As former U.S. President Trump makes a comeback, his old rival Merkel is also re-entering the scene. Merkel, the former Chancellor of Germany, is genuinely returning to the public eye, unlike Trump who is returning to power. Merkel's reemergence is due to her memoir, which reflects on her past from birth to stepping down as Chancellor of Germany. The biggest highlight of this book is its content related to Trump, as leaders across European nations urgently need a "manual" on how to deal with Trump. Merkel's insights on her dealings with Trump are of great reference value for today's European leaders.
Today's Europe is no longer the Europe of Merkel's era. The most obvious point is that the "Aligning with Russia against America" policy that Merkel once pursued is no longer realistic. Moreover, today's Trump is not the same as the Trump from four years ago, making things even more difficult to handle. Even if Merkel were to be invited back to serve as Germany's Chancellor, it is uncertain if she could lead Europe out of its predicament as she did last time. The best way Merkel suggests to deal with Trump in her book is to prevent Trump from winning the election; as long as Harris wins, everything will be fine.
This is no longer achievable, and we can only prepare for the worst. This will be a significant test for Europe. Today's Trump is a more mature Trump; he not only understands Europe's pain points but is also more aware of how to exploit Europe's divisions to achieve his aims. Compared to Merkel, today's Europe lacks a leader with profound international experience, strong authority, and a firm stance like hers, which is likely to lead to dire outcomes.