PERSON OF THE WEEK - 0ct. 9-15, 2005

I had been hoping to award "Person of the Week" to this amazing woman a month ago, but my hopes were dashed by her party's worse-than-expected performance in Germany's recent parliamentary elections. Now, after a month of negotiations, Angela Merkel has officially become Germany's Chancellor-Elect; and as such has earned the title.

Merkel becomes not only Germany's first female Chancellor, but also the firt Chancellor from the former East Germany since reunification . To me, the latter is the more significant of the two "firsts". It is hearwarming to anyone rise above a life under Communism to become successful in a democratic system; but it is especially encouraging when that person is a pro-democracy, pro-business, pro-Western conservative instead of a socialist. Angela Merkel is just such a person. Instead of the big-government policies of leftist Chancellor Gerhard Schroeer, she campaigned for smaller bureaucracy and labor reform. Instead of high taxes to cover more and more government spending, she advocated small government and a flat tax.

For overcoming a life under communism, proving that Easterners CAN win in a free and united Germany, and bringing common sense policies to the German government; Chancellor-Elect Angela Merkel is ConservaGlobe's Person of the Week.

Honorable Mention: Liberian presidential candidates George Weah and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

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