Angela Merkel

Angela Dorothea Merkel (born July 17, 1954 in Hamburg) is a German politician and the conservative opposition's candidate to become Chancellor of Germany in the German federal election, 2005. "Angie" is another popular nickname for Merkel, used by supporters.

Quotes

• Merkel is of the opinion that the EU has failed to define its common interests "for the (commercial) battles of the future" now that Europe's Cold War priorities of keeping "peace and freedom" have been achieved. "This is where I think Europe needs to learn a lot, not to concentrate too much on whether bicycle paths are built the same way in Portugal and north-west Germany."
• Domestically, Merkel has advocated change in the country's consensual model: "In Germany, we are always facing the danger that we are a little bit too slow. We have to speed up our changes."
• "The state has to be the gardener, not the fence."