Trump election puts pressure on Merkel to take liberal lead

BERLIN -- Can Germany, the country that once unleashed Nazism, lead the free world?

The idea the former home of militarism and nationalism could become a beacon for human rights and peaceful international cooperation within one lifetime may seem far-fetched.

But with outsider Donald Trump's election as U.S. president and the rising strength of far-right and populist movements in Europe, some have suggested German Chancellor Angela Merkel is left as the last powerful defender of liberal values in the West.

Since taking office in 2005, Merkel has been a fixture of the international summit circuit.

She has outlasted most of her contemporaries -- save for Russian President Vladimir Putin -- and won plaudits for steering her country successfully through the turmoil of the global financial crisis.

Along the way, the trained physicist has maintained relations with allies as they gained new leaders, including prime ministers and presidents whose positions were very different from her own.

"I could not have asked for a steadier and more reliable partner on the world stage," President Barack Obama said Thursday after meeting with Merkel in Berlin during his final foreign tour.

He described the German chancellor as "a great friend and ally" who looks out for her own country's interests while recognizing this also requires working closely with others to solve common problems.

Merkel raised eyebrows last week when she departed from the usual diplomatic script after Trump's election by suggesting respect for liberal values was a precondition for Berlin's continued good relations with Washington. Many commentators saw her remarks as a sign the chancellor was prepared to thrust Germany into the forefront of international politics and challenge the new U.S. administration if necessary.

Standing beside Obama, she pledged to "do everything to work well with the new president" but insisted the basis for cooperation would have to be "democracy, freedom and human rights worldwide, and to strive for an open and liberal world order."

Obama's decision to stop in Germany for two days reinforced the image of him passing the baton to Merkel.