Merkel's Quotes

#1. Over the weekend it came out that the U.S. has been listening in on German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cellphone since 2002. At this point, I feel like the only world leader our government DOESN'T listen to is President Obama.

Jimmy Fallon

#2. I suspect Obama did not know he was recording Angela Merkel's cell phones.

Peter Thiel

#3. The euro is our common fate, and Europe is our common future.

Angela Merkel

#4. Eurobonds are absolutely wrong. In order to bring about common interest rates, you need similar competitiveness levels, similar budget situations. You don't get them by collectivizing debts.

Angela Merkel

#5. In Munich, Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, a rare European NATO leader who has a clear picture of events, told Merkel that the choice was "surrender or arm Ukraine" - to no effect.

Anonymous

#6. I never underestimated myself. And I never saw anything wrong with ambition.

Angela Merkel

#7. I am courageous at the decisive moment. But I need a good deal of start-up time, and I try to take as much as possible into consideration beforehand.

Angela Merkel

#8. Overcoming the Cold War required courage from the people of Central and Eastern Europe and what was then the German Democratic Republic, but it also required the steadfastness of Western partner over many decades when many had long lost hope of integration of the two Germanys and Europe.

Angela Merkel

#9. If Europe today accounts for just over 7 per cent of the world's population, produces around 25 per cent of global GDP and has to finance 50 per cent of global social spending, then it's obvious that it will have to work very hard to maintain its prosperity and way of life,

Angela Merkel

#10. Freedom is the very essence of our economy and society. Without freedom the human mind is prevented from unleashing its creative force. But what is also clear is that this freedom does not stand alone. It is freedom in responsibility and freedom to exercise responsibility.

Angela Merkel

#11. Ukraine must be permitted to bring their own relief supplies safely to areas in the east of the country that are controlled by the separatists.

Angela Merkel

#12. You can much better have an influence on the debate when you sit at the bargaining table and you can give input.

Angela Merkel

#13. There are 1600 German companies active in India, and some of them are more than 100 years old. Our companies value India as a location for manufacturing and as a market.

Angela Merkel

#14. Solidarity and competitiveness are the two sides of a European coin.

Angela Merkel

#15. Whatever happened during the French presidential campaign will leave no hard feelings. I perfectly understand why Angela Merkel supported Nicolas Sarkozy because of the action they have taken together, even though I have questioned its results, and because of their shared political sensibility.

Francois Hollande

#16. That is why everyone in politics, and we do it, must make sure that they do not depend on one single interest group. A good compromise is one where everybody makes a contribution.

Angela Merkel

#17. Ladies, it is not your education, status or personality that has brought you here but the elegance of God which was still and still working upon you.

Angela Merkel

#18. For somebody who comes from Europe, I can only say if we give up this principle of territorial integrity of countries, then we will not be able to maintain the peaceful order of Europe that we've been able to achieve.

Angela Merkel

#19. Whenever you have political conflict, such as the one that we have now between Russia and Ukraine, but also in many other conflicts around the world, it has always proved to be right to try again and again to solve such a conflict.

Angela Merkel

#20. The digital world creates situation where there are no secrets anymore.

Angela Merkel

#21. The 'community method' can only be applied in those areas in which the European Union actually has competence. Where the community has no competence, the 'community method' clearly cannot be applied.

Angela Merkel

#22. This multicultural approach, saying that we simply live side by side and live happily with each other has failed. Utterly failed.

Angela Merkel

#23. It will not be possible to solve the current crisis with euro bonds.

Angela Merkel

#24. The only thing the East German system taught us was that we should never do it that way again.

Angela Merkel

#25. Only our own strength, a strong conservative party, can prevent Red-Red-Green from taking power at the federal level in 2017.

Angela Merkel

#26. I never felt the GDR was my home country.

Angela Merkel

#27. There's a rumour going around that states cannot go bankrupt. This rumour is not true.

Angela Merkel

#28. We will have to accept a certain degree of legal immigration; that's globalisation ... In the era of the smartphone, we cannot shut ourselves away ... people know full well how we live in Europe.

Angela Merkel

#29. At the beginning of the 60's our country called the foreign workers to come to Germany and now they live in our country. We kidded ourselves a while, we said: 'They won't stay, sometime they will be gone.' But this isn't reality.

Angela Merkel

#30. As a woman with strong opinions talking about technology and politics is not always welcome in Germany. Nope, it's more like having a great cheerleader team behind me. People who follow my journey know I have a slightly colorful personality. The rest skipped out long ago.

