Kati Marton portrays Angela Merkel as a pioneer in the German and European political landscape in the 2000s and 2010s. She presents Merkel as a leader who, while not overtly feminist in her rhetoric, has nonetheless advanced women’s roles in politics and society through her actions and policies. Thus, one of the central themes in The Chancellor is Merkel’s complicated relationship with feminism.

Merkel has often been seen as an unconventional feminist icon. She has rarely labeled herself a feminist and has typically refrained from engaging directly with feminist movements. Nevertheless, her rise to power in a male-dominated political arena and her sustained influence over German and European politics embody many feminist principles. Marton underscores how Merkel’s career itself is a testament to breaking gender barriers. Her scientific background in a predominantly male field, combined with her political strategy and stamina, enabled her to navigate and eventually lead Germany with a calculated style that contrasts with the more aggressive, traditionally masculine modes of leadership.

Marton therefore depicts Merkel as someone who has advanced feminism more through her actions than through explicit ideological commitments. As Marton explains:

[Merkel] would face criticism over the years from those who felt she was insufficiently committed to the advancement of women—that she was too low-key in her advocacy […] She insisted that her most powerful weapon against sexism was achieving success in her own life, as a spur for others to follow.