Doubted at home, bypassed abroad: is Merkel´s reign nearing a frustrated end?
(The Guardian Germany)

As the row in her coalition deepens over migration, a once dominant figure is starting to look forlornFor nearly 14 years as Germany´s chancellor, Angela Merkel has defined and personified Europe´s middle ground: pragmatic, consensual, mercantilist, petit-bourgeois, above all stable. It is little wonder the leader of Mitteleuropa´s major economic power has dominated the political centre for so long.But what if Merkel falls? Can the centre hold? These are increasingly urgent questions as the once unassailable `Mutti` struggles to hold together a fractious coalition. The immediate issue, which is likely to come to a head on Monday, is a furious row over EU immigration policy. But other problems are piling up, with unpredictable consequences for Europe´s future cohesion.Trump appears to be conducting a vendetta with Germany. Is there a misogynist tinge to his behaviour? Probably. Continue reading...