Well Merkel could be better at PR. Showing up at a Greece Germany (I think it was the last Euros) is exactly the Thatcherlike bs no one needs.

Anyway with her elephant in a China shop PR methods, one can sadly say the ones without a detailed knowledge of German politics will react to her and not to the large left wing party percentage most Germans vote for. (SPD, Gruene, Die Linke) etc.