In conversation with Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist’s editor-in-chief, in the Bundestag in Berlin, Ms Weidel discusses the AfD’s economic plan, its stance on Russia and Ukraine, and whether she supports—or even recognises—the extreme elements in her party.
Democracy is an illusion! It’s become a political system fostered by the élite, for the élite, in order to fool the people that they have a stake in the system. In actual fact, they have virtually none. The whole political system in the modern era, despite having noble beginnings, is now used to benefit the few at the expense of the many. – Mark Alexander, June 29, 2018
Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts
October 21, 2026
AfD’s Alice Weidel on Ukraine, Migration and Germany’s Future | The Economist
Oct 21, 2026 | Alice Weidel is one of the most important politicians in Europe today. She is the co-leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), the right-wing populist party which is leading in Germany’s national polls and came top in two recent state elections. Ms Weidel is skilled at voicing Germans’ frustrations with mainstream political parties. Less clear is her alternative vision for the country. What does she really believe in? And how would she govern?
In conversation with Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist’s editor-in-chief, in the Bundestag in Berlin, Ms Weidel discusses the AfD’s economic plan, its stance on Russia and Ukraine, and whether she supports—or even recognises—the extreme elements in her party.
In conversation with Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist’s editor-in-chief, in the Bundestag in Berlin, Ms Weidel discusses the AfD’s economic plan, its stance on Russia and Ukraine, and whether she supports—or even recognises—the extreme elements in her party.
Labels:
Alice Weidel,
Germany
September 10, 2026
Inside the Far-right Blueprint for Germany’s Eurasian Future | DW Analysis
Sep 6, 2026 | Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is surging, with breakthroughs in regional and EU-wide elections. Party leader Alice Weidel says her goal is national power, eyeing the 2029 federal elections.
Despite its growing support, the AfD’s vision of foreign policy remains little known around the world. So in this new special report, DW takes a forensic microscope to the party’s blueprint for Germany’s future.
What this reveals is the party’s profound skepticism about the key Western alliances — NATO and the EU — and an outspoken openness to a Eurasian outlook, fostering deeper relations with Russia and China and the international institutions they lead, from the Belt and Road Initiative to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Eurasian Economic Union: prime sources of prestige for Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Xi Jinping in Beijing.
In exclusive interviews with Alice Weidel, foreign policy spokesman Matthias Moosdorf and powerful ideologue Björn Höcke, DW’s Richard Walker and Rosalia Romaniec scrutinize the AfD’s views on Germany’s alliances and NATO Article 5 commitments to the Baltic states and Poland, its skepticism of the United States, possible future architectures for European defense, who should have nuclear weapons, future ties with Russia and China, and how Germany should act in a Taiwan conflict scenario.
Includes analysis from leading international experts on Russia, China, the US and Europe: Alexander Gabuev (Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center), Amanda Hsiao (International Crisis Group), Katarzyna Pisarska (Warsaw Security Forum), Peter Rough (Hudson Institute), and Judy Dempsey (Carnegie Europe).
Despite its growing support, the AfD’s vision of foreign policy remains little known around the world. So in this new special report, DW takes a forensic microscope to the party’s blueprint for Germany’s future.
What this reveals is the party’s profound skepticism about the key Western alliances — NATO and the EU — and an outspoken openness to a Eurasian outlook, fostering deeper relations with Russia and China and the international institutions they lead, from the Belt and Road Initiative to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Eurasian Economic Union: prime sources of prestige for Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Xi Jinping in Beijing.
In exclusive interviews with Alice Weidel, foreign policy spokesman Matthias Moosdorf and powerful ideologue Björn Höcke, DW’s Richard Walker and Rosalia Romaniec scrutinize the AfD’s views on Germany’s alliances and NATO Article 5 commitments to the Baltic states and Poland, its skepticism of the United States, possible future architectures for European defense, who should have nuclear weapons, future ties with Russia and China, and how Germany should act in a Taiwan conflict scenario.
Includes analysis from leading international experts on Russia, China, the US and Europe: Alexander Gabuev (Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center), Amanda Hsiao (International Crisis Group), Katarzyna Pisarska (Warsaw Security Forum), Peter Rough (Hudson Institute), and Judy Dempsey (Carnegie Europe).
September 08, 2026
Global Ripples from a Small German Election | DW News
Labels:
AfD,
Donald Trump,
Elon Musk,
Germany,
Moscow,
Saxony-Anhalt
September 07, 2026
How Will the Far-right AfD's Electoral Rise Impact Germany? | Inside Story
Sep 7, 2026 | The Alternative for Germany is on top in Sunday's election in the east German state of Saxony-Anhalt, with about 44 percent of the vote. It's benefited from voters' economic concerns and anger over immigration. The party is also leading in national polls. But Germany's domestic intelligence agency has classified its branch in Saxony-Anhalt as a proven right-wing extremist group, a label the AfD rejects. Chancellor Friedrich Merz insists there can be no co-operation with the AfD, and mainstream German parties have been maintaining a 'firewall' against forming coalitions with the far-right. But it's not clear if the strategy will hold.
