Insights
The umlaut premium
Bürgen bread, often mistaken as German, was actually an Australian product created by Doug Leighton, symbolising authenticity through its umlaut rather than true heritage.
Germany
Newsroom
Germany silent on suspected Russian drone attack to avoid boosting far right
A drone incident at Leipzig airport, intended to disrupt Ukrainian weapon supplies, raises concerns about potential Russian involvement amid cautious German governmental responses and political implications.
Newsroom
What NZ must learn from Germany’s sudden €20 billion military meltdown
Germany’s military procurement failures highlight the need for New Zealand to spend wisely on defense.
Newsroom
German leaders erase the big black zero they once worshipped
The European Central Bank’s recent interest rate hike signals rising inflation and faltering growth in Germany, exposing severe structural budget issues and unsustainable spending promises.
Newsroom
New purge to give totalitarian control of police, schools, prison, bureaucracy of German state
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) aims to fundamentally reshape German governance by purging civil servants deemed misaligned, threatening democratic norms while mainstream parties also undermine established rules amid rising discontent.
The Australian
As NZ political centre narrows, should Luxon consider grand coalition?
The idea of a grand coalition in New Zealand faces challenges; past German experiences show limited reform success and political risks.
Newsroom
I’m a liberal now but I still mourn the slow death of the Social Democrats in Germany
The SPD, Germany’s oldest political party, faces existential decline, struggling to retain traditional voters amid shifting political dynamics, compounded by historical missteps that jeopardise democratic integrity in Germany.
Newsroom
Voters will decide whether to punch holes in Europe’s nuclear umbrella
Prompted by unilateral American strikes, France and Germany just forged a historic European nuclear defence pact. Surging nationalist political movements, however, threaten to destroy this fragile strategy before it even begins.
The New Zealand Herald
Greyhound racing law change is legal overreach
The New Zealand Government’s bill to ban greyhound racing raises concerns about arbitrary power and lacks compensation provisions, undermining the rule of law and civil society rights.
Quadrant
The Long Estrangement
Germany had long been on an anti-Western ” Sonderweg,” particularly in its policies towards Russia. It is a history of systemic failures and naivety culminating in recent geopolitical challenges.