默克爾正式宣佈謀求連任德國總理

Angela Merkel, who has steered Germany through several global crises as its first female leader, said last Sunday that she will seek a fourth term as chancellor in general elections next year.

安吉拉·默克爾上週日宣稱，將在明年舉行的大選中謀求第四個總理任期。作爲德國首位女性領導人，默克爾領導德國度過了多次全球危機。

"I literally thought about this decision endlessly ... but I am ready to run for office again," Merkel told reporters. "I want to serve Germany."

默克爾告訴記者：“我確實反覆考慮過這個決定……但我已準備好再次競選。我想要爲德國服務。”

The 62-year-old has repeatedly been named "the world's most powerful woman" by Forbes magazine.

這位62歲的總理已經多次被《福布斯雜誌》評選爲“世界最具權力的女性。”

She expected challenges from both the right and the left of the political spectrum. This election will be difficult - like no other election since the reunification of West and East Germany in 1990, she said.

默克爾預計會面臨來自左右翼政黨的挑戰，她表示這次選舉會困難重重——這不同於自1990年東德西德統一以來的任何其他選舉。

Merkel became chancellor in 2005. If she wins next year and serves the entire four-year term, Merkel would match Helmut Kohl's post-war record of 16 years in office.

2005年，默克爾擔任德國總理。如果默克爾贏得明年的大選，並完成整個4年任期，她將追平赫爾穆特·科爾創下的戰後在位16年的紀錄。

Nearly 60 percent of Germans surveyed in a recent poll said they wanted Merkel to run again, said Manfred Guellner, head of the Forsa polling agency.

民調機構Forsa的負責人曼弗雷德·戈爾納稱，在最近的一次民意調查中，將近60%的德國民衆表示，他們希望默克爾再次競選。