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  • 25 Feb 2025
    • Europe
    • Germany

    New chancellor, new challenges – same old Germany?

    Marcus Colla
    Faced with the collapse of the treasured old Atlanticist certainties, Merz’s priority will be to create unity in Europe.
  • 21 Feb 2025
    • Australia
    • Germany

    Status quo politics is fading and Germany’s elections mark a turning point

    Morgan James
    To dismiss the parallels of voter dissatisfaction in Australia outright would be a mistake.
  • 18 Feb 2025
    • Europe
    • Germany
    • Russia
    • Ukraine

    The miseries of Germany’s navel-gazing

    Marcus Colla
    With an election on the horizon, the grim situation at home has transmuted foreign policy issues into domestic ones.
  • 15 Jan 2025
    • Germany

    Foreign policy challenges loom in Germany’s election

    Mikaela Lui
    Immigration is the major battleground but with a war in Europe and political challenges across the Atlantic, the February poll has sharp consequences.
  • 12 Nov 2024
    • Germany

    The claustrophobia of German politics

    Marcus Colla
    With the three-party governing coalition in tatters, this is politics in panic mode.
  • 25 Sep 2024
    • Germany

    Germany’s growing east-west divide

    Mikaela Lui
    Populist movements are redefining local politics, and this carries international implications.
  • 30 Apr 2024
    • Germany
    • Review

    The God in the rubble

    Marcus Colla
    Germany’s struggle with morality is not only a concern of history but an animating factor in contemporary politics.
  • 15 Mar 2024
    • China
    • China's Economy
    • Chinese Trade
    • Europe
    • Germany
    • Global Economy
    • Trade
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    Shipping and the great shrinking waterways

    Selwyn Parker
    With droughts a more regular feature due to climate change, the globe needs a big rethink on supply chains.
  • 15 Dec 2023
    • Germany
    • Technology

    Germany’s digital dilemma

    Hilman Palaon
    The European powerhouse is struggling to embrace all the opportunities of the information age.
  • 30 Oct 2023
    • Germany

    Left behind: Sahra Wagenknecht’s new populism

    Marcus Colla
    Germany’s forgotten voters are finding voice in anti-mainstream parties that defy classical definitions of “left” or “right”.
  • 21 Sep 2023
    • Germany
    • Review

    Plumbing the depths of the former East Germany’s grotesque delusion

    Mark Pierce
    A mostly unsentimental new memoir of life in the GDR ruminates on the what-ifs.
  • 25 Aug 2023
    • Germany

    Whether on Russia or China, clearly Baerbock is driving Germany’s change

    Ian Kemish
    It might seem surprising it’s been the leader of the German Greens, with its pacifist traditions, who has pushed so hard for a more hawkish stance.
  • 1 Aug 2023
    • Germany

    Friedrich Merz and the fall of the “Berlin firewall”

    Marcus Colla
    To remain mainstream, Germany’s centre-right has employed all manner of tactics. Will it resort to cooperation with the populist far-right?
  • 31 Jul 2023
    • China
    • China's Economy
    • Europe's Economy
    • European Union
    • Germany

    Berlin’s economic “de-risking” model could be Europe's answer to the Taiwan question

    Karl Ragas
    Germany's aim is not to “decouple” from China, but to reduce its exposure to risk. And the potential winner is Taipei.
  • 17 May 2023
    • China
    • European Union
    • France
    • Germany

    Europe’s divisions over China could hamper G-7 unity

    Dominique Fraser
    If European capitals, Brussels, and Washington are not aligned, immediate economic interests will overshadow common, long-term goals.
  • 3 Nov 2022
    • China
    • European Union
    • Germany

    Make or break: Scholz’ Beijing business

    Dominique Fraser
    What happens in Europe won’t stay in Europe. Rifts on China risk common understanding with partners, Australia included.
  • 1 Sep 2022
    • European Union
    • Germany
    • Russia
    • Ukraine

    A new solidarity? Olaf Scholz on the future of Europe

    Marcus Colla
    Acknowledging the continent’s centre is “moving eastwards” marked the German chancellor’s address as visionary, of sorts.
  • 27 Jul 2022
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • France
    • Germany
    • United Kingdom
    • United States

    France can help Albanese fix AUKUS

    Alan J. Kuperman
    Labor faces a dilemma over nuclear-powered subs and the non-proliferation regime. An old partner might offer an answer.
  • 3 Mar 2022
    • Germany
    • Ukraine

    The half-hour that fundamentally split Germany from Russia

    Ian Kemish
    A massive boost to arms spending by Berlin, once unthinkable, is suddenly policy as the Ukraine crisis deepens.
  • 3 Feb 2022
    • Germany
    • Russia
    • Ukraine

    Can the new German foreign minister make a difference?

    Ian Kemish
    Calls for a fresh approach from Berlin amid Russia-Ukraine tensions.
  • 15 Dec 2021
    • Germany

    Merkel mark II?

    Jan Bielicki
    He’s not called the Scholzomat for nothing, but there are radical reforms on the new German chancellor’s agenda.
  • 23 Nov 2021
    • Germany

    The revenge of the Scholzomat

    Marcus Colla
    After a lifetime in the wings, Olaf Scholz’ moment has come. But the task ahead is daunting.
  • 18 Nov 2021
    • Russia
    • European Union
    • Energy
    • Germany

    Nord Stream 2: Will you go to the Gazprom with me?

