Friday, 29 September 2017 11:36
Germany: influence of AfD
Alternative for Germany (AfD), founded in 2013, is a right-wing populist and Eurosceptic political party. In 2016 it made an alliance with the Freedom Party of Austria, with both party leaders saying border control officers should…
Friday, 29 September 2017 11:33
German election, Brexit and Ireland
The German elections have weakened Chancellor Merkel’s leadership authority. Weeks of Brexit talks will be lost while Germany forms a government that can command a majority in its parliament. In the UK there are disagreements between…
Friday, 29 September 2017 11:30
Crimea: human rights crimes
The UN has accused Russia of committing grave human rights violations in Crimea. There is a need for accountability. Russia annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, after that country's leader was overthrown. The UN report…
Friday, 22 September 2017 10:33
EU: Macron demands EU treaty changes
In what will be seen as a kick in the teeth to Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, Emmanuel Macron insisted that the EU should set goals for the next ten years and enforce treaty changes,…
Friday, 22 September 2017 10:30
EU: Theresa May’s Brexit speech
On 21 September, the day before Theresa May delivers her first major Brexit speech in Florence, she met with her Cabinet to discuss her terms for Brexit. The last time she addressed the EU was in…
Friday, 15 September 2017 09:45
Germany: election on 24 September
Angela Merkel has been chancellor since 2005. Her Lutheran faith (she calls it an inner compass) expresses itself in her unflashy style and her instincts - debt is bad; helping the needy, good. She thinks ethically,…