One of only two EU leaders to have survived the economic crisis, Angela Merkel is on course to become Europe's longest-serving elected female head of government after romping home for the third time as Germany's chancellor last month. A quantum physicist by training, the 59-year-old has little style, less charisma, no apparent ideology and a marked aversion to risk in all its forms: her job, she has said, is "to advance, even if only by a few centimetres, and solve problems". But behind her motherly aura (not for nothing do Germans call her "Mutti") and solid stewardship of Europe's largest economy in a time of crisis is a ruthless politician who has seen off all challengers within her own CDU party and consistently outmanoeuvred the opposition. Merkel dodges confrontation, never shows her hand, and always wins.