Interview: George W. Bush reflects on Angela Merkel's legacy

"Merkel brought class and dignity to a very important position and made very hard decisions. She did what's best for Germany, and did so based upon principle," former U.S. President George W. Bush said in an interview with DW Washington Bureau Chief Ines Pohl ahead of Chancellor Angela Merkel's farewell visit to the White House on Thursday, July 15.  

The interview at the Bush family's summer home in Maine was conducted as part of the DW documentary "Angela Merkel – Navigating a World in Crisis." Germany's international broadcaster DW will broadcast the film in September, shortly before the federal elections which will determine Merkel's succession.   

On the withdrawal of NATO troops in Afghanistan, Bush said: "Afghan women and girls are going to suffer unspeakable harm. This is a mistake. (…) They're just going to be left behind to be slaughtered by these very brutal people, and it breaks my heart." He said he suspected that Angela Merkel "feels the same way." 

Bush offered a warning about Germany’s reliance on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would supply Germany with natural gas from Russia. "The more that a nation that is not an open democracy has an economic stranglehold on a democracy, [the more it] puts people in a very difficult strategic position," the President said. 

"Populism reflects a frustration with society"

Reflecting on populist movements across the world, Bush said that "populism reflects a frustration with society." He identified conspiracy theories as "the real danger" adding, "it's going to require strong leaders to knock that down, and to refute some of these ridiculous extremist ideologies on both the left and the right."  

On Merkel's handling of the 2015 refugee crisis, Bush said the Chancellor's actions had been "motivated by human compassion. It was clearly a tough political decision for her, but she took a lead." He added that "the world needs leadership that is based upon principle." 

On the impromptu neck squeeze Bush gave Merkel at the G8 in Russia in 2006, the President said it was "kind of a spontaneous reflection of friendship." He said he "wouldn't call it an extended massage. (…) I'm sure people know what to make of it. (…) It's one of those things that just happened."

The former President’s reactions to Merkel stood in contrast to her predecessor, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (1998-2005).  Schröder had used him "as a political pawn on his reelection," Bush said. "It became very personal, and people in his cabinet said some things that they shouldn't have said."  

Merkel's re-elections spoke "volumes about her successes," Bush said. He called her "a compassionate leader, a woman who is not afraid to lead" and a role model for girls. "She's a very thoughtful, kind person," Bush added, who has "managed to survive in a pretty tough political environment."   

The 26-minute interview titled "A woman with a big heart – George W. Bush reflects on his relationship with Angela Merkel" is available on demand on the website dw.com/en and the YouTube channel DW Documentary. The interview kicks off DW's comprehensive coverage of the German Bundestag election campaign and the federal elections on September 26.