A look inside the daily life of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a former chemist who has been Forbes' most powerful woman in the world for 9 straight years and can get by on only 4 hours of sleep

Áine Cain

December 13, 2019 8:25 PM

REUTERS/Stefanie Loos

Merkel starts every day by having breakfast with her husband Joachim Sauer, she once told ex-Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan.

German chancellor Angela Merkel is Forbes' Most Powerful Woman , for the ninth consecutive year.
Since becoming chancellor in 2005 , the former chemist has managed to cultivate an "image of deep personal integrity and a tightly guarded private life," writes Melissa Eddy in the New York Times .
The chancellor is a talented chef and her signature dishes include potato soup, beef loaf, and plum cake.

Anglea Merkel has been the most powerful woman on Earth for almost a decade, according to Forbes .

The German chancellor took the top spot on Forbes' 100 Most Powerful Women list for the ninth consecutive year. The runners-up included President of the European Central Bank Christine Lagarde, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi,President of the European Commission Ursula Von Der Leyen, and General Motors CEO Mary Barra.

Merkel's reign over the ranking may be coming to a close, however. She announced in 2018 that she would not run for another term after the completion of her current one in 2021.

Despite Merkel's power, little is known about her personal life. Since becoming chancellor in 2005 , the former chemist has managed to cultivate an "image of deep personal integrity and a tightly guarded private life," writes Melissa Eddy in the New York Times .

However, by piecing together various details, one can come away with a view of the chancellor's daily routine.

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