Angela Merkel

#31. We have to ensure politically that what's doable can indeed by translated into law, but what's not doable mustn't become European law. Otherwise, the auto industry will work somewhere with higher carbon emissions - and we can't want that.

Angela Merkel

#32. We all want to be honest and draw lessons from the past, the WHO is the only international organization that has universal political legitimacy on global health issues. This is why it's so important to render its structures more efficient.

Angela Merkel

#33. Germany's Angela Merkel exudes an atmosphere of elderly exhaustion and pooped-out pessimism. Britain's David Cameron, though by nature exuberant, feels he has to look and sound glum. And France's leader, Francois Hollande, seems determined to drive every successful businessman out of the country.

Paul Johnson

#34. I don't carry any early childhood trauma around with me, if that's what you're hinting at. The story of the bicycles - and there were three of them which were stolen from me - I've dealt with it well.

Angela Merkel

#35. It's my damn duty and obligation to do everything possible for Europe to find a united path.

Angela Merkel

#36. Today's Russia is not to be compared with the Soviet Union of back then.

Angela Merkel

#37. I might bend, but I will NEVER break because it's in my nature as a strong woman.

Angela Merkel

#38. It's not five minutes to midnight. It's five minutes after midnight.

Angela Merkel

#39. Don't get bogged down by life and other people's problems or hang ups.

Angela Merkel

#40. The way I lived my life, I truly wasn't an active resistance fighter.

Angela Merkel

#41. We've stated very clearly that no negotiating chapters between the European Union and Turkey will be concluded before the Ankara Protocol is complied with: that's to say before Turkey grants all E.U. member states, including Cyprus, access to its ports.

Angela Merkel

#42. Germany's strength lies largely in the fact that the Federal Republic is a center of industry and that it's an export nation.

Angela Merkel

#43. What do you do when other countries' intelligence agencies give you information and you aren't entirely certain about its source? Simply ignore it? That's impossible. We have a duty to guarantee the safety of our citizens.

Angela Merkel

#44. During the course of 1989, more and more East Germans lost their fears of the state's repression and chicanery and went out on the streets. There was no turning back then. It is thanks to their courage the Wall was opened.

Angela Merkel

#45. An institution like Guantanamo in its present form cannot and must not exist in the long term. We must find different ways of dealing with prisoners. As far as I'm concerned there's no question about that.

Angela Merkel

#46. There are achievements of European integration that cannot be haggled over: for example the principle of free movement and the principle of non-discrimination.

Angela Merkel

#47. There is no doubt the NATO-Russia Act should remain valid.

Angela Merkel

#48. Information obtained under dubious circumstances cannot play a role in legal proceedings in a constitutional state. But everything that's available must be taken into account in threat prevention.

Angela Merkel

#49. For me, personally, marriage is a man and a woman living together.

Angela Merkel

#50. I always wanted to know what I'd face next, even though that was maybe a bit detrimental to spontaneity. Structuring my life and avoiding chaos was more important.

Angela Merkel

#51. The people in East Germany have lived through so many changes in the last 15 years like never before in the country, and they did this often with great enthusiasm. But in the West we also have a high degree of transformations.

Angela Merkel

#52. I believe that we will move forward a little tomorrow but I have my doubts that we will achieve a result.

Angela Merkel

#53. Our relationship with the United States is not reduced to questions of fighting terrorism and the Iraq war. German-American relations were so good for so many years because they extended deeply into the normal lives of people.

Angela Merkel

#54. The US military has achieved a decisive blow against al-Qaeda with its commando action against Osama Bin Laden and his killing.

Angela Merkel

#55. This (multicultural) approach has failed, utterly failed,

Angela Merkel

#56. To grow up in the neighborhood of handicapped people was an important experience for me. I learned back then to treat them in a very normal way.

Angela Merkel

#57. We feel bound to the Christian image of humanity - that is what defines us. Those who do not accept this are in the wrong place here.

Angela Merkel

#58. In many regions, war and terror prevail. States disintegrate. For many years, we have read about this. We have heard about it. We have seen it on TV. But we had not yet sufficiently understood that what happens in Aleppo and Mosul can affect Essen or Stuttgart. We have to face that now.

Angela Merkel

#59. The Freedom Bell in Berlin is, like the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, a symbol which reminds us that freedom does not come about of itself. It must be struggled for and then defended anew every day of our lives.

Angela Merkel

#60. I said, yet again, for Germany, Europe is not only indispensable, it is part and parcel of our identity. We've always said German unity, European unity and integration, that's two parts of one and the same coin. But we want, obviously, to boost our competitiveness.

Angela Merkel

#61. Very early, it became clear to me that East Germany could not function.

