ref>{{cite news |last1=Uhlmann |first1=Stefan |date=14 August 2009 |title=Joachim Sauer, das Phantom an Merkels Seite |language=de |newspaper=[[Die Zeit]] |url=https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article4321502/Joachim-Sauer-das-Phantom-an-Merkels-Seite.html |url-status=live |access-date=11 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090816001253/http://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article4321502/Joachim-Sauer-das-Phantom-an-Merkels-Seite.html |archive-date=16 August 2009}}</ref> and married in 1998.<ref>{{cite web |date=6 September 2017 |title=Angela Merkel's journey from 'Mädchen' to 'Mutti' |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-election-angela-merkel-journey-from-madchen-to-mutti/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608215834/https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-election-angela-merkel-journey-from-madchen-to-mutti/ |archive-date=8 June 2023 |access-date=8 June 2023 |website=[[Politico]]}}</ref> Merkel has no children, but Sauer has two adult sons from a previous marriage.<ref>{{cite news |last=Klatell |first=James M |date=9 August 2006 |title=Germany's First Fella, Angela Merkel Is Germany's Chancellor; But Her Husband Stays Out of the Spotlight |work=CBS News |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/08/09/world/main1879305.shtml |url-status=dead |access-date=2 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060810174558/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/08/09/world/main1879305.shtml |archive-date=10 August 2006}}</ref>

Having grown up in East Germany, Merkel learned Russian at school. She was able to speak informally to Vladimir Putin in Russian but conducted diplomatic dialogue through an interpreter. She rarely spoke English in public, but delivered a small section of an address to the British Parliament in English in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ward |first1=Lucy |date=25 September 2014 |title=Polyglots and insults: how our European leaders use language |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/sep/25/polyglots-and-insults-how-our-european-leaders-use-language |url-status=live |access-date=9 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211209135921/https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/sep/25/polyglots-and-insults-how-our-european-leaders-use-language |archive-date=9 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=27 February 2014 |title=Angela Merkel speaks to UK Parliament in English about EU |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-26371443 |url-status=live |access-date=9 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211209140520/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-26371443 |archive-date=9 December 2021}}</ref>

Merkel is a fervent [[association football|football]] fan and was known to listen to games while in the Bundestag and to attend games of the [[Germany national football team|national team]] in her official capacity, including [[2014 FIFA World Cup final|Germany's 1–0 victory against Argentina in the 2014 World Cup Final]].<ref>{{cite news |date=15 March 2013 |title=Angela Merkel im Fußballfieber |language=de |newspaper=Focus |url=http://www.focus.de/kultur/vermischtes/angela-merkel-angela-merkel-im-fussballfieber_aid_940637.html |url-status=live |access-date=24 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521134823/http://www.focus.de/kultur/vermischtes/angela-merkel-angela-merkel-im-fussballfieber_aid_940637.html |archive-date=21 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=23 June 2012 |title=Kanzlerin Merkel kommt erst wieder zum Finale |url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/fussball-nationalmannschaft-kanzlerin-merkel-kommt-erst-wieder-zum-finale/6790336.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120627125955/http://www.handelsblatt.com/fussball-nationalmannschaft-kanzlerin-merkel-kommt-erst-wieder-zum-finale/6790336.html |archive-date=27 June 2012 |access-date=24 March 2013 |work=Handelsblatt |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Camargo |first=Marcelo |date=25 January 2014 |title=Germany chancellor and president to watch final at Maracanã |url=http://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/en/geral/noticia/2014-07/germany-chancellor-and-president-watch-final-maracana |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714155301/http://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/en/geral/noticia/2014-07/germany-chancellor-and-president-watch-final-maracana |archive-date=14 July 2014 |access-date=11 July 2014 |publisher=Agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br}}</ref>

