We have a lot of progress in many countries, particularly those that have been through a (bailout) program we have reform efforts in Italy, I say finally ... those are important signals, we have a new course, directed toward business, in France that is good news. But we have also wasted a lot of time, and time is pressing.

Angela Merkel

Categorized in : World

Everyone wants a more simple tax system. But if this means that certain tax breaks have to be cut, people are no longer so enthusiastic.

Angela Merkel

cutting money mean

For a few years, more people have been leaving our country than entering it. Wherever it is possible, we must lower the entry hurdles for those who bring the country forward.

Angela Merkel

umpires country years

I think we can say our energy system will be the most efficient and environmentally friendly in the world.

Angela Merkel

energy friendly thinking

Politicians have to be committed to people in equal measures.

Angela Merkel

equal politician people

If we remind ourselves of the fact that every fifth American today rightly points and perhaps also with a certain degree of pride to his German ancestry or her German ancestry, we can safely say that we, indeed, share common roots.

Angela Merkel

degrees pride roots

The campaign in the media takes place in many different formats, such as in citizens forums or town - hall shows. And because we don't have a presidential system in Germany, people vote for parties instead of specific candidates. From the perspective of smaller parties, even one single televised debate is a detested anomaly, because only the lead candidates from the conservatives and the SPD take part.

Angela Merkel

perspective party people

As chancellor, I am - as it should be - constantly under the microscope from both the public and the media. It is also important to me that my staff tells me openly how they see things. And an additional good indicator is the mood in my own electoral district. When I am there, which happens frequently, no one is particularly excited or impressed anymore to meet the chancellor. People there tell me immediately what is going well and what isn't.

Angela Merkel

excited important people

I am always on duty, even when I am at party events or on vacation. I don't complain about it, on the contrary. Time management for candidates without government functions is different than it is for me. No matter where I am, I always have to have my duties as chancellor in mind.

Angela Merkel

vacation party mind

I take advantage of the ability to fly with helicopters belonging to the federal police force, and this privilege is consistent with rules that have been in place for decades. A chancellor must be accessible at all times and be in a position to execute their duties as best they can. I must have the ability to immediately return to Berlin if necessary. There are also security considerations.

Angela Merkel

consideration police duty

For my part, in everything I do, I aim to strengthen democracy in Germany and beyond. The United States is also a strong democracy. As we are seeing in Poland, for example, and also in Hungary, it is important that we have counterweights in democratic systems, and I believe they are still strong in America.

Angela Merkel

important strong believe

The plurality of German campaign formats, including the televised debates, reflect that we in Germany don't directly vote for a person like in the United States or in France, but for parties. We have a different system.

Angela Merkel

vote party different

The times when we could fully count on others are over to a certain extent.

Angela Merkel

I'm very pleased this military engagement together with a political road map that we developed, we were able to continue. We want to bring about a political solution there. We worked very closely together [with Barack Obama] on the issue of annexation of Crimea and Russia's attempt to actually conquer Ukraine and actually, they did so, conquer part of the territory. We tried to come to a peaceful settlement here on this.

Angela Merkel

ukraine russia military

There's another point that I wanted to mention here, particularly the engagement and commitment to Africa. For us Europeans, Africa as a neighboring continent is of prime importance. The development of African countries is in our very own vested interest.

Angela Merkel

engagement country commitment

We have shared those values, we continue to share those values and obviously, we will continue to cooperate with the new administration [of the U.S].

Angela Merkel

values administration share

On Russia, I can only repeat what the president [Barack Obama] said. This is all about respecting certain principles, and I'm saying this from a European vantage point, from a European, from a German vantage point, sorry, the fact that for over 70 years we have been able to enjoy peace.

Angela Merkel

russia sorry years

Foreign policy that is obviously guided by interests, but that is very much also committed to shared values, so we have a platform, democracy, freedom, respect of human rights that we would like to see respected all over the world and also, a peaceful world order.

Angela Merkel

peaceful rights order

From a German point of view, German-American and European-American relations are a pillar of our foreign policy.

Angela Merkel

pillars views relation

Just look at Poland, a sort of European perspective this has. So we have an interest in seeing this relationship be a good one. We have a lot of historical ties of course, a history that we share. But this mustn't keep us from wherever we feel there are very grave differences of opinion to raise them with them.

Angela Merkel

perspective differences ties

I feel like we are in a community of people who sign up for these values who try to maintain them and wherever they are not yet respected, to stand up for people's rights to enjoy them, as well. And this is worth every effort.

Angela Merkel

effort rights people