Strong leaders rise in times of crisis. For the world’s authoritarian states, that has meant more emergency powers for strongmen rulers. For Europe, that has meant the political resurgence of Angela Merkel.
Merkel’s 2015 decision to throw open Germany’s borders to 1-million Syrian refugees during the continent’s refugee crisis was as politically courageous (and for her political fortunes, unwise) as it was unpopular. After the move, her popularity took a hit across both Europe and Germany, and her political party, the CDU, paid the price for it at the polls. ..
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