Presenter: Rishaad Salamat
Guests:
Olaf Boehnke - Berlin Director of the political consultancy Rasmussen Global and former Senior Advisor in the German Bundestag
Max Otte - Founder of Privatinvestor Capital and a 2022 German presidential candidate
Ulrich Brueckner - Professor of European Studies at Stanford University in Berlin
Presenter: Rishaad Salamat
Guests:
Olaf Boehnke - Berlin Director of the political consultancy Rasmussen Global and former Senior Advisor in the German Bundestag
Max Otte - Founder of Privatinvestor Capital and a 2022 German presidential candidate
Ulrich Brueckner - Professor of European Studies at Stanford University in Berlin
Labels:
AfD,
Germany,
Inside Story,
Saxony-Anhalt
August 27, 2026
Germany’s Second Richest Man Died – What Happens to the Money? | DW News
Labels:
Canton Schwyz,
Germany,
inheritance tax,
Switzerland
July 27, 2026
Why Is Germany’s Far Right Winning Young Voters?
July 27, 2026 | In Germany the radical right is on the rise. The Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has gone from the fringes to the second largest party in federal government. And it is expected to win more state elections this autumn.
So how did the AfD become so popular in a country that's worked so hard to distance itself from its fascist history? And could it be stopped?
Guest: Oliver Moody, Berlin correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Micaela Arneson, Olivia Case, Jesse Fox.
So how did the AfD become so popular in a country that's worked so hard to distance itself from its fascist history? And could it be stopped?
Guest: Oliver Moody, Berlin correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Micaela Arneson, Olivia Case, Jesse Fox.
Labels:
AfD,
Alternative für Deutschland,
Germany
May 18, 2026
Germany's Multi-billion-euro Plan for Shelters, Hospital Beds and Emergency Vehicles | DW News
April 30, 2026
Trump Tells Merz to ‘Fix His Broken Country’ in New Attack on German Chancellor
THE GUARDIAN: US president’s latest outburst comes a day after he suggested a ‘possible reduction’ in US troops in Germany
Donald Trump has again lashed out at Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, saying he should focus on “fixing his broken country” and trying to end the Russia-Ukraine war – and spend less time “interfering” in Iran.
“The Chancellor of Germany should spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has been totally ineffective!),” Trump wrote in a social media post.
Merz should instead focus on “fixing his broken Country,” he wrote, “especially Immigration and Energy, and less time on interfering with those that are getting rid of the Iran Nuclear threat, thereby making the World, including Germany, a safer place!”
Trump’s latest outburst came a day after he suggested the US military presence in Germany was being reviewed, with a “possible reduction” of troops under consideration. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin and Jakub Krupa | Thursday, April 30, 2026
Donald Trump has again lashed out at Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, saying he should focus on “fixing his broken country” and trying to end the Russia-Ukraine war – and spend less time “interfering” in Iran.
“The Chancellor of Germany should spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has been totally ineffective!),” Trump wrote in a social media post.
Merz should instead focus on “fixing his broken Country,” he wrote, “especially Immigration and Energy, and less time on interfering with those that are getting rid of the Iran Nuclear threat, thereby making the World, including Germany, a safer place!”
Trump’s latest outburst came a day after he suggested the US military presence in Germany was being reviewed, with a “possible reduction” of troops under consideration. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin and Jakub Krupa | Thursday, April 30, 2026
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Friedrich Merz,
Germany
February 25, 2026
Germany’s Leader Delivers a Blunt Warning to China on Trade
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Chancellor Friedrich Merz laid out his complaints in a frank message to his hosts on a trip to Beijing that China had designed to showcase their relationship.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany arrived in China on Wednesday with an outstretched hand and a list of complaints for his hosts, asking for closer diplomatic ties but also relief from economic policies that he said were impeding “fair competition.”
Mr. Merz, who took pains before the trip to say he would not be “lecturing” Beijing, laid out his critiques in a speech at a meeting of the Advisory Council of German-Chinese Business, to an audience that included Premier Li Qiang, China’s second-highest ranking official.
The chancellor was more blunt and more specific in his criticism than other western leaders, including the prime ministers of Britain and Canada, who have recently trekked to Beijing to reset relations with China amid the turmoil caused by President Trump.
Mr. Merz called on China to reduce subsidies for its domestic manufacturers, to allow the value of its currency, the renminbi, to strengthen, and to ensure continued exports of raw materials, such as critical minerals — all of which would benefit German industry. Doing so, he said, would allow Germany and China to forge a tighter bond.
