In 2017, Alternative for Germany became the first party in decades to enter Parliament to the right of Ms. Merkel’s conservative bloc. PhotoEconomic Success“Some say Germany is a wonderful country, in which the values of our Constitution are lived actively. The German central bank released figures in December projecting 2.5 percent growth in 2018. To defend its competitiveness, analysts say, Germany needs to invest in its infrastructure and its workers. But the gap between rich and poor has widened during Ms. Merkel’s 12 years in power, leaving nearly 16 percent of the population at risk of poverty, according to government figures.

Source: New York Times December 31, 2017 15:33 UTC