Germany's Downfall: Can a New Government Turn Things Around? | To The Point

Nov 14, 2024 | Germany’s government coalition collapsed the day Donald Trump was announced winner of the US elections. Now, Germans will have to decide who will rule the country in a snap election in February. Until then, little else will get done. Olaf Scholz has become a lame duck chancellor - at a time when Germany needs strong political leadership more than ever: the economy is struggling, society is divided. Europe’s heavyweight has come to a halt, including in foreign policy. That’s especially bitter for Ukraine: while its two biggest supporters, the US and Germany, are stuck in a power vacuum, its war against Russia continues to escalate. On To the Point we ask: Germany's downfall: can a new government turn things around?

Featuring Guests:
Michaela Küfner, DW's Chief Political Editor
Felix Lee, SZ Dossier
Melinda Crane, US Expert

A World in Crisis: Can Europe Cope without the US? | To the Point

Oct 10, 2024 | War in Ukraine, war in the Middle East, and severe hurricanes in the US: The final weeks of Joe Biden’s administration are intense – and they are giving Europe a taste of what it means to stand alone.

The planned visit of the US president to Germany, including a major conference on Ukraine is now cancelled. It is becoming increasingly clear: 'America First' is also the mantra for the Democrats. What does this mean for their European allies? As a third winter of war in Ukraine looms, how much protection against Putin can the West still provide?

On ‘To the Point’ we ask: A world in crisis: can Europe cope without the US?

Guests this week are Sudha David-Wilp from the German Marshall Fund, Marco Overhaus from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, and DW's Roman Goncharenko.

Defiance in Germany: Can Mass Protests Stop the Far Right? | To The Point

Feb 1, 2024 | Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Germany. It’s the largest social movement in the country in decades. In cities and towns large and small, protestors have been demonstrating against the far right, to advocate for an open society and to protect their democracy. And yet, supporters of Germany’s biggest far-right party seem undaunted, with more people than ever joining the organization. How dangerous is the AfD? What is causing such anger within mainstream society? And how resilient is Germany’s democracy? On To the Point we ask: Defiance in Germany: Can mass protests stop the far right?

Chainsaw Politics: Cutting Down the Democratic Establishment? | To The Point

Dec 14, 2023

Die deutsche Version dieser Sendung kann man auch ansehen. Klicken Sie bitte hier. Der Name der Sendung heißt „Politik mit der Kettensäge: Wird das demokratische Establishment zerlegt?“

A Great Power in Trouble: What's Wrong with Germany? | To The Point

Oct 5, 2023 | What's happening to the world's fourth-largest economy? In contrast to other large industrial nations and in comparison to Europe, Germany’s economy is weakening.

Companies are complaining about poor business conditions, such as high energy prices. There is already talk of creeping de-industrialization, and some economists and politicians believe that Germany is once again, “the sick man of Europe.”

At the same time, right-wing populist attitudes are on the rise, and more people are critical of democracy. Are prosperity and democracy in danger? We are discussing: “A great power in trouble: What's wrong with Germany?”

Our guests: Valerie Höhne (Tagesspiegel)
Arne Delfs (Bloomberg News)
Katja Hoyer (Kings College London)

Gay and Queer in Europe: How to Tackle Exclusion? | To the Point

Jul 1, 2021 | How much freedom do members of the LGBTQ community enjoy? In recent weeks, Gay Pride marches in countries around the world have underlined the solidarity in the community. But discrimination, violence, even the death penalty, are still part of the global agenda of hate. There's been angry criticism of Hungary's new anti-LGBTQ law - and of European soccer's blocking of the use of the movement's rainbow colors at a big European championship match in Munich. Gay and queer in Europe: How to tackle exclusion? Our guests: Joseph Hutchinson (US journalist), Pascal Thibaut (Radio France Internationale), Bernd Riegert (DW Brussels).

Iran Rises Up: Can the Mullahs Be Toppled? | to the point

Protests in Iran are gaining momentum. Led initially by women and girls crying “Woman, life, liberty” after the death of a young Kurdish women detained for wearing her head scarf “inappropriately”, the uprising has drawn thousands of others onto the streets. The protesters chant “Death to the Dictator” – calling for the end of the repressive clerical regime. Which is hitting back hard – its violent crackdown has killed or detained hundreds of civilians, journalists, and activists and shut down the internet. Today we’re asking: Iran rises up: Can the mullahs be toppled?“

More on this story here.

Pariah Putin: Isolated and Angry? | To the Point

Mar 4, 2022 • Russian forces continue their advance on the Ukrainian capital Kiev and other key cities. The onslaught has had an unexpected side effect: Vladimir Putin’s war is uniting an often-divided world. In New York the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly condemned the brutal onslaught. A slew of companies have closed down operations in Russia or divested themselves of Russian-related holdings elsewhere. With harsh sanctions in place, Joe Biden says Putin is more isolated than ever before.

Our guests: Jessica Berlin (Geopolitical Expert); Christoph von Marschall (Der Tagesspiegel); Roman Goncharenko (DW).

Ukraine under Attack: Is Europe Powerless against Putin? | To the Point

Feb 24, 2022 • The world looks on as Russian President Vladimir Putin launches a full-scale attack on Ukraine. And now it’s becoming clear that he intends to use his country’s military might in a bid to re-write European history.

The West, meanwhile, has been imposing what have been described as the toughest sanctions ever. But Putin is clearly not impressed.

So, is it time for Europe’s democracies to face up to some new and uncomfortable truths and, perhaps, fight for their future?

On ‘To the Point’, we ask: Ukraine under attack: Is Europe powerless against Putin?

Our guests: Ulrike von Hirschhausen (historian); Vendeline von Bredow (Economist); Matthew Karnitschnig (Politico)

Putin and Xi against the West: Democracy under Pressure? | To the Point

Feb 10, 2022 • Have Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping joined forces against the West?

