IF Merkel is "forced out" soon... then what?

[Lechasseur]

Macron, probably. He's already trying to get the driver's seat in the EU.

Agreed, I think Macron will take over Merkel's role even if she stays in office (which for the moment is by far the most likely thing) because she's pretty weakened now

[Lechasseur]

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.

[Lechasseur]

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.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ursula_von_der_Leyen
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annegret_Kramp-Karrenbauer

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 .

OK I agree with you here, you're right on all these points.