Angela Merkel will QUIT as German chancellor when term ends in 2021

Liberal pansy? Really? I think you need to go back to 1991 and work your way forward...

SSG(P) (Join to see) - Because she is in a party coalition with the Liberals or SPD, thats what limits her ability. SPD and CSU has fallen in numbers compared to other German Parties on the ascendency in Parliament seats. So they both had to compromise and form a coalition to rule together. She is also apolitical so even without the SPD, not sure she would go too much further right.

Merkel is an accomplished, intelligent, well-mannered, stoic leader who does what she sees as best for her country, often over party politics or personal gain. Civilization could use more of those.

Well I feel like I just fell into one of those "warm and fuzzy" safety rooms.

SPC Kevin Ford - are you trying to make my point for me (you initially went from measured by US Values to Values measured by the UN)? Also, some of the UNHR council members don't have the best record for human rights. My point is, Germany and Russia are not the "worst" countries/leaders in Europe, just because someone doesn't like them and their values are not ours, doesn't make them the worst.

SSG (Join to see) - Where do you think that UN declaration of human rights and the index based on it comes from? We and our allies put that thing into place after WW II to codify our values into international norms. Eleanor Roosevelt chaired the committee drafting it.

As far as the US measuring other countries based on human rights and other values measures (and yes, human rights is a US value, perhaps not a uniquely US one, but certainly one of ours) someone had better tell the Department of State they are not supposed to be doing measuring other countries on things we value.

https://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm#wrapper

As far as Putin being the worst. Don't know, I didn't make that claim SrA John Monette did. Is he right, well since such things tend to be a matter of opinion you'll have to debate that with him.

SSG (Join to see) - we can look at the standard of living in Russia and Germany
http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/russian-federation/
http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/germany/

SrA John Monette - And? That wasn't the point, what makes Putin the worst leader in Europe? But since you want to list the better life index, where's (European countries mind you):
Albania, Andorra, Belarus, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Holy See, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macedonia (TFYR), Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino, Serbia, and the Ukraine.
And again, I think we can all agree, Putin's an asshole, but, I think he's a better leader then several other countries in Europe. He's definitely capitalized on situations and taken territory (which we did nothing, so what does that say about us?). He was making trade deals with Germany with that gas pipeline that Trump pointed out. We could go in circles.

SPC Kevin Ford - "UN declaration of human rights and the index based on it comes from?"
Western Ideals, but, since we point out who wrote it, (quick google search for UN declaration of human rights) With Eleanor Roosevelt were René Cassin of France, who composed the first draft of the Declaration, the Committee Rapporteur Charles Malik of Lebanon, Vice-Chairman Peng Chung Chang of China, and John Humphrey of Canada, Director of the UN’s Human Rights Division, who (John Humphrey) prepared the Declaration’s blueprint.