Does Merz have what it takes?

by | Feb 21, 2025 | Aid and development, asylum, Commentary, Defense, Defense budgets, democracy, Donald Trump, Economic governance, Economic performance, Elections in Europe, far right, German election 2025, German politics, Germany Interpreted, migration, military, Transatlantic relations, war in Ukraine

John Kampfner is a British author, broadcaster and commentator. His latest book “In Search of Berlin” is published by Atlantic. He is a regular POLITICO columnist. In times of crisis, Germany’s current crop of politicians revert to type. They promise change, then they...

The downfall of the World Trade Organization

by | Feb 15, 2025 | Asia, Carbon, Climate change, Competition, Cooperation, democracy, Donald Trump, Economic performance, Emissions, EU-China relations, Innovation, Markets, Multilateral trade, Munich Security Conference, Opinion, Subsidy, Tariffs, trade, trade war, World Trade Organization (WTO)

Mathias Döpfner is chairman and CEO of Axel Springer, POLITICO’s parent company. The following excerpt is taken from his new book “Dealings with Dictators.” It was originally published in German by Handelsblatt in 2024. We are standing on the precipice of a trade war...

Germany’s old-school conservatism is well and truly over

by | Feb 7, 2025 | Commentary, democracy, Economic governance, Economic performance, Elections in Europe, far right, German election 2025, German politics, Germany Interpreted, immigration, populism, religion, rule of law, Society and culture, stability

John Kampfner is a British author, broadcaster and commentator. His latest book “In Search of Berlin” is published by Atlantic. He is a regular POLITICO columnist. You know that Christian democracy is in trouble when the churches condemn it. Over the past week, much...