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Angela Merkel heckled during speech in German Bundestag
Back in 2018, the German Chancellor announced she would stand down as leader of the CDU at the party convention. She said she would not seek a fifth term after 16 years in power. Like all former chancellors – known as Kanzlerin in German – Ms Merkel is entitled to a monthly pension expected to be a hefty sum after 31 years as a member of the Bundestag.
According to a calculation by the taxpayers’ association, Ms Merkel will receive monthly pensions of around 15,000 euros after leaving office.
These entitlements result from her long-standing membership in the Bundestag and from her time as Federal Minister and Chancellor.
Ms Merkel’s pension entitlements are regulated by law on representatives and for her membership in the federal government by the federal minister’s law.
According to Paragraph 20 of the Members’ Act, Ms Merkel would be entitled to the maximum amount of 65 percent of the members’ compensation for around 31 years in parliament.
Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel (Image: Getty)
Social Democrats leader Olaf Scholz (Image: Getty)
However, the various pension entitlements are offset against each other, according to news agency The Pioneer.
Ms Merkel will also be entitled to an office and an office manager, two consultants, a typist and a driver would be financed.
After Ms Merkel announced she was stepping down as Chancellor and leader of the CDU, Armin Laschet was announced as the new leader of the party after beating rival Friedrich Merz in a digital leadership election.
Over the weekend, the German public voted for their next leader and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) claimed victory.
READ MORE: Germany election winner Olaf Scholz blasted Brexit
CDU Party leader Armin Laschet (Image: Getty)
The Social Democrats effectively won the German election, making leader Olaf Scholz the most likely next Chancellor of a coalition government in Europe’s largest economy.
But the road to power is not simple, despite Mr Scholz gaining the largest vote share in the country.
Sunday’s elections saw the SPD win 26 percent of the vote, according to preliminary numbers.
The centre-right Christian Democrat Union (CDU), the outgoing Ms Merkel’s party, won 24 percent of the vote, the lowest mark for the party since it was founded in 1945.
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Angela Merkel profile (Image: Express)
The path ahead is likely to be unclear and lengthy and could see Ms Merkel still in office as we head in to 2022.
Mr Scholz’s party was the junior coalition partner to the CDU, but have now found themselves on top, meaning they will choose who to form a Government with, as the vote is not decisive enough to put a single party in power.
Ms Merkel will stay in a caretaker role until a coalition is formed.
However, the close result suggests it could take time to determine who will govern, with difficult coalition negotiations involving a number of parties to come.
Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel (Image: Getty)
Mr Scholz said he aimed to build a coalition with the Greens and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP).
The Greens gained 14.8 percent of the vote and the FDP won 11.5 percent.
He said: “Voters have spoken very clearly.
Germany’s Bundestag (Image: Getty)
“They strengthened three parties; the Social Democrats, the Greens, and the Free Democrats; so this is the visible mandate the citizens of this country have given: these three parties should lead the next government.”
Any coalition talks could take months to find a solution, during which Germany will have a caretaker Government.
Over this period, progress with EU policymaking could slow further – which could be compounded by the upcoming French election in 2022.
Additional reporting by Monika Pallenberg
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