IKEA suggests what Merkel can do after leaving politics

The era of Angela Merkel’s rule is over and it's apparently high time the former chancellor decided what to do with her spare time. And German firms came up with a few suggestions.

Several German companies, including a local IKEA branch, decided to pay tribute to the former German government head in a fairly unusual way as they featured her image in their latest ads.

IKEA congratulated Merkel on being “finally home” as it ran an ad featuring her lookalike sitting in a comfy armchair in a plainly furnished room. The company apparently did not believe she would completely forget about politics after 16 years of chancellorship since a caption to the ad on social media read: “Could you please pass me the opera glasses, I would like to see if Olaf is already busy.”

The pun was a reference to Olaf Scholz – Merkel’s successor at the chancellor’s office.

A hardware store, Toom, suggested Merkel would find her new calling in gardening as it posted an ad featuring Merkel making an iconic hand gesture known as ‘Merkel’s rhombus’ or ‘diamond’ while wearing the company’s gloves.

“For all those, who finally have time for a garden,” the ad’s caption read. Toom could also not help but remind its clients to treat politics seriously since the ad also featured another caption reading: “First go to vote and then off to the garden!”

It is unclear if Merkel is a passionate gardener but she does love nature. After all, she is known to be passionate about hiking on vacation.

Germany’s Astra beer brand suggested the former chancellor might find a better use for her iconic ‘diamond gesture’ now that she does not have to pose in front of photographers during official events. The company placed a bottle of its Astra Urtyp beer into the ex-chancellor’s hands and wished that everyone “have a nice evening.”

Merkel is yet to comment on the ads, so it is unclear if she will follow any of this advice. Earlier, when asked about what she would do after leaving the chancellor’s office, she said she would find herself a good book and take a nap. “And then we’ll see,” she added.