Merkel has stated that her favorite film is ''[[The Legend of Paul and Paula]]'', an East German movie released in 1973.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Merkel reveals politically explosive favorite film |url=https://www.dw.com/en/merkel-reveals-politically-explosive-favorite-film/a-16811402 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215022257/https://www.dw.com/en/merkel-reveals-politically-explosive-favorite-film/a-16811402 |archive-date=15 December 2018 |access-date=14 December 2018 |publisher=Deutsche Welle |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Merkel has a fear of dogs, which developed after she was attacked by one in 1995.<ref name="CNN Putin">{{cite news |last=Hume |first=Tim |title=Putin: I didn't mean to scare Angela Merkel with dog |publisher=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/12/europe/putin-merkel-scared-dog/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=20 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507083940/https://www.cnn.com/2016/01/12/europe/putin-merkel-scared-dog/index.html |archive-date=7 May 2019}}</ref> Vladimir Putin brought in his [[Labrador Retriever]] during a press conference in 2007. Putin claims he did not mean to scare her, though Merkel later observed, "I understand why he has to do this – to prove he's a man. ... He's afraid of his own weakness."<ref name="CNN Putin" />

Since 2017, Merkel has occasionally been seen shaking visibly on several public occasions, recovering shortly afterwards.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Oltermann |first1=Philip |date=10 July 2019 |title=Angela Merkel says she is in good health after third shaking bout |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/10/angela-merkel-seen-shaking-for-third-time |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711003443/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/10/angela-merkel-seen-shaking-for-third-time |archive-date=11 July 2019 |access-date=11 July 2019 |website=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=10 July 2019 |title=Angela Merkel shaking: I'm well, she says, despite third incident |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-48938691 |url-status=live |access-date=11 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710230534/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-48938691 |archive-date=10 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Berlin |first1=Oliver Moody |date=11 July 2019 |title=Concerns grow as Merkel suffers third bout of shaking |newspaper=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/russia-ukraine-war/article/concerns-grow-as-merkel-suffers-third-bout-of-shaking-cl7389z7p |url-status=live |access-date=11 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711023333/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/concerns-grow-as-merkel-suffers-third-bout-of-shaking-cl7389z7p |archive-date=11 July 2019}}</ref> After one such occasion, she attributed the shaking to dehydration, saying that she felt better after a drink of water.<ref>{{cite web |author=Philip Oltermann |date=27 June 2019 |title=Angela Merkel seen shaking for second time in just over a week |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/27/angela-merkel-seen-shaking-second-time-just-over-week-germany |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627104303/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/27/angela-merkel-seen-shaking-second-time-just-over-week-germany |archive-date=27 June 2019 |access-date=27 June 2019 |newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref>

In September 2021, after evading the question for most of her career, Merkel said that she considered herself a [[Feminism|feminist]]. The statement came in a conference along with Nigerian writer and feminist [[Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie]].<ref>{{cite news |date=9 September 2021 |title=Germany's Angela Merkel declares 'yes, I am a feminist' |work=[[Deutsche Welle]] |url=https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-angela-merkel-declares-yes-i-am-a-feminist/a-59127993 |url-status=live |access-date=9 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210908225051/https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-angela-merkel-declares-yes-i-am-a-feminist/a-59127993 |archive-date=8 September 2021}}</ref>

Since her retirement, Merkel has commented on the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]] but has otherwise limited her involvement in political matters. She has instead focused on travelling, attending only "feel-good events" ({{Lang|de|Wohlfühltermine}}) in a private capacity.<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 June 2022 |title=Angela Merkel über Kanzlerschaft und Ruhestand: »Jetzt bin ich frei« |language=de |work=Der Spiegel |url=https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/angela-merkel-ueber-kanzlerschaft-und-ruhestand-jetzt-bin-ich-frei-a-913bd7c5-9155-472d-a9bb-34d809858767 |url-status=live |access-date=4 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221014021811/https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/angela-merkel-ueber-kanzlerschaft-und-ruhestand-jetzt-bin-ich-frei-a-913bd7c5-9155-472d-a9bb-34d809858767 |archive-date=14 October 2022 |issn=2195-1349}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=19 June 2022 |title=Angela Merkel: So genießt die Alt-Kanzlerin ihre Rente |url=https://www.gala.de/stars/news/angela-merkel--so-geniesst-die-alt-kanzlerin-ihre-rente--22874066.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604095650/https://www.gala.de/stars/news/angela-merkel--so-geniesst-die-alt-kanzlerin-ihre-rente--22874066.html |archive-date=4 June 2023 |access-date=4 June 2023 |website=gala.de |language=de}}</ref>

