Whoever Germany replaces her with would almost certainly be a better version of Merkel, because the only way to replace her is an SPD-Linke-Green coalition, which would put forward someone who simultaneously backs away from the hardline austerity tearing Europe apart and the anti-Russian hysteria of the Atlanticist Right (thanks to Linke).
Yeah I agree, she represents the worst of establishment conservatism. I think it would be hard to do any worse than her at this point.
Are you sure? I think I'd be begging for Merkel to return if one of these 2 takes over, and apparently they are serious possibilities (though I think it will be Spahn in the end). I wish the zu Guttenberg scandal had never happened. I think he'd be a shoo-in for Merkel successor if he hadn't been forced to resign. And Germany badly needs a CSU Chancellor
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