DW Berlin Briefing - Inside German politics

The German government says it aims to build up Europe’s strongest conventional army, but is facing a shortage of personnel. Conscription was suspended in 2011 and now plans to bring it back in are on the table. Who's going to be affected? Will women serve? And amid rising tensions with Russia, how prepared is Germany? DW’s Nina Haase talks to Michaela Küfner, Sina Schweikle, and David Matei.

In Germany there’s massive criticism of the new US-EU trade agreement, with opponents saying it’s deeply unfair. If that’s true, why did Europe sign it? Can German carmakers cope with high US tariffs as well as mounting competition from China? In this episode of Berlin Briefing, Richard Walker explores with Marie Sina from DW’s business desk and think tanker Thorsten Benner from the GPPi.

The deliberate spread of false information just handed the far right a big win. The vote on a new set of constitutional court judges was postponed. One candidate has been left damaged. We speak to Philipp Sälhoff, who heads a think tank that showed how a post by the far-right AfD party went on to fuel a campaign of disinformation and how this has become a wake-up call for German policy makers.

Germany’s coalition is grappling with its first crisis, with infighting over the nomination of a new judge to its highest court that has exploded with culture war themes ranging from abortion to COVID and the AfD. In this edition of Berlin Briefing, DW’s Richard Walker, Nina Haase and Michaela Küfner are joined by law professor Markus Kotzur to break down the political and legal implications.

There are fresh doubts about whether the US President and Europe are on the same page on Ukraine. Why is Europe not using frozen Russian assets? And how worried are the Baltic states that they might become Putin’s next targets? In this episode, DW’s Nina Haase explores these questions with Estonian diplomat Jonatan Vseviov, defense expert Christian Mölling, and DW Russian's Roman Goncharenko.

Poland will impose temporary border checks with Germany in response to Chancellor Friedrich Merz's tougher migration stance, which has led Germany to conduct regular border checks. Germany is now countering criticism from neighboring countries. Journalist David McQuaid joins DW’s political team to discuss the political tensions, motivations, risks, and implications for European unity.

In a historic week for Europe, the NATO alliance agreed to a major defense spending boost - raising the goal to 5% of GDP. Meanwhile, Secretary General Rutte called Trump ‘Daddy.’ In this episode of Berlin Briefing, DW’s team breaks down NATO’s summit in The Hague, explores Trump’s influence over Europe, and examines how European leaders’ attitudes shifted during his first and second terms.

US President Trump's former national security advisor John Bolton checked in with Berlin Briefing's hosts. Bolton explained why he doesn't believe Trump will send the bunker-busting bomb to Iran. Pushed for a character assessment, Bolton questioned whether Trump had even made up his mind on what he will do next – on Iran and NATO.

Half of Germans back Chancellor Merz's pledge to spend 5% of GDP on defense. And the other half?! And how comfortable are Germany's European partners with the new German leadership style that includes sweeping commitments to arm up? DW's top correspondents Michaela Küfner and Nina Haase in Berlin and Alexandra von Nahmen at NATO HQ in Brussels analyze what Merz' pledges will mean in real terms.

Friedrich Merz was bracing for a bust-up on his first visit to the Oval Office since becoming German chancellor. But the first Merz-Trump meeting turned out to be harmonious. Why? In this edition of Berlin Briefing, Michaela Küfner in Washington and Nina Haase and Richard Walker in Berlin look for answers. And ask whether a first good meeting counts for much in this unpredictable new era.

When Germany's Chancellor speaks out on international law violations by Israel, it signals a shift. We explore Germany’s evolving stance on Israel, and how Staatsräson shapes the line between political criticism and accusations of antisemitism. Plus, what Merz’s backing of Ukraine’s missile program says about his global ambitions — and how he aims to engage Trump on Europe.

How did Germany’s newly elected chancellor debut as a peacemaker in Europe after his visit to Kyiv alongside fellow European leaders? Can he lead while caught between the U.S. and Russian presidents? DW’s Chief Political Editor Michaela Küfner discusses Merz’s first steps as Germany’s new chancellor on the European stage with Andreas Rinke from Reuters and Aylin Matlé from DGAP.

