Germany needs fresh faces to run for office: Analyst

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has assured her conservative party leaders that she will seek another term in office despite her falling approval rates and increasing public criticism of her liberal policies toward refugees.

An investigative journalist believes Merkel is one of the EU politicians who has built a career on “veering toward” being very pro-American and quite anti-Russian.

“Of course the Germans have supported the sanctions against Russia which are actually hurting their own people, benefiting US foreign policy and Israeli foreign policy, some would say, but mostly US foreign policy,” Tony Gosling told Press TV.

The analyst also stated Merkel has been failing to recognize the “shock waves” that Britain’s Brexit vote is sending around, adding that she does not seem to think that Germany can stand on its own feet.

He also argued it is really about time that Germany had some fresh faces, otherwise the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is simply going to lose in next year’s elections.

He also opined that Germany needs someone with a little bit more “charisma” and “vision” for the future.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the analyst said Merkel’s approval rating has “steadily declined” ever since she came to office and bit by bit she has been losing support amongst Germans.

The analyst further noted Merkel represents the US-EU Atlantic alliance which is “effectively big business.”

However, he said, the transatlantic alliance forces seem to be breaking down with US President-elect Donald Trump and the Brexit vote.

"Germany can only thrive, she [Merkel] seems to think by being nice to America, to be a junior partner and I think that her age is gone and the German people as the British and the French would love to do it and the Italians have said basically, look, this attitude has got to go. We need leaders in our own individual countries that are prepared to protect the rights of workers and stand as living standards for their own people rather to be part of some sort of transatlantic big business club,” he said.  

Merkel has been in office since 2005. The 62-year-old’s term has been defined as one of the most successful in German history although an open-door policy toward the refugees which allowed around 900,000 people into Germany last year seems to have taken its toll on Merkel’s popularity.

If Merkel wins another full four-year term, she would tie with the post-war record set by her predecessor and mentor Helmut Kohl, who ruled the united Germany from 1982 to 1998. 

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk