Angela Merkel is seen shaking again, but spokesman insists she’s fine

For the second time in 10 days, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany was seen shaking at a public event in Berlin and struggling to maintain control of her body, but her spokesman insisted she was well.

>> Melissa EddyThe New York Times
Published : 27 June 2019, 05:38 PM
Updated : 27 June 2019, 05:39 PM

On Thursday, Merkel, 64, was seen clasping her elbows as her lower body trembled while she stood beside the German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, at a farewell ceremony for Justice Minister Katarina Barley, who is leaving to become a lawmaker in the European Parliament.

Merkel’s body shook in a similar manner on June 18, when she stood in the sun during a state visit by President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.

The chancellor later suggested that the high temperatures had been to blame, and she said she had felt better after drinking water. She took part in a news conference later that afternoon where she appeared calm and fielded questions normally, telling reporters, “I’ve drunk at least three glasses of water and so I’m doing fine.”

This time, Merkel was standing indoors at the presidential palace when she began trembling, in temperatures that were not above normal for a summer day in Berlin, although a day earlier, the capital saw record highs.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was seen shaking as she met President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin, Germany, June 27, 2019, her second shaking bout within two weeks. Reuters

On Thursday, Steffen Seibert, the chancellor’s spokesman, did not address any particular reason for the shaking. But he said that Merkel would continue her planned schedule for the day, including departing for Japan later in the day to attend the Group of 20 meeting. A doctor from the German Foreign Ministry normally accompanies the chancellor on a trip abroad.

“Everything is continuing as planned; the chancellor is doing well,” Seibert said.

On Sunday, Merkel is to head to Brussels for a European Union summit meeting where she is expected to play a major role in trying to reach a deal on the distribution of the bloc’s top jobs for the next five years.

Merkel, who is known for her robust general health, has shown the side effects of dehydration in the past. In 2014, there were concerns about her health when she interrupted a television interview after suffering a drop in blood pressure. She recovered after having something to drink and eat.

She also appeared to experience a similar onset of trembling in 2017 while in Mexico City for a state visit. That was also attributed to dehydration in the hot, humid weather conditions.

© 2019 New York Times News Service