Germany's Political Rift May Leave Europe Without Merkel's Leadership

Political turmoil in Germany is threatening Chancellor Angela Merkel's job and could have huge ramifications for Europe as a whole.

Talks to form a coalition government failed over the weekend, leaving Merkel with only a handful of unfavorable options: organize a minority government, call snap elections, or continue to try and forge a grand coalition.

All of these options could undermine Germany's political stability and weaken its presence on the international stage. Merkel could even lose her chancellorship.

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She said she was in favor of new elections and that that she was "very skeptical" about the prospects of a minority government.

In September's election, Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian counterpart won the most seats, followed by the liberal Social Democratic Party and the far-right Alternative for Germany.

Germany is Europe's leading economy, and Merkel herself has been a major player in issues like climate change, international trade and Brexit.

But if Germany has to turn its focus back to internal politics, major European initiatives, like a defensive cooperation plan, could suffer as a result.