BERLIN // Hit by a slump in popularity and acrimonious rifts within her government, the German chancellor Angela Merkel faces the biggest test of her political career on Wednesday when parliament elects a new president.
If the candidate she has nominated for the largely ceremonial post, Christian Wulff, fails to win a convincing majority, it would be a serious blow to her authority and the latest sign of a dramatic fall from grace since she was re-elected for a second term last September.
Mr Wulff's majority is looking shaky because even members of Mrs Merkel's own centre-right coalition regard the regional governor as an uninspiring choice compared with the rival put up by the centre-left opposition parties - Joachim Gauck, a charismatic Protestant pastor from eastern Germany who campaigned against the communist dictatorship.
The president in Germany is the head of state but his political powers are limited. He or she is elected by a parliamentary assembly of the 622 lawmakers from the lower house, or Bundestag, and an equal number of delegates appointed by the 16 regional states.
Mrs Merkel's coalition has a comfortable majority of more than 20 in the assembly. But several lawmakers within her ranks have said they prefer Mr Gauck and opinion polls show a majority of Germans back him.
Wednesday's election became necessary after the surprise resignation of the previous incumbent, Horst Köhler, who was unable to cope with a storm of criticism over remarks he made about the German military mission in Afghanistan.
Political pundits are saying Mrs Merkel would be seriously weakened if Wednesday's vote doesn't go her way, and that she might be ousted by her party or forced to call a new election if Mr Wulff loses.
At this stage, such speculation looks exaggerated. But it would be difficult for her to repair the damage, and there would be serious doubt about whether she would win a third term.
"If Wulff doesn't get elected it will be the beginning of the end of the coalition," Professor Gerd Langguth, Mrs Merkel's biographer, said in an interview.
Mrs Merkel's decline has been surprising since she cruised to victory in last September's election after a successful first term in which she gained a reputation as an astute leader both at home and in the rest of Europe.
But in recent months there has been a growing impression that she is losing her touch.
The ?80 billion (Dh363bn) austerity programme she announced this month has drawn fire even from within her own ranks for being socially unjust by cutting benefits for the unemployed and refraining from hiking taxes on the rich.
And she is failing to restore order in her fractious coalition of conservatives and pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) who have taken to hurling public abuse at each other over disagreements on healthcare reform, taxation and the future of nuclear power.
In the last few weeks, senior officials from the ruling parties have described each other as "wild pigs" and a "bunch of idiots" and the defence minister, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, was dismissed by one fellow conservative as "Rumpelstiltskin" for his insistence on scrapping military service. Rumpelstiltskin is a fairy tale dwarf who hopped about angrily and put his foot through the floor when he didn't get what he wanted.
"Mrs Merkel's success in the past has stemmed from the fact that she was in synch with the mainstream, but now she has had to take some deeply unpopular decisions for the first time," said Mr Langguth.
"In addition, she hasn't managed to identify a common theme for her coalition. She hasn't said what she really wants. She often just waits to see which way the political wind is blowing before taking a decision."
In other parts of Europe too, the woman once feted as "Mrs Europe" has lost many of the admirers she made in her first term. Known for skillful mediation and tactical shrewdness, Mrs Merkel displayed an unusual lack of judgment in her handling of the Greek debt crisis.
Her hesitant response to calls for a bailout to protect the euro single currency damaged Germany's standing as a reliable partner in the EU and weakened her leadership in Europe, even though she ended up pledging the lion's share - ?170 billion - towards rescue packages for Greece and the euro zone.
Mrs Merkel's tough line on Greece also failed to score points with voters at home and her Christian Democrat party lost power in the large state of North Rhine-Westphalia in an election in May. That has deprived her of a majority in the upper house of parliament and will make it harder for her to get legislation passed.
Opinion polls have shown a sharp drop in Mrs Merkel's approval ratings and in support for her party. A survey by the Infratest institute in mid-June showed only 40 per cent of Germans were satisfied with her performance, down eight points from the beginning of the month. It was her worst rating since she became chancellor in 2005.
If an election were held now, her coalition would no longer have a majority, polls show. In fact that is the reason she is likely to survive Wednesday's vote even if Mr Wulff were to lose. The prospect of calling and losing an election could restore discipline in her ranks for the time being and thwart a leadership challenge.
"If Mr Wulff loses there are two possibilities: either the coalition will get its act together or the in-fighting will increase. This could be Mrs Merkel's twilight," said Mr Langguth.
foreign.desk@thenational.ae
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
DMZ facts
- The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
- It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
- The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
- It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
- Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
- Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
- Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012.
- Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
KINGDOM%20OF%20THE%20PLANET%20OF%20THE%20APES
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Company%20Profile
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The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
Company%20Profile
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MATCH INFO
Arsenal 1 (Aubameyang 12’) Liverpool 1 (Minamino 73’)
Arsenal win 5-4 on penalties
Man of the Match: Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal)
Four-day collections of TOH
Day Indian Rs (Dh)
Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)
Friday 280.25m (14.12m)
Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)
Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)
Total 1.19bn (59.15m)
(Figures in millions, approximate)
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Abu Dhabi card
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 2,400m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 2,200m
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
The National selections:
5pm: Valcartier
5.30pm: AF Taraha
6pm: Dhafra
6.30pm: Maqam
7pm: AF Mekhbat
7.30pm: Ezz Al Rawasi
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche
“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox
“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite
“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy
“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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More on animal trafficking
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
The Outsider
Stephen King, Penguin
Company%20profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eco%20Way%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Kroshnyi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electric%20vehicles%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bootstrapped%20with%20undisclosed%20funding.%20Looking%20to%20raise%20funds%20from%20outside%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