Angela Merkel

#62. It is nonsense to say that Germans are unable to change.

Angela Merkel

#63. Freedom does not mean being free of something, but to be free to do something.

Angela Merkel

#64. Hatred, racism, and extremism have no place in this country.

Angela Merkel

#65. The personal question has to be cleared up relatively quickly and it has to be accepted by the SPD that Angela Merkel will be chancellor.

Edmund Stoiber

#66. That makes me think of the 2002 World Cup Final above all else. Nobody thought at the time that our team would get through to the Final against Brazil. We should remember that this summer.

Angela Merkel

#67. I feel sorry sometimes for these sportsmen and women who put in just as much effort as the footballers. For example, athletes train at least as hard as footballers but have to be happy if they can earn enough to finance a decent education.

Angela Merkel

#68. Nobody in Europe will be abandoned. Nobody in Europe will be excluded. Europe only succeeds if we work together.

Angela Merkel

#69. Sometimes I can't stop myself from buying things just because I see them - even when I don't really need them.

Angela Merkel

#70. I am not here for women only, but also for women.

Angela Merkel

#71. Russia has nothing: no successful politics or economy.

Angela Merkel

#72. More reforms will give more impetus to German industries to invest in India. German companies want to be treated on par with Indian companies, and creation of an equitable market is crucial for investments.

Angela Merkel

#73. Angela Merkel tries to make a career as a Bush's Suppository.

Volker Pispers

#74. We know that our life of freedom is stronger than terror.

Angela Merkel

#75. The G7 and former G8 group has always viewed itself as a community of values, the annexation of Crimea, which is a blatant violation of the principles of international law, and the events in eastern Ukraine are serious violations of these common values.

Angela Merkel

#76. Germany stands in the fight against terrorism at France's side, united with many, many others. I am convinced that, despite all the difficulties, we shall win this fight.

Angela Merkel

#77. I think we can say our energy system will be the most efficient and environmentally friendly in the world.

Angela Merkel

#78. My life changed completely in 1989 with the fall of the wall,

Angela Merkel

#79. Let us answer the terrorists by living our values with courage.

Angela Merkel

#80. To be serious, if we were only interested in earning big money then a politician would have to go and work in industry.

Angela Merkel

#81. We believe that from both a German and a Polish perspective, it is desirable for Great Britain to remain in the European Union.

Angela Merkel

#82. Always be more than you appear and never appear to be more than you are.

Angela Merkel

#83. From this experience we have learned that in a big party it is important to have the necessary and often controversial discussions on policy issues such as the health system while in opposition.

Angela Merkel

#84. First, we need good, stable relations with Russia. Second, we must make every effort to save energy and focus on using various sources to meet our energy needs. We must not allow ourselves to become dependent.

Angela Merkel

#85. Spying among friends is never acceptable.

Angela Merkel

#86. I come from a country in which I experienced economic collapse.

Angela Merkel

#87. I believe that we do not share as many values with Russia yet as we do with the United States. On the other hand, we have a strong interest in Russia developing in a reasonable direction.

Angela Merkel

#88. I am for our not having any discrimination in tax legislation.

Angela Merkel

#89. If the euro fails, Europe fails.

Angela Merkel

#90. Greece wishes to be part of the eurozone, but it must, of course, go through with the necessary reforms to make this happen.

Angela Merkel

#91. I am thankful for the way I was raised, to be positive. Even when times have gotten rough I have always tried to look on the bright side. Even when I was put down, yelled at and made feel insignificant, I still thought things were alright. I did realize when enough is enough.

Angela Merkel

#92. I think that the EU with the Lisbon agenda has put the right emphasis on growth and employment.

Angela Merkel

#93. I believe those that produce the least emissions in autos will also be those who have the greatest success worldwide.

Angela Merkel

#94. And I think that a woman as chancellor can also serve as a good example,.

Angela Merkel

#95. At German unification, we were lucky to get so much help from West Germany. Now, we have the good fortune of being able to help each other in Europe.

Angela Merkel

#96. Islam is part of Germany.

Angela Merkel

#97. Global climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity in the twenty-first century.

Angela Merkel

#98. The majority of decisions in Europe are done by unanimity. That's why it is important to be to have good relations with all parts.

Angela Merkel

#99. We have shared responsibility for global climate; we have to reduce climate change below 2 degrees Celsius.

Angela Merkel

#100. Having led many negotiations with countries outside the E.U. in the past, we would never enter the same compromises and reach the same good outcomes with states that don't shoulder the responsibilities and costs of the common market.

Angela Merkel