For a leader who has steered Europe through two economic meltdowns, a migration crisis and a simmering showdown with Russia, Angela Merkel¡¯s final act as German chancellor may be her biggest performance yet.
Germany takes over the European Union¡¯s rotating six-month presidency Wednesday as the 27-member bloc¡¯s economy is forecast to contract 7.4 percent, the U.K. has left the bloc, and countries continue to struggle with the coronavirus. And that¡¯s on top of an expected trade escalation with the U.S. that could involve new tariffs on billions of dollars of EU exports.
¡°We¡¯re aware that Germany¡¯s presidency comes with great expectations,¡± Merkel said in a weekly podcast Saturday.
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