Germans put their trust in 'Mutti'
Angela Merkel was the undisputable winner of Germany's recent elections - she led her party, the Christian Democratic Union, to gaining an unprecedented 41 percent of the vote. German voters favor her calm and firm approach, finding her pragmatic and conciliatory politics appealing in times of turbulence. The caring and modesty she shows have formed her into a maternal figure for Germany - many consider Merkel the country's mother, or "Mutti" in German.
Her private life, however, is largely kept private - not many know that Merkel enjoys opera and hiking. Merkel's roots in eastern Germany and previous career as a physicist have also shaped her personality.
DW's profile of Angela Merkel provides insight into this and more - including why she uses the "rhombus," Merkel's signature hand position.