The Zeitgeist

Episode 154: Germany’s Autumn: The Regional and International Constraints on National Politics

The Zeitgeist

Show Notes

Approval ratings for Chancellor Merz and his government are at historic lows, the war in Ukraine is in its fifth year, and instability abroad has led to economic challenges at …

More from The Zeitgeist

Oct 14, 2026

The Alternative for Germany has received unprecedented support in state elections in 2026, especially in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. In this episode of The Zeitgeist, Hannah Alarian discusses what issues and …

Sep 23, 2026

Regional elections in Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Berlin saw successes for the far-right Alternative for Germany and far-left Die Linke and “disaster” for the mainstream parties. The episode of The Zeitgeist …

Sep 17, 2026

Investment is the backbone of transatlantic trade, but foreign direct investment between the United States and Germany has fallen in both directions in the past year. The German Economic Institute’s …

Aug 13, 2026

Germany’s Green Party is no longer part of the federal government and is seeking a comeback. How can the party mobilize the electorate and counter growing fragmentation and extremism in …

Jul 29, 2026

The global economic landscape is contested between China and the United States, with America’s partners such as Europe also playing important roles. China has pursued policies of one-way dependencies, and …

See all episodes →