John Kampfner
Broadcaster and Columnist at Freelance
Author/broadcaster/speaker https://t.co/VaVZKmKIGj https://t.co/puOgefeW2j Guardian, ForeignPolicy, politico In Search of Berlin: https://t.co/0HknvhxlyS
Articles
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5 days ago |
observer.co.uk | John Kampfner
With the far-right Alternative für Deutschland waiting in the wings, Germany’s new chancellor will need to hit the ground running ‘One of the tests of the cabinet will be whether ministers’ business cards contain a fax number.” So quipped a corporate leader to me on the day Friedrich Merz was not quite crowned and then crowned the 10th chancellor of postwar Germany.
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1 week ago |
independent.co.uk | John Kampfner
commentGermany’s new chancellor is surrounded by political enemies on all sides. To beat his domestic foes – and win over Donald Trump – he will need to act quickly to prove he’s not been mortally wounded already, writes John KampfnerIt fell to a party leader best known for cracking jokes to seize the gravity of the moment. The events of Tuesday 6 May 2025 could end up being a “harbinger of Weimar”, declared Markus Söder, head of the Bavarian arm of the Conservative Christian Democrats.
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1 week ago |
politico.eu | John Kampfner
John Kampfner is a British author, broadcaster and commentator. His latest book “In Search of Berlin” is published by Atlantic. He is a regular POLITICO columnist. Germany is good at doing things slowly. Six months ago, the country’s last government collapsed, as small-time politicians with big egos could no longer abide each other. Since then, we saw Germany hold a general election, U.S. President Donald Trump come to power and the world plunged into mayhem.
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2 weeks ago |
johnkampfner.substack.com | John Kampfner
As Donald Trump stitches up his tawdry Ukraine deal with Vladimir Putin, here is a review of mine of an excellent new book by two Russian journalists who have spent their careers probing the security services and power structures. In so doing they have taken huge risks and are now in exile. In their latest work, they contact former colleagues who worked with them at various newspapers who try to understand why they went on to act as Kremlin propagandists.
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1 month ago |
almendron.com | John Kampfner
Germany is about to get a new fitness trainer. So declared Markus Söder, one of the political leaders who have just announced a coalition agreement. In one of the quirks of the country’s constitution, the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) will play a significant role in the new administration, and Söder used his moment in the limelight to play the entertainer. It was a curious way to announce the arrival of a new government, expected to be sworn in during the first week of May.
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Second time lucky for Friedrich Merz. Let’s hope he learns from it and leads this new coalition with both resolve and preparedness to compromise. The shakier Germany’s democratic foundations, the more important it is that this government works
BREAKING: Friedrich Merz has been elected Germany's chancellor in the second round of voting in the German parliament. https://t.co/G2MwFl5uty
What do you do when your long-time friends move onto the dark side? It’s a question for Russian journalists and activists, but also for us all https://t.co/WJk8sTUpob
As he announces his cabinet, Merz unequivocal in his commitment to Ukraine. Hopefully not more Scholzian 'yes but'. Talks of Russia's existential threat to Germany; 'goes to the heart of our security and our values'. Let's hope he's as resolute as his words. But it's a good start
Germany stands behind Ukraine "without ifs and buts", incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz tells party convention. He adds: There must be "no dictated peace or submission to facts imposed by military force ... we hope and advocate that our American partners see it the same way."
