Can Angela Merkel save the world? You can’t fault her for trying.
The German chancellor has logged some 17,500 miles (28,000 kilometers) crisscrossing the globe over the past two weeks, darting from one crisis to the next. “Merkel here, Merkel there, Merkel everywhere,” noted Deutsche Welle. “Merkel is needed, now more than ever, to put out the world’s fires.”
From violence in Ukraine to Greece’s financial crisis to the fight against terrorism, Europe—and the world—looks to the leader that many Germans call mutti (mommy) for guidance. Here are the details of her scarcely believable schedule recently:
The pride at home at how the 60-year-old handles this punishing schedule—the tireless resolve, the quiet confidence—is apparent (link in German). What’s her secret? In keeping with her down-to-earth profile, an aide cited that it’s simply down to her innate stamina and determination, and that she drinks lots of water.
The coming week brings a somewhat less hectic schedule, with trips to Paris and Rome. In the latter, the chancellor will meet with one of the few world figures who more people now turn to for answers—Pope Francis.