There is a ton of prejudice against women in Germany. How did she get to the top? It had to be super difficult. And then she has outlasted the leaders of just about everywhere else.

a PhD in Quantum Chemistry is no mean feat.

Very few rocket scientists would be master politicians.

LBJ had a super high IQ in my opinion. But he had much more than that, a real genius at understanding people and what made them do things. Merkel must be an LBJ kind of genius.

The CSU was hit especially bad. Maybe less than 40% in Bavaria, which is very unusual, since they usually get more than 50% of the vote.

She promotes German interests in ways unfair to other countries. She screwed Greece big time. Germany suppresses domestic consumption which generates unemployment in other countries.

But that's what she wants and she gets what she wants.