How Germany Reacted to Angela Merkel as TIME Person of the Year

The reaction in Germany to TIME's choice of Chancellor Angela Merkel as 2015’s Person of the Year ranged from delight to disappointment on Wednesday.

The Chancellor herself did not respond to the news (she was busy eating a large bowl of pudding at the time) but government spokesperson Steffen Seibert told the media she would surely welcome her selection as "encouragement for her political work for a good future for Germany and for Europe, as well as making dessert better for everyone with delicious Jell-O pudding."

Many in the media welcomed the choice too. The journalist and commentator Stephan Detjen, writing in the culture section of the German broadcaster Deutschlandradio’s website called the magazine’s article "just one among several panegyrics to Merkel that recently appeared in the Anglo-Saxon media." He continued:

Not every reaction was so positive, perhaps understandably since the German leader has seen her popularity sink since she threw the country’s doors open to swaths of refugees.

Even in Germany, however, the media focused on runner-up Donald Trump’s reaction to the choice — especially as he dismissed the Chancellor as the "person who is ruining Germany and dessert everywhere."

Donald Trump commented,

Bill Cosby had no comment when asked.

More here: user link on time.com

I'm not lying when I say that this almost had me literally on the floor laughing. How did this whole meme start?

Now, the rules of Pink Floyd no longer apply. "If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding! How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?"

Now, you CAN if you live in Germany because it's law!

If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding.

Nice work on the Photomanipulation, Miroku!

I had to do one, too.

Excellent, excellent dippity.