After the Berlin wall: How Germany became a greater Switzerland
Berlin has turned punching below one’s weight into an art form. This is not good enough, either for Germany or for Europe
Cohesion & Governance
National populism at the heart of Europe: When will the clash come?
National populism in central Europe is a serious threat to the European Union, deepening longstanding divides and harming the support citizens of the region give to the EU.
Trading with the frenemy: Germany’s China policy
While it is no longer complacent about Chinese influence, Germany has failed to craft a policy that effectively reassesses the balance of opportunities and risks
Clumsy but useful? The German defence minister’s initiative for northern Syria
The widely dismissed proposal can still serve a valuable purpose if it relaunches a debate on how Europe can act with long-overdue relevance in Syria
After the French veto: The new scramble for the Western Balkans
Without a credible path to EU membership, the Western Balkans could easily succumb to the lure of regional nationalism – and to generous Russian, Turkish, and Chinese offers in the EU’s own back yard
Brexit Weltschmerz: An era ends
Britain helped bring modern, unified, and peaceful Germany into being. Its Brexit convulsions have trashed this historic reputation – probably for good.
A hard Brexit looms
Prime Minister Boris Johnson seems to have the momentum to get his Brexit deal over the line – and to follow up with a general election triumph while the electorate are still sighing with relief
An unprecedented setback for Orbán: Hungary’s municipal elections
The Orbán government will likely fuel conflict with newly appointed opposition mayors, taking every chance to portray them as incompetent.
Poland after the election: New headaches for the EU
The freshly re-elected Law and Justice party will now be more emboldened than ever in its dealings with Brussels
Germany at the helm: Can it bring Europe together in 2020?
The German presidency offers the chance to build on strong levels of structural cohesion between member states – but citizens remain sceptical on some fronts