Michaela Kufner
Appearances
Global News Podcast
Nato steps up efforts to protect cables in Baltic Sea
You hardly ever hear from Frank-Walter Steinmeier because his role is largely ceremonial. He holds speeches. He represents Germany. He actually, though, holds the highest office in the country. And the reason being that whenever a constitutional crisis looms, that's when his role becomes pivotal. We saw Olaf Scholz ask Parliament for more trust to stay in office. Parliament said no.
Global News Podcast
Nato steps up efforts to protect cables in Baltic Sea
That does not immediately lead to the dissolution of Parliament. That's when the president decides whether it's worth talking to all political parties again and pushing them to try and form a coalition. He has spoken to all of them again. And today we're expecting to hear from him in the interest of political stability. That is the benchmark.
Global News Podcast
Nato steps up efforts to protect cables in Baltic Sea
He is calling fresh elections and not trying to hold these parties to the democratic responsibility of forging some kind of coalition.
Global News Podcast
Nato steps up efforts to protect cables in Baltic Sea
Yes, he's a former political adversary of Angela Merkel. He was one of those few critics and he left politics altogether over a huge row with her. Now he's back and he is sounding a lot tougher on issues like migration. He's sounding a lot less centrist on issues like the economy, much more pro-business.
Global News Podcast
Nato steps up efforts to protect cables in Baltic Sea
Absolutely. They just scored some psychologically important victories in regional elections in the East, where they cracked the 30% benchmark. We will learn in these elections whether they will max out at around just under 20%, which is where they are in the polls right now.
Global News Podcast
Nato steps up efforts to protect cables in Baltic Sea
Whatever happens, they have no chance of joining any kind of government coalition for the simple reason that all the other parties don't want to work with them. They refuse to do so, despite the fact that they are currently the second largest political force here in Germany.