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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Philip Oltermann European culture editor

Angela Merkel chooses privacy over publicity as she celebrates turning 70

Angela Merkel spins a toy windmill, obscuring her face
Angela Merkel has emphatically cut ties with the world of politics in a way that few of her peers have managed. Photograph: Tobias Schwarz/AFP/Getty Images

At the peak of her career, she was hailed as the world’s most powerful woman and the de-facto leader of the EU.

But as Angela Merkel turns 70 today, there will be no gathering of dignitaries to pay tribute to her legacy. Instead, she will celebrate entering her eighth decade “in private”, a spokesperson for her office told the German news agency dpa.

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