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Letter from Berlin

Merkel's Disappearing Act

By Charles Hawley

Germans are beginning to wonder what happened to their chancellor. Angela Merkel seemed decisive and resolute earlier in her term. Now, though, the silence from Berlin has become deafening.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was full of praise for his foreign guest on Tuesday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he said, is "a great statesman," and "a great friend of our country." He said he expects her to take a leading role in globalization. And he granted her a pompous reception complete with honor guard and a visit to the grave of national hero Mahatma Gandhi.

But while Merkel was basking in the glow of Indian hospitality, critics were busy preparing a rough homecoming for the chancellor. More and more politicians, pundits and industry leaders are slamming Merkel for a perceived lack of leadership and a reluctance to weigh in on some of the most controversial issues of the day. Even worse, many aren't even sure where Merkel, who came into office promising radical reforms, is to be found on the political spectrum.

"Since coming into office on the strength of a neo-liberal course, Merkel has since moved in the direction of social democracy," said Renate Künast, floor leader for the opposition Green party, in a Tuesday interview with the magazine Super Illu. "But one doesn't really know what Merkel and her party really stand for anymore."

No Guidance

Of particular concern has been Merkel's relative silence on the recent left turn made by her Social Democratic (SPD) coalition partners. At a party convention last weekend, SPD leader Kurt Beck solidified his calls for greater unemployment benefits. Aside from a brief barb tossed at the SPD ("We had enough of socialism in East Germany," she remarked), Merkel has said little about how she might deal with her newly left-leaning coalition partners.

There are many other issues in Merkel's inbox, however, and this week, the silence has become deafening. The years-long attempt by Germany's rail company Deutsche Bahn to go public is floundering -- and Merkel has said nothing. The Social Democrats have called for a reintroduction of tax benefits for commuters, throwing Merkel's conservatives on the defensive. There has been no guidance from their leader.

Germany's chancellor has even remained silent on the recent strengthening of US economic sanctions against Iran -- measures that may penalize countries that continue to do business with the Iranians. Last year, Germany did €4.12 billion ($6 billion) worth of trade with Iran. But whereas some in Europe have spent much of October wondering aloud if Europe should also up the pressure on Tehran, Merkel has once again chosen to keep quiet.

Indeed, this week's trip to India couldn't come at a worse time for the chancellor. She spent Tuesday in talks with Indian Prime Minister Singh and pledged to double German trade with India's booming economy by 2012. Merkel also promised €210 million ($304 million) to help promote energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in India. But she has been accused of travelling abroad to avoid problems at home.

'All Hell Breaking Loose'

"It is, of course, good that Ms. Merkel speaks clearly while on foreign soil and takes clear positions," opposition politician Dirk Niebel of the Free Democrats told Bild Zeitung on Wednesday. "But it would be better if she were to do that at home as well. Especially now that her coalition partners at the SPD have headed to the left, all hell is breaking loose in Germany -- and she is travelling through India."

The vehemence of the current criticism is a novelty for the Merkel administration. For much of her first 18 months in office, she was the international community's darling. Not only was she able to midwife a vital European Union compromise that allowed the 27-member block to move forward on a new reform treaty, but her focus on climate change at both the European Union and G-8 levels have earned her kudos.

Now, though, even the foreign press is getting into a Merkel-bashing mood. The US magazine Newsweek just published a cover story -- a collection of essays by German journalists and politicians -- blasting the German chancellor for shying away from domestic reforms and avoiding almost every controversial issue that comes up. Both the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times have also taken recent swipes in the direction of Berlin. It is also not clear that her environmental activism will ever amount to much.

Merkel arrives back in Germany on Thursday, following a day of discussing minority rights in India and attending an event at Deutsche Bank in Mumbai. When she gets back, the clamoring for action will likely be deafening.

But at least she managed to get one thing cleared off her desk before she headed for South Asia. On the weekend, the Social Democrats decided they were in favor of a speed limit on Germany's autobahn as a way to reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. "That won't happen with me," Merkel said. Clear words at last.