Angela Merkel and A Look at Upcoming German Elections [ANALYSIS]

Much of Europe is eagerly anticipating the results of Germany’s Sept. 22 parliamentary elections, but this anticipation may be somewhat misplaced. Of course, Germany’s importance to Europe is well founded. It is Europe’s largest economy and its main bailout creditor to struggling eurozone countries, so Germany’s economic health is vital to the economic health of Europe as a whole. But the relationship goes both ways: Germany’s economy relies on the free trade zone and on exports, which the rest of Europe can buy only if it can afford to do so. Thus any government in Berlin (even a non Angela Merkel one) will continue to aid countries afflicted by the European crisis — even at the risk of growing domestic opposition.