Merkel reportedly "detested" U.S. President Donald Trump, according to ''Politico'', citing a forthcoming book by [[Jonathan Karl]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bade |first=Rachael |authorlink=Rachael Bade |date=11 November 2023 |title=Playbook: Why Congress could sleepwalk into a shutdown |work=Politico |url=https://www.politico.com/playbook |access-date=11 November 2023 |archive-date=19 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519042220/https://www.businessinsider.com/we-pretty-much-only-know-these-8-things-about-angela-merkels-husband-2012-5 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Religion===
[[File:Ev Kirchentag 2011 in Dresden 71.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Merkel speaking at the 2011 [[German Protestant Church Assembly]] in [[Dresden]]]]
Angela Merkel is a [[Lutheran]] member of the [[Evangelical Church in Berlin, Brandenburg and Silesian Upper Lusatia]] ({{langx|de|link=no|Evangelische Kirche Berlin-Brandenburg-schlesische Oberlausitz – EKBO}}), a [[United and uniting churches|United]] [[Protestant]] (i.e. both [[Reformed tradition|Reformed]] and Lutheran) [[Landeskirche|church body]] under the umbrella of the [[Protestant Church in Germany]]. The EKBO is a member of the [[Union of Protestant Churches in the EKD]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Bundeskanzlerin Merkel ohne fertige Antworten in Templin |url=https://www.rbb-online.de/panorama/beitrag/2014/10/Brandenburg-Feiertage-Reformationstag-Gottesdienste-Merkel-in-Templin.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161123192100/https://www.rbb-online.de/panorama/beitrag/2014/10/Brandenburg-Feiertage-Reformationstag-Gottesdienste-Merkel-in-Templin.html |archive-date=23 November 2016 |access-date=1 December 2015}}</ref> Before the 2004 merger of the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg and the Evangelical Church in Silesian Upper Lusatia, Merkel belonged to the former. In 2012, Merkel said, regarding her faith: "I am a member of the Protestant Church. I believe in God and religion is also my constant companion, and has been for the whole of my life. We as Christians should above all not be afraid of standing up for our beliefs."<ref>{{cite web |last=Spencer |first=Nick |date=6 January 2016 |title=Angela Merkel: How Germany's Iron Chancellor is shaped by her Christianity {{pipe}} Christian News on Christian Today |url=https://www.christiantoday.com/article/angela.merkel.how.germanys.iron.chancellor.is.shaped.by.her.christianity/75803.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331121013/https://www.christiantoday.com/article/angela.merkel.how.germanys.iron.chancellor.is.shaped.by.her.christianity/75803.htm |archive-date=31 March 2017 |access-date=5 April 2017 |publisher=Christiantoday.com}} <br />{{Cite web |date=3 November 2012 |title=Video Podcast of the German Chancellor #37/2012 |url=http://www.bundesregierung.de/Content/DE/Podcast/2012/2012-11-03-Video-Podcast/links/download-PDF.pdf?__blob=publicationFile |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170511061827/http://www.bundesregierung.de/Content/DE/Podcast/2012/2012-11-03-Video-Podcast/links/download-PDF.pdf?__blob=publicationFile |archive-date=11 May 2017 |access-date=6 April 2017 |language=de |quote=Ich bin Mitglied der evangelischen Kirche. Ich glaube an Gott, und die Religion ist auch mein ständiger Begleiter – eigentlich in meinem ganzen Leben – gewesen.}}</ref> She also publicly declared that Germany suffers not from "too much Islam" but "too little Christianity".<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 September 2011 |title=Bericht der Vorsitzenden der CDU Deutschlands Bundeskanzlerin Dr. Angela Merkel MdB |trans-title=Report of the Chairwoman of the German CDU Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel |url=http://www.karlsruhe2010.cdu.de/images/stories/docs/101115-Rede-Merkel.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180930023812/http://www.karlsruhe2010.cdu.de/images/stories/docs/101115-Rede-Merkel.pdf |archive-date=30 September 2018 |access-date=6 April 2017 |language=de |quote=Es ist doch nicht so, dass wir ein Zuviel an Islam haben, sondern wir haben ein Zuwenig an Christentum.}}</ref>