European Union
All topics-
Social unrest in Tunisia
You′re on your own
Strip away the friendly overtures made by various European countries towards Tunisia and you’ll find nothing more than exploitation and non-reciprocation. How else to explain their failure to step in as the North African state slides inexorably towards poverty? Commentary by Bachir Amroune
-
African asylum seekers in Melilla
A loser's game
Most of the refugees arriving in Melilla, a Spanish exclave in Northern Africa, are Syrians, Yemenis and Algerians. Few of them hail from sub-Saharan Africa. Why is that? Santiago Saez reports from Melilla
-
Climate change and the West′s energy policy
Robbing the poor
The unrestricted flow of cheap natural resources from the global south to the rich industrialised north, maintains a profoundly unjust international division of labour, claims Algerian environmental activist Hamza Hamouchene
-
Iran and the USA
Trump's UN debut: The axis of evil is back
The USA no longer accepts the nuclear agreement with Iran in its current form and instead wants to renegotiate elements of the international treaty. President Hassan Rouhani now has to manoeuvre between Trump and the radicals at home – hoping all the while that Europe will act as mediator. A commentary by Ali Sadrzadeh
-
The West′s relations with Sudan
From pariah to partner
The U.S. and EU should attach to clear conditions a normalisation of relations with Sudan. This is the only way to usefully pursue their own interests – curbing migration and terrorism – in the long-term, says Annette Weber
-
German-Turkish relations
Part of us
In reaction to the mounting German-Turkish political crisis, Germany′s Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel has written an open letter emphasising that the shift in relations with Ankara should not impact on German citizens with Turkish roots. Commentary by Alexander Goerlach
-
"Stranded. Refugees between Syria and Europe"
Forever in transit
For his reportage "Stranded. Refugees Between Syria and Europe" the writer Tayfun Guttstadt travelled to the cities of Turkey and along the Turkish-Syrian border. In conversation with Sonja Galler, he talks about the precarious situation faced by Syrian refugees, their legal status and Turkey′s lack of any kind of integration concept
-
Europe, Germany and ″Abendland″ angst
In the name of Christendom
Appropriated by the National Socialists and revived by the German far right, the term ″Abendland″ is laden with negative associations. Yet, Alexander Goerlach argues, it′s not too late to reclaim it
-
Europe′s refugee deal with Turkey
The end of the road
Anything is better than waiting. Even deportation back to Turkey is no longer such a frightening prospect for refugees stranded on Lesbos. But now, Ankara says it is no longer willing to take back rejected asylum seekers. Ulrich von Schwerin reports from Lesbos
-
German-Turkish relations in crisis
Fraying at the edges
The authoritarian course taken by the Turkish government is adversely affecting relations with Germany: the more the values in the two countries drift apart, the weaker the basis for a reliable and stable partnership. By Gulistan Gurbey
-
German-Turkish relations
No real leverage
Repeated demands for Germany to take a firm line with Erdogan and to end the refugee deal with Turkey have become a favourite mantra of many among the German opposition parties. A hardening of the rhetoric alone, however, is hardly likely to induce Erdogan to change his tack. By Ulrich von Schwerin
-
The rise of right-wing populism in Europe
A continent divided
The rise of right-wing populism is throwing Europe off-balance. The impacts on policies concerning migration, inclusion and asylum are already evident. In many European countries, right-wing propaganda is calling into question achievements such as the freedom of religion, free movement for EU citizens and the right of asylum. By Daniel Bax