DW Berlin Briefing - Inside German politics

Episoade

• Will Germany stand up to the big tech bros? 29.05.2026 34min

  Berlin Briefing host Michaela Küfner unpacks the Pope's call for responsible AI regulation and asks what Germany’s plans are to avoid a sell-out to big tech interests. She is joined by tech regulation expert Matthias Kettemann from the Leibniz Institute for Media Research and DW's tech policy correspondent Maximiliane Koschyk.
• What the AfD would do in power 22.05.2026 42min

  The AfD is surging in the polls - in some regions, it's way out in front of Germany’s traditional parties. But despite record support, the far-right party still has almost no real executive power. Why is that? And could that soon change? In this episode host Max Hofmann discusses with DW’s Matthew Moore and author/historian Katja Hoyer what would happen if the AfD won a state outright.
• Putin’s Contradictions: Attack Ukraine, Talk Deals, Propose Schröder 15.05.2026 28min

  As Russia launches a fresh wave of attacks across Ukraine and the Kremlin signals it could pursue economic deals with the United States — under certain conditions — Vladimir Putin is also floating a controversial idea: former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a mediator for Europe. In this episode, host Nina Haase discusses the Russian president’s controversial suggestion with her guests.
• US reduces troops in Germany: Is Donald Trump breaking up with Friedrich Merz?! 08.05.2026 34min

  Is the relationship between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and US President Donald Trump on the rocks?!. Is the exchange of political fire that saw Merz describe the US as “humiliated” by Iran – and Trump respond with troop withdrawals and tariffs – just a blip? Hosts Nina Haase and Michaela Küfner welcome DW’s Washington Bureau Chief Ines Pohl to analyse Trump’s latest blows against Germany.
• Did Merz push Trump too far on Iran? 30.04.2026 32min

  A blunt remark by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has triggered a sharp response from US President Donald Trump — and reopened questions about the state of transatlantic relations. After Merz publicly criticized Washington’s handling of Iran, saying the US s being “humiliated” by Iran’s leadership, Trump hinted at reviewing the US troop presence in Germany, raising security and diplomatic stakes.
• Why is Chancellor Merz so unpopular — and is it fair? 24.04.2026 36min

  Germany’s chancellor tops the wrong rankings: approval is at a record low and the AfD has overtaken the CDU/CSU in some polls. But do polls really capture Friedrich Merz’s performance? In this episode, DW Berlin Bureau chief Maximilian Hofmann speaks with DW Chief Political Editor Michaela Küfner, Dr. Roland Abold from polling institute infratest dimap and Berlin-based French journalist Luc André.
• Ukraine support: how and why is Germany different? 17.04.2026 36min

  Germany and Ukraine have declared a new strategic partnership - but how much substance is behind the signal? In this episode, host Michaela Küfner discusses with her guests Gerlinde Niehus, a NATO expert and DW’s Nina Haase and Nick Connolly whether Ukraine is shifting from aid recipient to security provider - and what that means for Europe’s defense strategy amid competing global crises.
• Hungary's election: Is Berlin betting against Orbán? 10.04.2026 34min

  Hungary is heading into one of its most consequential elections in years - and all of Europe is watching closely. Officially, Berlin says it remains neutral. Unofficially, the stakes could hardly be higher. In this episode of Berlin Briefing, host Max Hofmann breaks down the key issues shaping Hungary’s upcoming election with Dora Diseri from DW’s Hungarian Service and EU expert Kai-Olaf Lang.
• How the Iran war is forcing Germany to rethink energy 02.04.2026 32min

  The energy shock from the Iran war is felt around the world, and in Germany, too. As rising prices hit consumers, the government is struggling to find a response. How should Europe's largest economy fuel itself in a world where fossils can become a political liability? Host Nina Haase goes looking for answers with Greens MP Robin Wagener, DGAP energy expert Loyle Campbell and DW’s Bernd Riegert.
• Can Germany reform its way out of the rise of the far right AfD? 27.03.2026 31min

