Snapshots

Germany

The Bundestag, Germany's federal parliament, is seen at night.

Economics

Politics

Disputes over a new climate bill bode ill for the government's ability to negotiate a tight federal budget.

More Cracks Appear in Germany's Ruling Coalition

Assessments

Europe

France

Spain

Italy

A photograph taken on March 16, 2023, shows Lake Serre-Poncon partially dry, near Embrun, in the French Alps. 

Energy

Environment, Science & Technology

Social Issues

Increasingly severe droughts and water shortages brought on by climate change will serve as a multiplier for Europe's energy, agricultural, industrial and socio-economic challenges. 

Europe's Scorching Summer and Warm Winter Portend a New Normal

United States

Ukraine

Russia

A floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) is pictured behind a container painted with a map showing the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in Lubmin, northeastern Germany, on Jan. 14, 2023. 

Military & Security

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Reports that Ukrainians, not Russians, attacked the pipelines in September risk undermining Western support for Kyiv -- especially if Zelensky's government is directly implicated.

New Revelations About the Nord Stream Attacks Put Ukraine in Hot Water

South Africa

Brazil

Ecuador

South African President and ANC leader Cyril Ramaphosa on Jan. 7, 2023, in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: South Africa's State of the Nation Speech, Biden and Lula Meet

Argentina

Bolivia

Chile

China

Chilean President Gabriel Boric (right) and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (left) pose after holding a joint press conference at the Palacio de La Moneda in Santiago, Chile, on Jan. 29, 2023. 

To reduce its reliance on Chinese-made batteries, Germany is seeking to increase its presence in Latin America's ''Lithium Triangle.''

In Search of Lithium, Germany Eyes Partnerships With Chile and Argentina

Senegal

Zambia

Japan

South Korea

Vietnam

United Kingdom

Two Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks of the German armed forces participate in the NATO Iron Wolf military exercises on Oct. 27, 2022, in Pabrade, Lithuania. On Jan. 20, the Ukraine Defense Contact Group of military equipment donors to Ukraine will meet at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where a breakthrough is expected regarding the supply of German Leopard tanks to Ukraine. 

The Weekly Rundown: Germany Discusses Tanks for Ukraine, the Lunar New Year Approaches

Poland

A Leopard 2 A6 heavy battle tank participates in a demonstration of capabilities during a visit by German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht to the Bundeswehr Army training grounds on Feb. 7, 2022, in Munster, Germany. 

The impending easing of the West's restrictions on tank deliveries could set a precedent that sees Kyiv secure more equipment it needs to continue resisting Russia's invasion.

For Ukraine, a Deal to Supply Western Tanks Could Unlock More Advanced Weapons

Columns

On Geopolitics

Hungary

EU flags fly outside the headquarters of the European Commission on Feb. 23, 2022, in Brussels, Belgium. 

Brexit, COVID-19 and the Ukraine crisis have increased the influence of southern and eastern EU members to the detriment of traditionally more influential countries in the north.

The EU's Shifting Balance of Power

Ethiopia

Nigeria

Iran

Turkey

Hong Kong SAR, China

Taiwan

Belarus

India

In this scorecard, we take a critical look at our successes and slip-ups in forecasting geopolitical events over the past year.

Grading Our 2022 Annual Forecast as 2023 Approaches

The seat of Germany's lower house of parliament stands at dusk on the day police conducted nationwide raids against a suspected insurrectionist group on Dec. 7, 2022, in Berlin, Germany. 

Germany's three-way coalition is unlikely to collapse, but a combination of economic challenges and electoral tests will create new internal tensions that could lead to incongruent policymaking.

What Lies Ahead for Germany's Coalition Government

French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire (left) talks with German Finance Minister Christian Lindner (right) before a Eurogroup meeting in Luxembourg on Oct. 3, 2022. 

Paris and Berlin's strategy to compete with the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act by unlocking more intra-EU state aid for companies would only slow Europe's overall deindustrialization.

France and Germany Unveil Their Plan for Countering U.S. Green Industry Subsidies

U.S. President Joe Biden (right) and French President Emmanuel Macron walk down the Colonnade at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 1, 2022. 

The U.S. climate law's likely implementation will force the EU to increase its own subsidies for green technologies and enact measures that privilege European over foreign production.

Assessing Europe’s Concerns and Potential Response to the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act

German gross domestic product contracted by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2023, putting the economy in a technical recession, according to revised estimates from Germany's Federal Statistics Office on May 25.

Germany: Country Enters Technical Recession as Finance Ministry Prepares Budget Cuts

The German government approved Chinese shipping company COSCO's acquisition of a 24.99% stake in a container terminal at Hamburg port, despite opposition from several Cabinet members and the facility's classification as "critical infrastructure," DW News reported on May 11.

Germany: Berlin Approves Chinese COSCO's Bid for Terminal in Hamburg Port

Germany is lobbying other Group of Seven countries to support public investment in natural gas at the Japan-hosted May 19-21 G-7 summit, the Financial Times reported on May 11.

Germany: Berlin Pushes G-7 to Back Public Investment in Natural Gas

Algeria

Morocco

Tunisia

Austria

The energy ministries of Austria, Germany and Italy signed a joint letter supporting the designation of a hydrogen pipeline called the "SouthH2 Corridor" as a European Union Project of Common Interest, which would enable the project to receive public funds and fast-tracked permits, Reuters reported on May 9.