“In view of the uncertainties caused by customs policy that we see around the world,” Mr. Merz said, addressing Mr. Li directly, “we can now set a different example in our bilateral relations, through the reliability and security of the economic relations between our two countries.” » | David Pierson and Jim Tankersley | David Pierson reported from Hong Kong, and Jim Tankersley from Berlin. | Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany arrived in China on Wednesday with an outstretched hand and a list of complaints for his hosts, asking for closer diplomatic ties but also relief from economic policies that he said were impeding “fair competition.”
Mr. Merz, who took pains before the trip to say he would not be “lecturing” Beijing, laid out his critiques in a speech at a meeting of the Advisory Council of German-Chinese Business, to an audience that included Premier Li Qiang, China’s second-highest ranking official.
The chancellor was more blunt and more specific in his criticism than other western leaders, including the prime ministers of Britain and Canada, who have recently trekked to Beijing to reset relations with China amid the turmoil caused by President Trump.
Mr. Merz called on China to reduce subsidies for its domestic manufacturers, to allow the value of its currency, the renminbi, to strengthen, and to ensure continued exports of raw materials, such as critical minerals — all of which would benefit German industry. Doing so, he said, would allow Germany and China to forge a tighter bond.
“In view of the uncertainties caused by customs policy that we see around the world,” Mr. Merz said, addressing Mr. Li directly, “we can now set a different example in our bilateral relations, through the reliability and security of the economic relations between our two countries.” » | David Pierson and Jim Tankersley | David Pierson reported from Hong Kong, and Jim Tankersley from Berlin. | Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Labels:
China,
Friedrich Merz,
Germany
January 27, 2026
How Hitler Built a War Economy on Debt and Plunder | SLICE | Full Documentary
Jan 23, 2026 | As soon as he came to power in 1933, Hitler wanted to go to war. Warfare was central to Nazi ideology; the strong had to crush the weak. To go to war, he needed weapons and an army, but Germany had neither. A far cry from the fake images of prosperity, years of adversity had worn the country down. It was a medium-size power like Iran or South Africa today.
The Nazis launched themselves into an extraordinary operation of financial manipulation and managed to revive the economy by producing enormous quantities of weapons. That was the Nazi economic miracle of the 1935-1936 period: an overheated economy that needed a war to continue its mad race. In 1939, Hitler embarked on a war financed on credit, enormous credit using spoliation and upcoming appropriation as collateral.
Documentary: Blood Money Inside the Nazi Economy EP1 : A World War on Credit Directed by Gil Rabier Production: GoGoGo Films (2021)
WIKIPEDIA: Hjalmar Schacht’s Mefo bills »
The Nazis launched themselves into an extraordinary operation of financial manipulation and managed to revive the economy by producing enormous quantities of weapons. That was the Nazi economic miracle of the 1935-1936 period: an overheated economy that needed a war to continue its mad race. In 1939, Hitler embarked on a war financed on credit, enormous credit using spoliation and upcoming appropriation as collateral.
Documentary: Blood Money Inside the Nazi Economy EP1 : A World War on Credit Directed by Gil Rabier Production: GoGoGo Films (2021)
WIKIPEDIA: Hjalmar Schacht’s Mefo bills »
January 24, 2026
‘Repatriate the Gold’: German Economists Advise Withdrawal from US Vaults
THE GUARDIAN: Shift in relations and unpredictability of Donald Trump make it ‘risky to store so much gold in the US’, say experts
Germany is facing calls to withdraw its billions of euros’ worth of gold from US vaults, spurred on by the shift in transatlantic relations and the unpredictability of Donald Trump.
Germany holds the world’s second biggest national gold reserves after the US, of which approximately €164bn (£122bn) worth – 1,236 tonnes – is stored in New York.
Emanuel Mönch, a leading economist and former head of research at Germany’s federal bank, the Bundesbank, called for the gold to be brought home, saying it was too “risky” for it to be kept in the US under the current administration. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin | Saturday, January 24, 2026
HANDELSBLATT: Druckmittel für Trump? Bundesbank gerät in Zwickmühle: Wie sicher ist das Bundesbank-Gold in New York? Die Bundesbank schließt einen Abzug aus. Doch aus dem Umfeld der Notenbank und dem Bundestag kommen Forderungen, diese Haltung zu überdenken. »
Germany is facing calls to withdraw its billions of euros’ worth of gold from US vaults, spurred on by the shift in transatlantic relations and the unpredictability of Donald Trump.
Germany holds the world’s second biggest national gold reserves after the US, of which approximately €164bn (£122bn) worth – 1,236 tonnes – is stored in New York.
