Angela Merkel is right. This year saw us confronted with something entirely unexpected. That is why the chancellor focused much of her New Year's speech — the last of her chancellorship — on the coronavirus pandemic, which has defined what she called the "relentless" year of 2020.
While she briefly talked about climate change and establishing more equal living conditions in Germany towards the end of her address, everything else dealt with the virus outbreak — and, especially, with how it is shaping our lives.
Calling for solidarity
Merkel is often accused of applying an overly sober and analytical approach even to major challenges. But somewhat uncharacteristically, in early 2020, Merkel gave a speech in which she referred to what she considered to be the most important qualities now necessary in German society: solidarity and the acceptance of far-reaching coronavirus restrictions and of unprecedented measures.
In her New Year's speech, she made another appeal for this same kind of social cohesion. It comes at a time when many have grown tired of bad news and feel angry or perplexed by the chaos surrounding Germany’s vaccination program. So it was indeed vital to acknowledge the huge efforts that Germany has made in 2020 and will continue to have to make in 2021.
Putting people center-stage
In her speech, Merkel called on people to take a moment to commemorate all those who have died. She did not mince words regarding the small minority that denies the existence of the coronavirus, calling the conspiracy theories they espouse "dangerous and untrue" — and cruelly cynical towards coronavirus victims and their loved ones.
Merkel praised doctors, caregivers, bus drivers, supermarket employees, police officers, soldiers and those working in Germany’s health care facilities. She also mentioned artists and business owners fearing for their livelihoods.
Despite the general focus on the pandemic and its effects, Merkel did also very briefly hint at a hotly debated issue that had been centrally associated with her chancellorship until the outbreak began: the question of how much immigration — and how many asylum-seekers — Germany can handle. She spoke of the German company BioNtech, which developed the coronavirus vaccine now being administered across the globe. She noted that the company employs people from 60 different nations, illustrating that diversity is a force for progress. That sounded almost as if she wanted this diversity to be seen as part of her legacy.
No apologies
Anyone who expected Merkel to apologize for grave mistakes made in handling the pandemic, particularly in the past three months, will have been disappointed. Instead, she described the past 12 months as an ongoing learning process.
But she also refrained from heaping blame on German state premiers, some of whom impatiently urged the coronavirus restrictions imposed in spring to be lifted in summer.
And, refreshingly enough, she did not rail against ordinary people, as she recently did when she seemed to equate drinking mulled wine in the street with an attack on public health.
No unnecessary arguments
Merkel did not dwell on the much-debated question of who will be vaccinated in what order. Instead, in her typically rational way, she simply said: "I, too, will be vaccinated when my turn comes." By which she effectively meant: Let's not have a senseless argument over this.
Without the coronavirus crisis, Merkel might have used her final New Year's address to reflect on her 15-year tenure. Yet doing so now, in these grim times, would have been unfitting. Merkel's time in office will now be defined by whether the country will succeed in fighting this virus so that Germany can prosper once more. Success is not guaranteed, and Merkel knows this. So now is not yet the right time to take stock of her chancellorship.
This article was adapted from German.