From a quantum chemist in East Germany to the "Chancellor of the Free World," this episode explores the improbable rise and enduring legacy of Angela Merkel, . We trace her journey as a pastor’s daughter who entered politics after the fall of the Berlin Wall, rising from Helmut Kohl’s protégé to become Germany’s first female Chancellor and the first leader from the former East,,.

Listen in as we analyze the defining moments of her 16-year tenure, characterized by her role as a steady "crisis manager". We discuss her handling of the 2008 financial crisis where she was credited with "saving the Euro," her controversial "We can do this" (Wir schaffen das) policy during the 2015 migrant crisis, and her science-based response to the COVID-19 pandemic,,.

Finally, we unpack the retrospective criticism facing the "Iron Chancellor" to ...