The popularity of most politicians follows a similar course. Some grow to be palatable enough to win an election and then fall increasingly out of favour before eventually being booted out. Their reputations then pick back up again the longer they have been retired before getting one final boost.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Bavaria’s prime minister, Markus Soeder, said they’re open to reforming the country’s strict borrowing limits, signaling a departure from the traditional stance of the conservative Christian Democrats,

Former German chancellor Angela Merkel has spoken out in favour of reforming Germany's constitutional limit on government spending, the so-called debt brake, which is being hotly debated ahead of early elections next year.