    Mateo Szlapek-Sewillo
    The latest ructions over the Russian pipeline should lead Europe to hasten a turn away from gas to renewable energy.
  • 8 Oct 2021
    • European Union
    • Germany

    Germany and Europe: “Ampel” time for reform

    Marcus Colla
    The Merkel model may no longer be fit for purpose in a rapidly evolving European Union.
  • 29 Sep 2021
    • Germany

    Deciding Germany’s next direction in the world

    André Leslie
    Whoever ends up becoming chancellor next, expect the country’s foreign policy to stay on pretty much the same track.
  • 27 Sep 2021
    • Australian Diplomacy
    • Germany

    Dankeschön Frau Merkel

    Ian Kemish
    A former Australian ambassador to Germany reflects on the Chancellor’s significant impact in the Indo-Pacific.
  • 2 Sep 2021
    • Defence & Security
    • Europe
    • South China Sea
    • European Union
    • Germany
    • United Kingdom
    • France

    Europe and the South China Sea 

    Loro Horta
    More warships in disputed waters may cause instability. But the presence of navies from afar sends a clear message, too.
  • 16 Aug 2021
    • Germany

    Germany’s federal election: choose any colour you like

    Marcus Colla
    The looming headache of Germany’s coalition arrangements will play out again this September.
  • 28 Jul 2021
    • Germany

    Merkel and beyond

    Jan Bielicki
    With grace under pressure, Angela Merkel has led Germany through several emergencies. What of the next Chancellor?
  • 21 Jun 2021
    • Europe
    • United States
    • Russia
    • European Union
    • Germany
    • United Kingdom
    • France

    Believing Biden

    Daniel Woker
    The US President has persuaded European allies of his values-based policy. But will such faith carry home?
  • 3 Jun 2021
    • United States
    • Russia
    • European Union
    • Energy
    • Germany

    Nord Stream 2: Assessing Russia’s “serious geopolitical victory”

    Nikola Mikovic
    The US has realised the energy pipeline is nearly completed. But that might not be the end of the opposition.
  • 17 Feb 2021
    • Europe
    • Russia
    • European Union
    • Germany
    • France

    Russia vs the EU

    Daniel Woker
    A visit to Moscow by Europe’s top envoy did nothing to calm a growing diplomatic spat. What if Washington weighs in?
  • 5 Feb 2021
    • Germany

    Germany’s ordinary new world

    Marcus Colla
    Nobody knows the size of the personal vote Angela Merkel will take with her, or the consequences for German politics.
  • 26 Nov 2020
    • Europe
    • European Union
    • Germany

    The outlines of a European policy on the Indo-Pacific

    Lisa Louis
    Germany and the Netherlands have new strategies for the Indo-Pacific, and maybe the beginnings of a common EU stance.
  • 11 Jun 2020
    • Syria
    • War Crimes
    • Germany

    With Syrian prosecutions, a rare case of universal jurisdiction

    Craig Hershowitz
    A seldom-used legal concept demonstrates the reach of justice even in the most hopeless circumstances.
  • 11 Mar 2020
    • Germany

    A Thuringian eruption in Germany

    Marcus Colla
    A fiasco turns to farce, enlivening the far right and leaving succession plans for Angela Merkel in shreds.
  • 20 Jan 2020
    • Europe
    • China
    • Germany

    No end in sight for Germany’s troubles with Huawei

    Björn Alexander Düben
    As other European capitals look for a cue, German politicians are sharply divided over the Chinese tech company.
  • 20 Dec 2019
    • Germany
    • United Kingdom
    • Review

    Favourites of 2019: Babylon Berlin

    Hervé Lemahieu
    A well-crafted look back at the Weimar Republic’s fragile democracy in 1929 shows how societies come apart at the seams.
  • 3 Sep 2019
    • Germany

    Germany’s enigmatic East and the fate of Europe’s right-wing populists

    Marcus Colla
    The far-right gained at weekend elections, but only in a cycle of division that leaves politics increasingly fragmented.
  • 15 Apr 2019
    • China
    • Germany

    The souring mood towards Beijing from Berlin

    Björn Alexander Düben
    Germany was a major Western country to keep on side with China, only ties are now plagued by wariness and suspicion.
  • 2 Nov 2018
    • Germany

    The Merkel legacy – a study in shades

    Marcus Colla
    Success and failure mark all careers in high office. Angela Merkel could often persuade, but not always inspire.
  • 23 Oct 2018
    • European Union
    • Germany

    Europe: Merkel, May, and Moscovici

    David Ritchie
    This month's election in Bavaria is yet another sign of Europe in disarray.
  • 2 Oct 2018
    • Europe
    • Germany

    Germany: A tale of two conservatisms

    Marcus Colla
    Merkel is facing a slow moving political crisis caused by a schism between mainstream and far-right conservatism.
  • 5 Jul 2018
    • Germany

    Tail wagging the dog: Seehofer in Germany

    Daniel Woker
    Germany’s Minister of the Interior is the latest right-wing leader in Europe to surf the populist political wave.
  • 21 Jun 2018
    • Australia
    • China
    • Germany

    Australia and Germany should work together on China

    Frances Kitt , Lucrezia Poggetti
    Both regions would benefit from exchanges to strengthen democratic resilience in the face of Chinese influence.

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