Interview with Belarusian Nobel Laureate Svetlana Alexievich "I'm Horrified By What Is Happening in Belarus" Literature Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich is currently in Berlin receiving medical treatment. In an interview with DER SPIEGEL, she spoke about the protests in her homeland of Belarus, the horrors of the Lukashenko regime and how the international community can help. Interview Conducted by Tobias Rapp und Volker Weidermann
Rule of Law Brussels Prepares for a Protracted Fight with Poland and Hungary By vetoing the EU budget, Hungary and Poland have plunged the bloc into a crisis and heaped pressure on Angela Merkel to find a solution. Brussels, though, might have a way to turn the tables.
“They Were Beating Me Like Crazy” Video Documents Illegal Refugee Pushbacks in Croatia For years, asylum-seekers have been claiming abuse at the hands of Croatian border police, with some reporting beatings, electric shocks and even having their toenails torn out. For the first time, videos in combination with reporting by DER SPIEGEL have confirmed some of these reports. By Steffen Lüdke und Nicole Vögele
The Troublemaker Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz Keeps Europe on Its Toes Sebastian Kurz's supporters admire his chutzpah, but critics see the Austrian chancellor's stubborn maneuvering as a danger to the cohesion of the European Union. DER SPIEGEL paid a visit to his offices in Vienna. Von Walter Mayr
“No Return To the Old Normality” Reactions in Berlin and Brussels to the U.S. Election In Europe, many fear there will be prolonged legal battles before the election is finalized in the United States. And that in a Biden presidency, the EU has to be proactive in getting trans-Atlantic relations back on track. By Markus Becker, Christiane Hoffmann und Christoph Schult
The Perfect Storm of Brexit and Corona Boris Johnson's Failures Add Up to Eroding Trust Boris Johnson thought he could handle Brexit and believed British exceptionalism would protect the country from the coronavirus. He was wrong on both counts. By Jörg Schindler in London
Illegal Practices EU Border Agency Frontex Complicit in Greek Refugee Pushback Campaign Greek border guards have been forcing large numbers of refugees back to sea in pushback operations that violate international law. DER SPIEGEL and its reporting partners have learned that the European Union is also complicit in the highly controversial practice. By Giorgos Christides, Emmanuel Freudenthal, Steffen Lüdke und Maximilian Popp
Shaping a New Belarus from Abroad Lukashenko’s Opponents Regroup in Lithuania A large part of the Belarusian opposition has fled to neighboring Lithuania, including Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. They want to plan a free Belarus from exile in Vilnius. By Katrin Kuntz in Vilnius, LIthuania
A Looming Disaster Brexit Threatens to Become the Messiest of Messy Divorces Britain will be leaving the EU common market at the end of the year and there are still important issues to be hammered out. Both sides could be facing a disaster in the form of huge traffic jams, job losses and rising prices.
EU Commission Vice President on the Rule of Law in Europe "The Condition of Hungary's Media Landscape Is Alarming" For the first time ever, the European Commission is examining the state of rule of law in each EU member state. Věra Jourová discusses weaknesses in Germany and serious concerns elsewhere. Interview Conducted by Markus Becker und Peter Müller
Brexit Negotiations It Is Not Helpful to Play Games An Open Letter to Britain from Michael Roth, Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office With good will from both sides, a fair Brexit deal is still possible. Now, though, pragmatism is needed - and not a constant obsession with who will be the winner and who the loser.
Spain’s COVID Resurgence The Difficult Fight against the Second Wave The Spanish government imposed a tough coronavirus lockdown in the spring, but now, new infections are rising faster than anywhere else in the EU. The economy is facing potential collapse even as new lockdown measures go into effect. By Claus Hecking und Steffen Lüdke
Navalny and Nord Stream 2 Germany Unable to Reach Agreement on Sanctions against Russia The German government wants to stand up to Moscow following the attempted murder of opposition activist Alexei Navalny. But suspending construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is a step too far for many. What will Berlin do?
The Last Macho Rise and Fall of Spain's Former King Juan Carlos After the end of the Franco era, King Juan Carlos I helped his country become wealthy and democratic. Today he is exiled, with his legacy clouded by possible connections to tax fraud. What happened? By Helene Zuber
Europe's Shame The Moria Catastrophe and the EU's Hypocritical Refugee Policy The fire in the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos has revealed the full hypocrisy of the European Union's refugee policy. Pressure is growing to finally take action.
Europe's Moral Bankruptcy Germany Must Set a Positive Example in Latest Refugee Crisis The European Union's refugee policies are not only inhumane, they are stripping the bloc of one of the few things that sets it apart many other powers: its respect for human rights. A DER SPIEGEL Editorial By Katrin Elger
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš "We Should Be Talking about European Security" The opposition accuses him of corruption while EU politicians have questioned his commitment to democracy. But Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš believes he is treated unfairly. He defends his record in this interview with DER SPIEGEL and compares himself to Donald Trump. Interview Conducted by Walter Mayr und Maximilian Popp
Navalny Poisoning Germany Debates Halting Contentious Russian Pipeline Project Leading politicians in Germany from all mainstream parties are demanding that construction on the natural gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 be suspended as a result of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny. But Merkel's government is so far resisting such calls.
Border Conflict Escalates Erdoğan Risks War with Greece Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan wants to redraw national borders in the Mediterranean region and is alienating neighboring countries. Turkey and Greece, both NATO allies, are mobilizing their navies against each other. By Maximilian Popp
The End of Lukashenkism? On the Knife's Edge in Belarus The uprising against Alexander Lukashenko may not have a leader, but its goals are ambitious. After the first phase of shock and fear, the people are now showing pride and self-confidence. Will that go far enough? By Christian Esch, Minsk