Mrs Merkel faced a crushing defeat after the CDU voted for her to step down as leader in September, after 13 years of leading Germany’s top conservative political party. The German leader’s authority was called into question over her handling of the nation’s “open migration” policy, when she allowed 1.1 million refugees passage into Germany at the height of the European migrant crisis. It resulted in the German leader announcing she would not stand for CDU leadership at the party convention this month and as Chancellor in 2021.
However, according to 2018 DW documentary “Germany: the formation of a government”, Mrs Merkel’s authority and image was already heavily damaged during her efforts to a build a governing coalition.
The Chancellor suffered a major blow when talks with the FDB to form the next German government collapsed.
The Free Democratic Party is a pro-business party that promotes the free market economy and individual liberty.
Founded in 1948, it has been “kingmaker” to both the SPD and the CDU, serving as junior partner in coalitions with them.
Commenting on the FDP’s blow to Mrs Merkel, CSU Chairman Horst Seehofer revealed: “When it happened Angela Merkel became really grim.
“I have rarely seen her like that.
“She took it personally.
“A short time later, she told me ‘They want to get rid of me.
“‘The FDP want to get rid of Angela Merkel.’”
Christian Lindner, the FDP leader, pulled out after four weeks of talks as he claimed there was “no basis of trust” between the parties.
Mrs Merkel finally reached an agreement with her former coalition partners, the SPD, last February, after the longest period without an elected government in postwar Germany.
The SPD initially planned to go into opposition after a disastrous result in September’s election, but agreed to negotiate with Mrs Merkel’s conservatives after the FDP’s blow.
The coalition deal saw the centre-left party filling the finance, foreign and labour ministries, as well as the roles for family, justice and the environment.
Mrs Merkel had been fighting to stay in power since since her first attempt to form a coalition, but the numerous setbacks convinced her to resign.
The 64-year-old officially stepped down this month, and confirmed that she won’t stand again as Chancellor when her fourth term ends in 2021.
She gave ave an emotional speech to members gathered to say farewell and pick her successor in Hamburg.