Merkel seen trembling in public for second time in less than two weeks
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday suffered another episode of uncontrolled trembling, just over a week after a similar incident that sparked questions about her health.
The latest lapse came hours before Merkel was due to board a plane for the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan.
The German leader began to tremble as she stood next to President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who was giving a speech at a ceremony to formally appoint a new justice minister.
The shaking went on for two minutes, according to a DPA photographer who was present at the event.
Merkel folded her arms visibly in a bid to stop the trembling.
She only finally brought it under control once she was able to take a few steps.
She was offered a glass of water but turned it down.
Erneuter #Zitteranfall bei Bundeskanzlerin Angela #Merkel. Neben Bundespräsident Steinmeier begann sie bei einem Termin in Schloss Bellevue wieder am ganzen Körper zu zittern. Erst vergangene Woche ist das Problem schon einmal aufgetreten. pic.twitter.com/osg68h5M3a
— BR24 (@BR24) June 27, 2019
'The Chancellor is well'
Despite the latest health incident, a German government spokesman said Merkel would not be cancelling any appointments on Thursday and Friday.
"The chancellor is well," he said, adding that she will be flying as planned to Osaka for the G20 summit.
Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert later tweeted she was on the way to Osaka for the G20 summit, and that "numerous bilateral talks with other leaders and government are planned".
Kanzerlin #Merkel reist jetzt zum #G20-Gipfel nach Osaka in #Japan. Das sind die Schwerpunkte - außerdem sind zahlreiche bilaterale Gespräche mit anderen Staats- und Regierungschefs geplant. #G20OsakaSummit pic.twitter.com/BfZpmnI4od
— Steffen Seibert (@RegSprecher) June 27, 2019
Meanwhile, to head off a repeat of an aircraft failure that forced Merkel to arrive late to the previous G20 summit in Buenos Aires, German media reported that a second A340 is flying to Osaka on standby.
The second plane was due for a training flight to Tokyo.
Her previous bout of shaking last Tuesday had been blamed on dehydration on a hot summer's day.
READ ALSO: Merkel blames dehydration for shaking spell
Asked by a reporter about her wellbeing at a news conference about 90 minutes after that spell, Merkel smiled: "I've drunk at least three glasses of water and so I'm doing fine."
Leaving politics
Merkel, frequently called the EU's most influential leader and the most powerful woman in the world, turns 65 next month.
She has said she will leave politics at the end of her term, in 2021.
There were brief concerns about her health in 2014 when she was taken ill during a television interview. The broadcast was briefly interrupted when she experienced a drop in blood pressure.
Her spokesman Steffen Seibert explained at the time the leader did not feel well for a moment, then ate and drank something and continued the interview.
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The latest lapse came hours before Merkel was due to board a plane for the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan.
The German leader began to tremble as she stood next to President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who was giving a speech at a ceremony to formally appoint a new justice minister.
The shaking went on for two minutes, according to a DPA photographer who was present at the event.
Merkel folded her arms visibly in a bid to stop the trembling.
She only finally brought it under control once she was able to take a few steps.
She was offered a glass of water but turned it down.
Erneuter #Zitteranfall bei Bundeskanzlerin Angela #Merkel. Neben Bundespräsident Steinmeier begann sie bei einem Termin in Schloss Bellevue wieder am ganzen Körper zu zittern. Erst vergangene Woche ist das Problem schon einmal aufgetreten. pic.twitter.com/osg68h5M3a
— BR24 (@BR24) June 27, 2019
'The Chancellor is well'
Despite the latest health incident, a German government spokesman said Merkel would not be cancelling any appointments on Thursday and Friday.
"The chancellor is well," he said, adding that she will be flying as planned to Osaka for the G20 summit.
Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert later tweeted she was on the way to Osaka for the G20 summit, and that "numerous bilateral talks with other leaders and government are planned".
Kanzerlin #Merkel reist jetzt zum #G20-Gipfel nach Osaka in #Japan. Das sind die Schwerpunkte - außerdem sind zahlreiche bilaterale Gespräche mit anderen Staats- und Regierungschefs geplant. #G20OsakaSummit pic.twitter.com/BfZpmnI4od
— Steffen Seibert (@RegSprecher) June 27, 2019
Meanwhile, to head off a repeat of an aircraft failure that forced Merkel to arrive late to the previous G20 summit in Buenos Aires, German media reported that a second A340 is flying to Osaka on standby.
The second plane was due for a training flight to Tokyo.
Her previous bout of shaking last Tuesday had been blamed on dehydration on a hot summer's day.
READ ALSO: Merkel blames dehydration for shaking spell
Asked by a reporter about her wellbeing at a news conference about 90 minutes after that spell, Merkel smiled: "I've drunk at least three glasses of water and so I'm doing fine."
Leaving politics
Merkel, frequently called the EU's most influential leader and the most powerful woman in the world, turns 65 next month.
She has said she will leave politics at the end of her term, in 2021.
There were brief concerns about her health in 2014 when she was taken ill during a television interview. The broadcast was briefly interrupted when she experienced a drop in blood pressure.
Her spokesman Steffen Seibert explained at the time the leader did not feel well for a moment, then ate and drank something and continued the interview.
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