SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 22, 2012
The situation has seldom been this serious for German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The leader is increasingly isolated in Europe because of her rigid austerity policies, while at home, criticism is growing of her decision to fire her environment minister last week. Her new toughness could backfire by making her look unsympathetic to voters, say analysts. By Philipp Wittrock more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 18, 2012
Angela Merkel isn't known for her brutality. But her firing of her environment minister has German editorialists taking a new look at the chancellor. They see a leader desperately trying to keep her party, and all of Europe, from falling apart at the seams. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 17, 2012
Responding to her party's massive defeat in elections in Germany's most populous state last weekend, Angela Merkel has fired Norbert Röttgen, the federal environment minister who was also the CDU's leading candidate in North Rhine-Westphalia. The move was an extraordinarily rare one in Germany and showed a cold side of Merkel that is seldom visible. By Philipp Wittrock more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 17, 2012
Chancellor Angela Merkel has shown her tough side by firing Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen after he lost a key state election for her conservative party. The demise of the former political star is yet another sign of the ongoing disintegration of Merkel's government. Röttgen is the latest in a long line of senior conservatives who has met with a sticky end. A Commentary by Roland Nelles more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 15, 2012
Social Democrat Hannelore Kraft is the big winner in last Sunday's crucial state election in North Rhine-Westphalia. And she triumphed by taking a page from Chancellor Angela Merkel's playbook, German commentators say. The infusion of feminine politics could mark the country's political scene for years to come. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 14, 2012
Chancellor Angela Merkel has been weakened by the humiliating election defeat of her conservatives in the large state of North Rhine-Westphalia on Sunday. German media commentators say she will face a harder time securing backing for her austerity policy at home, at a time when resistance to it is building across Europe. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 14, 2012
The center-left Social Democrats and the Greens have emerged with a clear majority in elections in Germany's most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia. The outcome is a significant setback for Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and could further weaken the Christian Democrats in the run-up to national elections in 2013. more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 10, 2012
This Sunday's state election in North Rhine-Westphalia will put Germany's new political landscape in the spotlight. A multitude of parties is making it more difficult to form governing coalitions and a growing focus on personalities has analysts speaking of the 'Americanization' of German politics. By Charles Hawley more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- April 20, 2012
The rise of the Pirate Party has been swift and virtually without opposition, but resistance is now emerging. Writers and musicians have a problem with the Internet-freedom party's approach to intellectual property. By Sven Becker, Jan Fleischhauer and Rene Pfister more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- April 19, 2012
German Chancellor Merkel has made it clear that she would like to see French President Nicolas Sarkozy win a second term. Indeed, if his challenger François Hollande emerges victorious in the country's upcoming election, she could face isolation in Europe. But a Sarkozy re-election might be problematic, too. By Veit Medick and Severin Weiland more...
