Editing Angela Merkel (section)

==== 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>