EURACTIV.de
The Brief – A turtle’s turnaround
Observing Germany’s policies towards Ukraine and Russia is like trying to watch grass grow. Staring at it with the naked eye, no movement is to be seen, but if you look away and come back later, a lot has happened - it just took place painstakingly slowly.
The Brief – Germany must relearn the language of power
Germany’s dialogue-based, peace-driven approach to the European security architecture has yielded considerable economic and diplomatic successes in the past, but it is increasingly clear that the biggest EU country has to (re-)learn the language of power if it wants to have a role in the international security order of the future.
The Brief — Germany’s phantom chancellor
In the midst of contentious debates around mandatory vaccines and possible arms shipments to Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz seems to wish he could borrow Harry Potter’s cloak of invisibility. But his strategy of flying under the radar might be a deathly hallow.
The Brief, powered by Goldman Sachs – Ukraine is litmus test for Scholz’s new foreign policy
In an emerging multipolar world, Germany will need to be more assertive to defend European and transatlantic values. However, it remains to be seen if the new Chancellor Olaf Scholz will rise to the occasion, and the first signs are not too promising.
The Brief — Parties that wanted a ‘departure’ chose a true veteran to lead them
As 16 years of Angela Merkel finally came to an end today, with Olaf Scholz sworn in as the new German chancellor, the sense of departure that had been in the air was no longer truly felt.
The Brief, powered by ELF — Times have never been better for EU reform
There has never been a better time to push for European integration. With pro-European governments in France, Italy and Germany, reform of the bloc seems to be within reach – for the first time in years. The shift is especially...
‘The EU’, too, was once a utopia
Unfortunately, the European Commission under Ursula von der Leyen, as under her predecessor Jean-Claude Juncker, has failed to reach the people of the European Union.
The Brief, powered by Facebook — Officers to captain a troubled ship
This could also be titled 'Perhaps the last big tent party', as the German conservatives grapple with the inevitable fall-out of their decline and defeat in September.
The Brief – Germany’s crisis of conservatism
After a resounding defeat in the German federal election, where 16 years of conservative rule came to an end, the CDU is trying to put the party on a new footing. But it is clearly struggling to rebrand conservatism.
The Brief, powered by EPRA — A yellow traffic light for fiscal integration
“Generating energy from friction,” “focusing on the joint big picture,” — the parties likely to form Germany’s new government are competing for the blandest metaphors in an effort to signal love, peace, and harmony within the budding three-way alliance.
The Brief, powered by APPLiA — Markus Söder: the enemy within
On 27 September, the German social democrat SPD gave bouquets of flowers to the party’s election-winning candidates: Olaf Scholz for winning across Germany, Franziska Giffey for winning Berlin, and Manuela Schwesig for winning Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
The Brief, powered by GIE — The law vs EU diplomacy
Last week, the EU’s General Court handed the European Commission a major defeat when it struck down the EU's fisheries agreement with Morocco on the grounds that it also, illegally, covered Western Sahara.
The Brief, powered by The Greens/EFA — Going Dutch in Germany
The cards for the German Bundestag have been reshuffled, and the parties are preparing to launch the old mating ritual known as 'coalition talks'. Yet, with the new parliament facing an unprecedented degree of fragmentation, these talks are likely to be long and exhausting. Welcome to a Dutch-style German parliament.
The Brief, powered by EHFG — The rise of the kingmakers
With the new German parliament likely to be more fragmented after the federal election on Sunday (September 26), several small parties are preparing themselves to play a kingmaker role in the subsequent coalition-building talks.
The Brief – The virtue of imitating Merkel?
It was supposed to be the most important and intriguing German election in 16 years. After all, Angela Merkel, easily Europe’s most influential political figure in the 21st century, is leaving the political stage for good.
The Brief – Critical whiteness
The ongoing Black Lives Matter protests have generated a reckoning with systemic racism and police brutality in the United States and in Europe, perhaps like never before. In addition to demanding wide-reaching reforms, many have started to take the time...
How the Cold War was replaced with fake news
The Cold War has faded into history but it was replaced by a media war which rages above all on the internet. Fake news play a major role now, argues Herbert Vytiska from EURACTIV Germany.
EU is moving closer together on defence
After the Brexit vote and Trumps election in 2016, the defence union came to the fore of the EU integration plans. The past EU summit showed that progress has obviously been made, writes Steffen Stiehle of EURACTIV Germany.
Babiš searches for international allies in anti-immigration course
The electoral victory of Czech politician Andrej Babiš, who based his campaign on opposition to refugee migration, is causing concern. While critics condemn his stance, he searches for allies in Eastern Europe and beyond. EURACTIV's media partner "Der Tagesspiegel" reports.