Emanuel Mönch, a leading economist and former head of research at Germany’s federal bank, the Bundesbank, called for the gold to be brought home, saying it was too “risky” for it to be kept in the US under the current administration. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin | Saturday, January 24, 2026
HANDELSBLATT: Druckmittel für Trump? Bundesbank gerät in Zwickmühle: Wie sicher ist das Bundesbank-Gold in New York? Die Bundesbank schließt einen Abzug aus. Doch aus dem Umfeld der Notenbank und dem Bundestag kommen Forderungen, diese Haltung zu überdenken. »
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Germany,
gold,
gold reserves,
USA
January 13, 2026
What's behind Germany's Strategic Pivot toward the Global South? | DW News
November 01, 2025
Inside Germany's Massive Spending Spree | Business Beyond
Labels:
Germany,
infrastructure
October 15, 2025
German Retirees Who Continue Working Set to Earn €2,000 a Month Tax-free
THE GUARDIAN: Active pension scheme expected to start in January is part of chancellor’s ‘autumn of reforms’ to tackle economic stagnation
Germans who continue in the labour market beyond retirement age will be able to earn up to €2,000 (£1,750) a month tax-free on top of their pension under a scheme aimed at boosting economic growth and labour force participation rates.
The “Aktivrente”, or active pension scheme, due to come into force in January, was promised on the campaign trail by the chancellor, Friedrich Merz, before he came into office five months ago.
The government, a coalition of Merz’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and junior partners the Social Democrats (SPD), hopes the plan will incentivise post-retirement working.
A draft law is expected to be approved by the cabinet on Wednesday – after Merz won over his Social Democrat sceptics earlier this month – then debated in the Bundestag. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin | Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Germans who continue in the labour market beyond retirement age will be able to earn up to €2,000 (£1,750) a month tax-free on top of their pension under a scheme aimed at boosting economic growth and labour force participation rates.
The “Aktivrente”, or active pension scheme, due to come into force in January, was promised on the campaign trail by the chancellor, Friedrich Merz, before he came into office five months ago.
The government, a coalition of Merz’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and junior partners the Social Democrats (SPD), hopes the plan will incentivise post-retirement working.
A draft law is expected to be approved by the cabinet on Wednesday – after Merz won over his Social Democrat sceptics earlier this month – then debated in the Bundestag. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin | Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Labels:
Germany,
pensioners
August 31, 2025
EU Willing to Rework Brexit Deal, Says Top German in Brussels
THE TELEGRAPH: War over Britain’s departure is ‘definitely’ over, says Manfred Weber, leader of largest group in European Parliament
The EU is willing to negotiate a better, mutually beneficial trade deal with Britain, one of Brussels’ most powerful conservatives has said.
Manfred Weber is president of the influential centre-Right European People’s Party (EPP), which counts 13 prime ministers among its membership, including Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor.
Mr Weber, the centre-Right Bavarian MEP who leads the largest group in the European Parliament, was once a fierce critic of Brexit. However, he told The Telegraph the EU’s Brexit war with Britain was over, in a sign that Sir Keir Starmer could push for a renegotiation of the reset deal agreed in May.
The Government will be cautious about any concessions the EU could seek after the bloc previously cautioned Britain against any “cherry-picking” – attempting to gain the benefits of single market membership without the obligations.
In the reset deal, Sir Keir agreed to follow EU rules, aligning with European food standards and submitting to the European Court of Justice in exchange for the freedom to export goods with fewer customs checks. » | James Crisp, European Editor, in Berlin | Sunday, August 31, 2025
The EU is willing to negotiate a better, mutually beneficial trade deal with Britain, one of Brussels’ most powerful conservatives has said.
Manfred Weber is president of the influential centre-Right European People’s Party (EPP), which counts 13 prime ministers among its membership, including Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor.
Mr Weber, the centre-Right Bavarian MEP who leads the largest group in the European Parliament, was once a fierce critic of Brexit. However, he told The Telegraph the EU’s Brexit war with Britain was over, in a sign that Sir Keir Starmer could push for a renegotiation of the reset deal agreed in May.
The Government will be cautious about any concessions the EU could seek after the bloc previously cautioned Britain against any “cherry-picking” – attempting to gain the benefits of single market membership without the obligations.
In the reset deal, Sir Keir agreed to follow EU rules, aligning with European food standards and submitting to the European Court of Justice in exchange for the freedom to export goods with fewer customs checks. » | James Crisp, European Editor, in Berlin | Sunday, August 31, 2025
Labels:
Brexit,
European Union,
Germany
August 01, 2025
March 20, 2025
Germany Just Dropped an Unexpected New Bombshell on Musk
March 18, 2025
February 26, 2025
Who Is Friedrich Merz, Germany’s Likely New Chancellor?
Labels:
Friedrich Merz,
Germany
February 21, 2025
Broke and Dejected: Germany’s Future in Limbo
Labels:
German economy,
Germany
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