評論
打印
Leaders
社論
Germany
德國
Angela's exit
安格拉退出
The Merkel era has come to an end
默克爾時代已到盡頭
She is still Germany's chancellor. But, after 13 sober and admirable years at the top, Angela Merkel's authority has melted away.
默克爾雖然如今仍是德國總理，但經過了13年冷靜而又令人欽佩的總理生涯，其威信正在下降。
On October 29th, following an astonishing drubbing handed out to her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in the prosperous state of Hesse, she announced that she will step down as leader of the party in December.
10月29日，在繁榮的黑森州，德國基督教民主聯盟（以下簡稱“基民盟”）于地區議會選舉遭遇驚人慘敗后，默克爾宣布將不會在今年12月初（舉行的黨內換屆選舉上）尋求連任黨主席。
In theory, she could remain as chancellor until 2021.
理論上，她可保留總理職位至2021年。
But, as she herself remarked about her predecessor, Gerhard Schroder, who tried to buy himself time with a similar manoeuvre back in 2004, the two jobs belong together.
但正如默克爾評論施羅德時所言：這兩個職位應歸一人。2004年，上任總理格哈德·施羅德曾試圖用同樣的策略為自己爭取些時間。
Her position now is even worse than his was then.
默克爾的處境甚至比施羅德當時更糟。
Mrs Merkel's writ does not run in her own party, which recently ousted a close ally from his position as parliamentary leader in the Bundestag.
默克爾的政令在自己的政黨中不起作用，最近，基民盟將一位親密盟友從聯邦議院議長的位置上趕下。
Worse, her coalition with the Social Democrats(SPD), who were also walloped in Hesse, is at risk of collapse.
雪上加霜，默克爾與社會民主黨的聯合也在黑森州遭受重創，現在正處于分崩離析的危險之中。
Even if the SPD do not walk out in the coming days, the two parties now so thoroughly dislike each other that she will struggle to govern.
即使社民黨在未來的日子里不退出，兩黨現在已經非常不喜歡對方，默克爾將很難治理國家。
Mr Schroder lasted only 15 months after leaving his party job before being forced to call an early election, which he lost. Mrs Merkel should not expect to last any longer.
上任總理施羅德在辭去黨內職務后僅堅持了15個月，就被迫提前舉行大選，但最終以失敗告終。默克爾女士不應該這種境況持續太久。
The timing could hardly be worse.
時機再糟糕不過了。
The EU is being buffeted by Brexit and the threat of an Italian-inspired euro crisis.
歐盟正受到英國脫歐和意大利引發的歐元危機威脅的打擊。
President Donald Trump is forcing Europe to rethink its security.
美國總統唐納德·特朗普正迫使歐洲重新考慮安全問題。
When leadership is required, neither the EU nor the world should welcome a prolonged period of Teutonic paralysis.
當需要領導時，無論是歐盟還是世界都不應希望日耳曼人長期陷于癱瘓。
Quite possibly, the pace will be forced by the SPD's departure from the coalition.
社民黨退出聯盟政府很有可能將迫使其加快步伐。
Mrs Merkel also said this week that she will not fight another election and she is unlikely to stay on as head of a new coalition or a minority government.
默克爾本周還表示，她不會再參加另一場選舉，她不太可能繼續擔任新聯合政府或少數派政府的領導人。
As the lamest of ducks, she will struggle to achieve anything.
好似跛足鴨子，默克爾舉步維艱。
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