Angela Merkel is stepping down from politics

With a hit by the "godmother of punk" Nina Hagen, Germany's military saluted a visibly moved Angela Merkel during a ceremonial farewell Thursday, just a week before she is due to bow out of politics after 16 years in office.

Soldiers in full regalia and carrying flaming torches took part in the carefully choreographed evening event, accompanied by a marching band performing traditional military music and Merkel's own playlist.

The ceremonial send-off came just days before Germany's parliament is due to officially elect Social Democrat Olaf Scholz as Merkel's replacement, putting the centre-left politician in charge after 16 years of conservative-led rule.

At the ceremony, Merkel said her four terms were "eventful and often very challenging years.

"They have challenged me politically and humanly and at the same time, they were also fulfilling."

Alluding to the challenge of countering fake news as Germany fights the relentless coronavirus pandemic, she underlined the "great significance of trust in politics, science and societal discourse -- and also how fragile all that is".

Stressing that democracies live on "solidarity and trust -- also from trust in facts", she said that where scientific facts were being denied and where conspiracy theories abound, they must be energetically countered.