“Not once or twice but three times there has been reason to wonder this year whether Europe could continue to exist, not culturally or geographically but as a historic experiment in ambitious statecraft,” wrote TIME Editor Nancy Gibbs describing Merkel. “You can agree with her or not, but she is not taking the easy road.”
The not-so-easy road has had Merkel facing divisions within her own party as Germany comes under the strain of accepting refugees fleeing conflicts in countries including Syria. Her approval rating has fallen to its lowest in four years linked to her firm stance with an open-arms refugee policy. She has faced accusations from German politicians of allowing “uncontrolled immigration” and leading the country as a “careless skier” for allowing an avalanche of people to cross the country’s borders.
“The chancellor has the situation under control and the overall government too,” Merkel said in an interview with ZDF broadcaster in November. “But we have very special, very challenging times.”
A partner of Merkel’s own Christian Democratic Union party has threatened to take her to court if immigration is not controlled. TIME also cited Merkel’s role as a European power broker managing debt crises and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression in Ukraine.
Islamic State leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi was named second on this year’s list, followed by U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
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