Merkel bows out but don’t expect drastic change in Germany
The incoming chancellor Olaf Scholz is likely to maintain Angela Merkel’s pragmatic style of governing.
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Read the New Statesman’s latest comment, long-read features and analysis on Germany.
As Christmas approaches, Europe is locking down
A resurgence of Covid-19 has caused the return of lockdowns across much of Europe.
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Wait, is Berlin actually trying to ban dancing?
Unable to close clubs in response to a Covid-19 spike, authorities in the German capital have banned dancing instead.
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A progressive new government takes shape in Germany
Olaf Scholz’s three-party talks conclude with a promising coalition deal.
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Will winter Covid-19 lockdowns sweep across Europe?
More EU countries may follow Austria in making vaccination mandatory –but possibly not soon enough to avoid restrictions.
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EU unity over the Belarus migrant crisis may not last
As temperatures drop, migrant deaths might test EU member states’ support for Poland’s approach to the crisis.
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Dispatch: As Covid-19 cases surge, is Germany heading for another lockdown?
Another lockdown, whether for the unvaccinated or for the country as a whole, would be immensely unpopular.
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Why Germany has less to teach the UK than most think
Germany is afflicted by endemic corruption, antiquated infrastructure and geopolitical weakness.
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Will Germany have a new government by Christmas?
A new left-liberal coalition looks likely to take office, sooner rather than later.
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What does France want from the 2021 German election?
Paris fears that prolonged coalition talks could leave Germany without a designated government for months.
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The Fateful Chancellor: What the end of the Merkel era means for the world
Angela Merkel steered Europe through crisis after crisis, but leaves a mountain of unfinished business. How will she be remembered?
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Leader: The choice facing Germany
A two-party coalition of the Social Democrats and the Greens would be the best outcome for Germany at a defining…
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The Merkel paradox: how the chancellor’s strengths weakened Germany
The era-defining leader is now leaving Germany in a position of strategic weakness.
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The SPD’s surge reveals the essence of the German election: the search for Merkel 2.0
Olaf Scholz, the SPD candidate, is by far the most popular of Merkel’s potential successors – and the one who…
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German election TV debate win adds to Olaf Scholz’s momentum in the race to succeed Angela Merkel
The SPD candidate was the clear winner in snap polling after the first of three encounters.
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Will Armin Laschet succeed Angela Merkel as German chancellor?
As Germany's leader prepares to step down, the past five years of polling show a country willing to consider political change.
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German elections 2021: the coalitions that could shape Germany’s future
A new series from the New Statesman focusing on the German Federal Election 2021. Who is in the running to…
Germany after Merkel
Jeremy Cliffe hosts a live recording of the World Review podcast at the Progressive Governance Summit.
Who will replace Angela Merkel as German chancellor?
Jeremy Cliffe in Berlin and Emily Tamkin in Washington DC discuss the latest in global affairs on the World Review…
As the Merkel era approaches its end, the German left has several paths to the chancellery
Berlin is buzzing with potential coalitions, but after a damaging year the CDU might benefit from a period in opposition.
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