[Mrs. Don-o]

The words that caught my eye were the last ones in your post: "It is likely that her Stasi background and Communist Party connections helped but there is no proof."

I gave one source; you give no sources.

I don't convict without sources and without proof.

It seems "likely" to me that Merkel's political foes would have exploited information about her supposed "Stasi" background if, in fact, she were provably implicated. I have seen no proof, only accusation. If there were proof, her political foes would by now have destroyed her career with it.

[detective]

“It is likely that her Stasi background and Communist Party connections helped but there is no proof.”

What I said there was no proof of her still being Stasi during her political career. I acknowledge that, though I think it is probable that she still has Stasi connections. Everything I said about her past was factual. It is not open to dispute.