As a former member of the Communist East German STASI, Angela Merkel worries first about what's best for the party. Though her politic party has changed- I personally believe she's now a democrat- Merkel is still first and foremost a political animal. On the veil issue she's blowing with the wind. She gambles almost nothing. She's not proposing legislation, just stating an opinion. She hopes it will appeal to a certain mind-set.

But hold on. Some of her party members- those in urban Germany especially- just got handed a sour weinerschnitzel. Muslims make up s small but significant portion of their constituents. Nevertheless, Merkel sees the road that Trump took to victory in America, and that Marie Le Pen is currently exploiting in France. Tempting, no?

No doubt Frau Merkel is sure that she can make up for it later, once the greater good has been served.