Certainly, China has been using the Winter Olympics for a massive display of its political and economic might. Russia, meanwhile, continues to flex its muscles in the war of words over the future of Ukraine. Diplomatic efforts to ease the situation are in overdrive, including missions to Moscow and Washington.

So, this time round on TO THE POINT, we ask: Putin and Xi against the West: Democracy under pressure?

Our guests: Sudha David-Wilp (German Marshall Fund); Didi-Kirsten Tatlow (DGAP); Vladimir Esipov (DW)

Boris's Brexit Boomerang: Is the UK Spiraling into Chaos? | To the Point

Oct 7, 2021 • The UK is facing chaos. With supplies of some key goods becoming scarce, the military have been called in. Is Brexit to blame? Our guests: Vendeline von Bredow (The Economist), Jon Worth (freelance journalist),Simon Young (DW)

Brexit is, and will continue to be, a disaster. BoJo is not qualified for the high position he holds: He doesn’t have any understanding of economics and he is not interested in the hard work that governing entails. Britain is on its way to becoming the ‘Sick Man of Europe’ yet again. We’ve been there before and we had to enter Europe to solve it. BoJo and his silly ideas will only compound the problem. – © Mark

Merkel Departs: Political Genius or World-class Pragmatist? | To the Point

Sep 23, 2021 • From a token woman in East Germany to the leader of the free world. After four terms, or sixteen years, in office, that same Angela Merkel is stepping aside as German chancellor. So, what will her legacy be? Does she leave behind a Germany more united, or more divided? What are her greatest achievements? And her biggest mistakes? Above all, perhaps: who is the real Angela Merkel and how has she survived so long? Our guests: the Merkel biographers Ursula Weidenfeld, Ralph Bollmann and Andreas Rinke.

Gay and Queer in Europe: How to Tackle Exclusion? | To the Point

Jul 1, 2021 • How much freedom do members of the LGBTQ community enjoy? In recent weeks, Gay Pride marches in countries around the world have underlined the solidarity in the community. But discrimination, violence, even the death penalty, are still part of the global agenda of hate. There's been angry criticism of Hungary's new anti-LGBTQ law - and of European soccer's blocking of the use of the movement's rainbow colors at a big European championship match in Munich. Gay and queer in Europe: How to tackle exclusion? Our guests: Joseph Hutchinson (US journalist), Pascal Thibaut (Radio France Internationale), Bernd Riegert (DW Brussels).

Coronavirus Rampant: How Deadly Is Delta? | To the Point

As rates of Covid cases spiral upward and new warnings resound, people in may parts of the world find themselves wondering if the summer respite we’d hoped for could come to an abrupt end. All thanks to a new and especially adaptable strain. First identified in India, it's known as the delta variant and is significantly more contagious than previously thought. After completely overwhelming the Indian health care system and causing mass suffering and death, the variant has spread to more than 80 countries. Vaccines should stop it from spreading, but it's a race against time. With many countries already returning to normalcy, reimposing rules could be hard. Corona mutations - How deadly is delta?

After Brexit: Can the UK Really Go It Alone? | To the Point

For the first time in its history, a member nation has left the European Union. But can the UK really go it alone? And how will it change the EU? Guests: Tom Nuttall (The Economist), Jon Worth (blogger), Tanja Börzel (political scientist)

Biden's America against Xi's China: Struggle for Supremacy? | To the Point

Who can stop China's surge to global dominance? It's one huge question, and one huge challenge, that the new US president, Joe Biden, is already facing. Biden has inherited a divided and doubt-ridden America from his predecessor Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Xi Jinping 's China is both expansive and authoritarian. It's two rival systems apparently on collision course. So, on "To the Point" we ask: Biden's America against Xi's China: Struggle for supremacy?

Trump's Last Days in Office: Lame Duck or Raging Bull? | To The Point

Donald Trump's days in the White House finally seem to be numbered. The question is: how much damage can he still do? Our guests: Susanne Koelbl (Spiegel), Ali Fatholla-Nejad (analyst), Erik Kirschbaum (LA Times),

Trump or Biden: How Divided Is the United States? | To The Point

Who will be the 46th president of the United States? Donald Trump or Joe Biden? Can the winner bring the divided country together? Our guests: Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson (KCRW Berlin), Mosi Secret (freelance Journalist), Matthew Karnitschnig (Politico).

Trump's Mysterious Recovery: Will Covid Decide the US Election? | To The Point

After testing positive for Covid-19, Donald Trump is back in the White House, promising vaccines and a cure to the virus free for all. Will the virus now decide the upcoming election? Our guests: Rachel Tausendfreund (German Marshall Fund), William Glucroft (DW), Julia Fischer (science journalist).

Coronavirus in the USA: Trump's Downfall? | To the Point

A superpower laid low by the coronavirus: Infections in the USA continue to rise and the economy is on life support. Will the pandemic cost President Trump the election?

Guests: Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson (KCRW Radio Berlin), Matthew Karnitschnig (Politico), Daniel Hamilton (Johns Hopkins University)

Daniel Hamilton is a professor for Poltical Science at Johns Hopkins University. Currently he is a Robert Bosch-Fellow in Berlin. He says: "Pandemic, recession, systemic racism -- all made worse by Donald Trump. It's a combustible brew."

Matthew Karnitschnig is chief Europe correspondent for „Politico“. His view: „The pandemic is Trump’s Waterloo. The main question now is not if he will lose, but rather by how much.” Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson is program director at KCRW, a Radio station based here in Berlin and affiliated with the US broadcaster NPR. And she says: „Donald Trump’s performance regarding COVID-19 may not matter, because recessions lead to reelection losers.“