President of Portugal announces award to Merkel, greets Scholz

  • Lusa
  • 9 December 2021

One day after Angela Merkel left the head of the German government, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced that he had decided to award her the highest degree of the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator.

Portugal’s president is to decorate former German Chancellor Angela Merkel with the Grande-Colar of the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator, usually only awarded to heads of state, for her extraordinary contribution to the European Union.

One day after Angela Merkel left the head of the German government, after 16 years, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced that he had decided to award her the highest degree of the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator for her extraordinary contribution to the European Union, breaking new ground in building solidarity, well-being and dialogue between member states, for the good of the peoples of Europe and beyond, within a framework of active multilateralism.

In the note, published on the official website of the Presidency of the Republic, the Portuguese Head of State takes the opportunity to greet the new Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the new German government, wishing the continuation of the excellent relations with Portugal.

Social democrat Olaf Scholz, who was elected chancellor of Germany on Wednesday by the German Bundestag, will govern in a coalition with the Greens and the liberals of the FDP.