EU: Push for Hydrogen Pipeline Will Aid Bloc's Energy Transition

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged EU reforms, an acceleration of the bloc's defense procurement efforts, and the conclusion of new trade deals, among other things, during a speech to the European Parliament, DW News reported on May 9.

Germany, EU: Scholz Calls for EU Reforms to Face Increasingly Multipolar World

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck proposed subsidizing up to 80% of the electricity costs for companies in energy-intensive industries such as chemicals, steel, metal and glass, according to a May 5 working paper on industrial electricity prices in Germany.

Germany: Economy Minister Proposes Subsidizing Electricity Costs for Some Industries

German Labor Minister Hubertus Heil said his government is actively trying to attract skilled foreign workers to the country by facilitating immigration, the Financial Times reported on May 2.

Germany: Berlin Pushes Immigration Reform to Address Labor Shortages

Germany's government coalition is "in talks" to restrict exports of key chemicals to China that are used in the fabrication of semiconductors, Bloomberg reported on April 27.

Germany: Berlin Considers Restricting Chemical Exports to China for Semiconductors

Afghanistan

Antigua and Barbuda

Luxembourg

South Sudan

A view of the Register in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Angola

Armenia

Australia

Bahrain

Lithuania

Covering an area that spans the entire width of the continent beginning at the Sahara Desert and ending at the southernmost tip of South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa is home to countless cultures, languages, religions, plants, animals and natural resources.

Barbados

Benin

Egypt

Maldives

Malta

Belize

Botswana

Brunei Darussalam

North Macedonia

Tajikistan

Bhutan

Burkina Faso

Cambodia

Iraq

The President palace in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

The administrative center of the Gakh region of Azerbaijan, located at the foot of the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, on the river Kurhumchai.

Burundi

Finland

Israel

Nepal

Cameroon

Canada

Georgia

Jordan

Pakistan

Mir Castle in the Minsk region of Belarus.

Cabo Verde

Federated States of Micronesia

Kuwait

Liechtenstein

Sri Lanka

Central African Republic

Colombia

Fiji

Latvia

Lebanon

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Chad

Costa Rica

Indonesia

Libya

Comoros

Cuba

Czech Republic

A horse grazes in front of Kara-Kul lake in the Chon-Ak-Suu valley, 300 kilometers southeast of Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

Cote d'Ivoire

Denmark

Dominica

Kiribati

Moldova

Oman

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Dominican Republic

Laos

Palestinian Territories

Djibouti

Holy See (Vatican City)

Malaysia

Qatar

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Greece

Marshall Islands

Saudi Arabia

Eritrea

Grenada

Mongolia

<p>Germany is a country located in Central Europe, bordered by Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark. The country has mountainous terrain in the south, dominated by the Alps, with a plateau and forests in the center and the north. The Rhine, the Danube and the Elbe rivers, combined with Germany&#39;s central location in Europe and its access to the North Sea, allowed the country to become a leading exporter and one of the most prosperous economies in Europe. Between the late 10th and early 19th centuries, the territories of today&#39;s Germany were the heart of the Holy Roman Empire, a collection of small kingdoms, principalities, duchies and city-states. This led to the development of multiple seats of political and economic power that achieved unity in 1871. While Berlin is Germany&#39;s capital and most populous city, the country also has several economic and political centers, including Hamburg, Munich, Cologne and Frankfurt. Germany&rsquo;s location in the heart of the North European Plain has led to constant conflicts with its neighbors like France and Russia. After World War II, Germany was divided between East Germany, in the Soviet orbit, and West Germany, integrated to the European Economic Community and NATO. The country achieved reunification in 1990. Germany&rsquo;s main geographic challenge is preserving its territorial unity and maintaining a political balance between regions within the country. It also seeks to maintain a political alliance with France and a balance of power in Europe to preserve peace and keep markets open for trade. Berlin&#39;s efforts to keep the European Union closely integrated amid the current economic crisis are in line with this strategy.</p>

EU: Regional Blocs

Divided EU Foreign Policies

The Fate of the Eurozone

European Disintegration

Female

Male

Security workers from the Verdi trade union at the Dusseldorf, Hamburg and Cologne-Bonn airports in Germany went on strike, causing the cancellation of around 700 flights and affecting at least 100,000 passengers, DW News reported on April 20.

Germany: Strikes Cause Air and Rail Transport Disruptions

SITUATION REPORTS

Germany: Country Enters Technical Recession as Finance Ministry Prepares Budget Cuts

Germany: Berlin Approves Chinese COSCO's Bid for Terminal in Hamburg Port

Germany: Berlin Pushes G-7 to Back Public Investment in Natural Gas

EU: Push for Hydrogen Pipeline Will Aid Bloc's Energy Transition

Germany, EU: Scholz Calls for EU Reforms to Face Increasingly Multipolar World

Germany: Economy Minister Proposes Subsidizing Electricity Costs for Some Industries

Germany: Berlin Pushes Immigration Reform to Address Labor Shortages

Germany: Berlin Considers Restricting Chemical Exports to China for Semiconductors

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