German Chancellor Angela Merkel takes photo with EU leaders at an EU Summit in Brussels, October, 21 2021. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

“The European Council without Angela is like Rome without the Vatican, or Paris without the Eiffel Tower,” said the host of the summits, European Council chief Charles Michel.  

Belgian Prime Minister Alexandre de Croo pointed out the importance of Merkel’s support for the 27 countries of the bloc.

“She is someone who for 16 years really marked Europe and helped all 27 of us to make the right decisions with great humanity in difficult times” said de Croo.

Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel called Merkel a "compromise machine" who "usually did find something to unite us" through several marathon intra-EU negotiations.