Merkel says she is leaving office with a clear conscience

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday she would leave office after September's elections with a clear conscience, in an event that saw her reflect on personal matters alongside social and philosophical issues.

"I think I have done my bit, and anyone who hasn't understood it now won't understand it in the next four years," Merkel said at an event at the Schauspielhaus theatre in Dusseldorf alongside Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Merkel also refused to be described as the "last defender of the free West." She said, "one should refrain from all exaggerations," before adding, "fortunately, there are quite a lot of people who feel attached to democracy, and of course I am happy about that."

Germany is holding general elections on September 26 and Merkel is not standing for a fifth term, after steering the country through one crisis after another during her 16-year tenure.

The event featured two female journalists - Miriam Meckel and Lea Steinacker - who hosted a discussion about the "similarities between the two women in spirit." Both Merkel and Adichie are considered icons of feminism.

Merkel reflected on what had shaped her, growing up. "The fact that I grew up with mentally handicapped people as a child and had no fear," she said.

"That I studied physics," Merkel continued, recalling that her fellow students - of whom 80 per cent were men, often got started right, meaning she was frequently unable to find a table for her experiments - teaching her to fight for her place in a male-dominated environment, she said.

Merkel also spoke about her mother's death two years ago, saying it was difficult when something so personal happens while you are in the public eye.

She said she found the constant scrutiny difficult. "You have to build your own space," she said, adding she did not let anyone into that space who didn't belong there.

Merkel said the euro crisis had been her most difficult moment, when she expected so much from the people of Greece.

Asked about beautiful moments, she noted that often, compromise was necessary. But she cited the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, which placed the European Union on a new footing, as an example. Merkel also mentioned the point when EU leaders agreed on pandemic aid, despite lengthy disagreements.

That's when you're happy, she said.

Asked if her refugee policy had divided society, Merkel denied this. She also said her most famous phrase, "We can do it," had not been an open invitation to refugees to come to Germany, as critics had argued.

Merkel also said that she is a feminist, after referring to earlier circumlocutions in an interview some months ago. "Yes, we should all be feminists," she said, comments greeted by enthusiastic cheering.

The event was originally planned for the opening of the “Theater der Welt” (Theatre of the World) festival in 2020, which had to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Adichie was born in Nigeria in 1977. She lives in Lagos and in the United States. Her greatest successes include "Purple Hibiscus," "Half of a Yellow Sun," and "Americanah."

Her works have been translated into 37 languages. She has received numerous international prizes for her books and has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

As for what is next for Merkel, she said she needed to ask herself what she is interested in, beyond politics.

"Do I want to write? Do I want to talk? Do I want to go hiking? Do I want to be at home? Do I want to go out into the world?" Merkel said.

"I've resolved to do nothing for the time being and wait and see what happens. And that, I find, is very fascinating."