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According to a report, Angela Merkel may be considering stepping down from the German chancellorship to pursue the European Council presidency or to helm the United Nations. Both positions will be open in 2017 and Merkel has reportedly signaled that she doesn't wish to serve out her entire term, which ends in 2017.
From Der Spiegel:
The position as head of the UN in New York will also be open as of January 2017, with Ban Ki-moon's successor being determined in mid-2016. Just recently, the Luxemburger Wort, Luxembourg's leading daily paper, wrote extensively about the possibility that Merkel might aspire to the position, though it was quickly denied by the chancellor's spokesman. The speculation, however, has continued. "It is a European's turn," said one senior CDU member at a recent evening event.
Merkel has enjoyed immense popularity through her terms as chancellor and is credited with helping to keep European afloat economically and somewhat credible vis-a-vis foreign policy throughout her nearly nine years in office.
She's not been afraid to mix it up with United States over spying or to push forcefully back against Russia's actions in Crimea. With the United Nations suffering from a major relevance problem, Merkel could use her clout to restore the world body's effectiveness.