  Germany’s governing parties in Chancellor Merz’s coalition have just faced a moment of truth. The need for drastic reforms is hitting home in the Social Democratic Party (SPD), which suffered another electoral blow this week. Host Michaela Küfner discusses with DW’s Max Hofmann, Matthew Moore, and expert Marcel Fratzscher the current economic struggles the governing parties are facing.
• Disagreements over Iran - are the US and Germany still friends? 20.03.2026 33min

  As Washington pressures Europe over the Iran war, Germany is stuck between needing US support for Ukraine and not participating in the war in Iran. How has Berlin’s position evolved since the US and Israel launched their strikes? Host Max Hofmann speaks with Sudha David-Wilp (GMF), DW’s Michaela Küfner and Teri Schultz about the new relationship status of the US and Germany.
• Under pressure: Can Merz steer Germany through 2026? 13.03.2026 35min

  Germany enters a defining political year as five regional elections could shift power amid energy tensions. The Greens surge in Baden‑Württemberg with Cem Özdemir, while the SPD’s slump raises reform doubts.
• Principle vs power: Merz, Trump & the Iran war 06.03.2026 33min

  After the strikes on Iran, Europe is split and Germany must balance allies, international law, and growing instability. In Washington, Friedrich Merz confronts an unpredictable political climate and shifting power dynamics. Host Nina Haase discusses the aftermath of Merz’s DC visit with DW’s chief political editor Michaela Küfner and DW’s Washington bureau chief Ines Pohl.
• What the Iran war means for the Middle East and beyond 02.03.2026 13min

  As the fight against the Iranian regime hits European Union territory, host Michaela Küfner unpacks the latest strikes, Iran’s internal turmoil, and how this latest escalation pushes German Chancellor Merz to put the necessity to stand by his allies, the US and Israel, above international law. DW’s Richard Walker and Niloofar Gholami offer their perspectives on this history in the making.
• How the tables are turning between Germany and China 27.02.2026 33min

  Germany is bracing for the impact of a massive ‘China shock’ as trade imbalances and supply-chain risks threaten its economy. On his first Beijing visit as chancellor, Friedrich Merz urges China to act — but does he have leverage? And how firm is his derisking push, given resistance from German business? Richard Walker breaks it down with Michaela Küfner and Thorsten Benner (GPPi).
• What Peter Thiel has to do with Germany’s drones 20.02.2026 32min

  Germany is racing to catch up in modern warfare. As the Bundeswehr prepares to buy combat drones, one name is causing political turbulence: Peter Thiel. How much influence does the controversial investor really have — and should lawmakers approve the deal? Host Nina Haase breaks it all down with Christopher F. Schuetze (The New York Times), Emil Archambault (DGAP), and Roman Goncharenko (DW).
• Can Europe and MAGA coexist? | Live from MSC 2026 14.02.2026 43min

  Did US Secretary of State Marco Rubio just send Europe a political Valentine's card? And are Europeans ready to rebuild trust in their longtime partner? How do Germany and its European allies wield their leverage in a multipolar world? Live at the MSC 2026, Michaela Küfner and Nina Haase dissect the Merz government’s approach with CDU/CSU Chief Whip Jens Spahn and the Eurasia Group’s Ian Bremmer.
• Beyond the big powers: Germany aims to diversify 06.02.2026 35min

  Where is Germany really heading as it scrambles to diversify its foreign‑policy partnerships? In this Berlin Briefing, Nina Haase talks to Jakob Hensing (GPPi) about Germany’s evolving role in a tense, multipolar world. Richard Walker and Michaela Küfner join in to share rare first‑hand insights from traveling with German officials on diplomatic missions to the Indo‑Pacific and the Gulf.
• Auschwitz: lessons for today's America + Germany 30.01.2026 27min

  In this Holocaust Remembrance Day episode, Berlin Briefing explores rising hate crimes in Germany and the US, the politicization of antisemitism, and the broader dangers of state power targeting vulnerable communities.
• Facing the future: Germany’s struggle with nuclear reliance on the US 23.01.2026 44min

  Germany is famously "under the US’ nuclear umbrella"-creating a dependency that some are now calling risky. What exactly does that mean? How would US help protect Germany in a worst-case scenario? What options does Germany have to move toward a European umbrella? Host Nina Haase talks with her guests about Germany’s deep dependencies on the US -from NATO cooperation to nuclear deterrence.