Germany's Free Democrats owe their impressive election result on Sunday in part to the political weakness of Christian Democrat Angela Merkel during her first four years as chancellor, which drove voters to the FDP. Voters are hoping that a strong FDP in the government will force Merkel to become a stronger chancellor. What is the key to leadership? James Baker, now 79 years old but once the United States secretary of the treasury and later secretary of state, recently gave me his answer to the question: "To know what to do. And to do it." This second part -- the doing -- is what Angela Merkel has never delivered. She knew what needed to be done in Germany: The social security system needed to be reformed, the education system renewed and the tax system streamlined. And Germans needed to be told the truth about the shape our society is in. Unfortunately, she didn't do any of it. It was always the wrong time, in Merkel's eyes, for pushing through reforms. Immediately after the 2005 election which brought her to power, she was politically weak. Later on, she didn't want to cause trouble within the ruling "grand" coalition of her Christian Democrats with the Social Democrats. And after that, it was already too late.
Germany's Free Democrats owe their impressive election result on Sunday in part to the political weakness of Christian Democrat Angela Merkel during her first four years as chancellor, which drove voters to the FDP. Voters are hoping that a strong FDP in the government will force Merkel to become a stronger chancellor.
What is the key to leadership? James Baker, now 79 years old but once the United States secretary of the treasury and later secretary of state, recently gave me his answer to the question: "To know what to do. And to do it."
This second part -- the doing -- is what Angela Merkel has never delivered. She knew what needed to be done in Germany: The social security system needed to be reformed, the education system renewed and the tax system streamlined. And Germans needed to be told the truth about the shape our society is in.
Unfortunately, she didn't do any of it. It was always the wrong time, in Merkel's eyes, for pushing through reforms. Immediately after the 2005 election which brought her to power, she was politically weak. Later on, she didn't want to cause trouble within the ruling "grand" coalition of her Christian Democrats with the Social Democrats. And after that, it was already too late.
