MERKEL EFFECT IN EUROPEAN CRISES: FROM "KOHL’S MÄDCHEN" TO "NOBODY’S GIRL"

Abstract

The history of European Union integration has passed through many milestones and member countries have overcome crises each time. In this context, Germany has been the most outstanding country among all member states. On the one hand, Germany has become an economic power by overcoming its historical problems, and on the other hand, it is the country that has taken responsibility for European integration. The study focuses on the Merkel era and Germany's role in the major crises of European integration during this period. Merkel was the first name that came to mind in every major crisis in the European Union. In the study, the Euro Zone crisis and the Syrian refugee crisis were defined as the main problems of the Merkel period. These fundamental problems also attract attention because they are the most prominent topics in the literature. In this context, Merkel's political career and the literature about Merkel were mentioned first. The following chapters discussed the crises mentioned and examined Merkel's attitude toward crisis management. The study differs from the literature by using the concept of “Merkel effect”. As a result, it was claimed that Merkel was the most important political figure in resolving these crises.