German ex-chancellor Angela Merkel has said no thanks to an offer of a job with the United Nations, her office said Wednesday, as she settles into retirement after 16 years in power.
UN sources confirmed that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had asked Merkel to lead an advisory panel on a “common agenda” for governance after the pandemic that he set out late last year.
Merkel “spoke with the UN Secretary-General last week, thanked him and told him she would not be accepting the offer”, her office said in a statement, confirming media reports.
The 67-year-old Merkel left office last month and was succeeded by Social Democrat Olaf Scholz at the helm of a three-way coalition with the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats.
Despite feverish speculation as to what she might do next, Merkel remained tight-lipped, hinting only at a quiet life of books and sleep.
However, her long-time aide Beate Baumann revealed last month that they were collaborating on Merkel’s political memoirs, a project she said would take two to three years.
After serving as an MP for 30 years, Merkel still has an office provided by the Bundestag.