While the far-right AfD has seized global attention, the far left of German politics is also making gains. The Left Party was the #1 choice for first-time voters in the recent elections. Why are so many young voters drawn to its socialist agenda? DW’s Richard Walker unpacks the Left Party and its growing influence with Matthew Moore and Bernd Riegert from the DW politics team.

Who are the power brokers in the new German government? DW’s Michaela Küfner breaks down who Friedrich Merz has chosen for his new cabinet. Together with DW’s Nina Haase she analyzes how Foreign Minister J.Wadephul and incoming Trade Minister Katherina Reiche fit into Merz’ government picture. Special guest is Johannes Winkel, leader of the youth organization of Merz’ Conservative CDU party.

Is Crimea the key to peace in Ukraine? On today’s episode, we break down Donald Trump’s claim that President Zelenskyy is prolonging the war by resisting calls to cede the Ukrainian peninsula Crimea to Russia. Our guests have updates on a devastating attack in Kyiv and on Friedrich Merz' controversial Taurus missile hint.

Germany’s incoming government will face a geopolitical nightmare from Day 1. Stuck between a hostile White House and a China which threatens Germany’s crucial auto industry. Can likely Chancellor Friedrich Merz handle both at the same time? In this edition of Berlin Briefing, Richard Walker jumps into the Germany-China-US dynamic with Andrew Small of GMF and DW’s Melissa Chan in Taipei.

Germany's likely next government has published its much-awaited coalition agreement. The political marriage document between Friedrich Merz's conservative CDU/CSU party and the Social Democrat SPD marks a clamp down on migration. It also promises a huge boost for Germany's struggling economy. But will Merz's plan to stop the deindustrialization of Germany work?

Migration is again a defining political battleground in Germany. With Friedrich Merz pushing for a 'Migrationswende,' his election victory brings promises of change, but coalition politics may complicate the path forward. Can Germany’s next government deliver on tougher migration policies, or will compromises dilute the vision?

Turkey’s President Erdogan has had the mayor of Istanbul Imamoglu arrested. The EU condemns the arrest but stops short of threatening any action. In this episode DW’s Michaela Küfner asks whether Europe can afford standing up to Erdogan? Her guests, Can Merey (RND) and former EU ambassador to Turkey Marc Pierini map out why Germany and Europe are so highly dependent on Erdogan.

Donald Trump is reshaping America’s ties with its allies. Will his policies push EU states to unite? Why should anyone who cares about democracy be paying close attention to the relationship between Germany and France? And why is Germany tightening its US travel advice? DW’s Nina Haase explores these questions with Max Hofmann (DW) and Jacob Ross (DGAP) in this episode of Berlin Briefing.

Germany’s likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz is already hailed as the man who could forge what the EU needs most: unity. So far he has seen a lot of advance praise, but how will his ambition to turn Germany from a “hesitant” to a “leading middle power” really be felt in Europe?

Friedrich Merz, Germany’s likely next chancellor, has stirred up political waters with his bold "whatever it takes" stance. In a massive shift, Merz and the Social Democrats have jointly announced a plan to rearm Germany and heavily invest in infrastructure. In this episode, we break it all down with expert insights from Ralph Bollmann, journalist (FAS), and Benjamin Hilgenstock from the DGAP.

Germany’s incoming leaders are planning to dramatically ramp up military spending after signs the Trump administration could definitively pivot away from European defense. DW breaks down the next steps for likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz: Procuring drones, satellites and more high-tech gear. Recruiting tens of thousands of troops. And trying to work out a European nuclear deterrent.

Who will lead Germany next? In this episode of Berlin Briefing, we break down the key players in Germany’s upcoming elections, the ripple effects of JD Vance’s game-changing MSC 2025 speech and its impact on Europe’s security, and why smaller parties could complicate the formation of the next coalition. Plus, we reveal what the latest polls are saying and share final predictions.

At a memorable Munich Security Conference, US Vice President JD Vance lectured the Europeans on what democracy should really mean, questioning its institutions. In this special edition from Munich, host Michaela Küfner breaks down the messages from MSC 2025 together with Jackson Janes (German Marshall Fund), Peter R. Neumann (King's College London) and DW's Brussels correspondent Teri Schultz.