For years, German Chancellor Angela Merkel was the strongest politician in the European Union. Lately, her hold on power has become weaker — and one of the greatest challenges is coming from within her own government.
Not long ago, German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel was traveling in southern France with a small group of other Social Democrats when they stopped off at a countryside restaurant for a bite to eat. The welcome they received was not exactly warm: “If you Germans keep going like this, you are going to ruin the EU,” the restaurant owner told them.
