I suppose Merkel is like any other leader. On some matters her influence is good and on some others, less so.

Forcing the Euro to work may be a long term good thing. Driving expansion with currency a part of the deal less so. Some currencies couldn't begin to assimilate to the Euro but were dragged in by political will rather than real value.

On the East, her influence on Russian diplomacy may be what we need to prevent too much sabre rattling on both sides. She is about the best chance we have to convince Putin that NATO isn't a threat to Russian borders. His desire to widen the distance between NATO forces and his border is in itself logical. That he is a populist who has built up his credibility on being strong requires tact and jaw jaw not war war.

The difference between her and other Western leaders is that she isn't impressed by inept military advice. Using incompetence to sort out the world hasn't worked in the middle east and won't in the old cold war zone either.

She gets that.

I am not politically aligned to her and some internal German policies under her stewardship are suspect but she is possibly the only statesman in power at present and her influence may save us all from stupidity yet.