German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called 2020 the most difficult year of her leadership in what is likely to be her last New Year’s speech.
Merkel made the statement during an unusual emotional speech, Reuters reports. Merkel is currently serving her fourth and final term as chancellor.
“I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say: I’ve never found the old year so hard in the last 15 years and never, despite all the worries and a certain skepticism, have I waited for the new one with so much hope,” he said. Merkel.
Merkel has been praised throughout the pandemic, Reuters notes, for her strong commitment to science and her success in fighting the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2018, Merkel announced that she will not seek re-election at the end of her term and will resign in 2021.
“I can only imagine how bitter it must feel for loved ones lost by the crown or who have to fight the repercussions of a disease when the virus is challenged and denied by some hopeless individuals,” Merkel said.
Merkel adopted new stricter restrictions on coronavirus in early December, citing the record number of cases observed in Germany. The new restrictions canceled personal schooling, limited indoor gatherings to a maximum of 5 people and closed most non-essential stores.
Germany was one of the first European nations to start a second blockade in the winter, when coronavirus cases began to grow. France, Italy and the United Kingdom followed suit.
Reuters notes that although Merkel will not seek re-election, there is a chance she will remain in power until 2022 if the September elections in Germany continue beyond December.