Latest news with #ChristianDemocraticParty
MTV Lebanon
7 days ago
- General
- MTV Lebanon
Geagea meets Swedish Christian Democrats in Maarab
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea met in Maarab with a delegation from Sweden's Christian Democratic Party, including MPs Yousef Aydin, Magnus Jacobsson, and Magnus Bernetsson. The meeting focused on opportunities for cooperation between Sweden, Europe, and Lebanon, with an emphasis on shared values and political priorities. Bernetsson described the talks as fruitful, highlighting common perspectives on global and Middle Eastern affairs and calling Lebanon a 'model of hope' for the region. Aydin, who oversees minority rights within his party, emphasized Sweden's commitment to supporting Lebanon's stability, pluralism, and peaceful coexistence. Jacobsson underlined the importance of decentralization, noting potential collaboration between Sweden and Lebanon on local governance and educational initiatives. The Swedish MPs praised the Lebanese Forces' pivotal role in national politics and their commitment to inclusive governance. Separately, Geagea continued his local outreach, meeting with newly elected municipal councils from the towns of Batloun and Bmahray in the Aley district.
Russia Today
19-04-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Germany wants the UK to hold its hand while it starts WWIII
Germany's chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz doesn't officially take office until May 6, but that hasn't stopped him from hitting the press circuit like it's demolition day. Apparently, he's got some lost time – and infrastructure – to make up for. In a chat with Germany's public broadcaster, ARD, he floated the idea that Kiev, which seems to rank higher than Berlin on his priority list, needs to 'get ahead of the situation' on the battlefield and 'shape events' instead of playing defense. The event he seems most eager to shape? Oh, just the Third World War, apparently. Because he pivoted straight to the Kerch Bridge – mainland Russia's lifeline to the Crimean peninsula – like it's been living on borrowed time. Merz said that 'if for example, the most important land connection between Russia and Crimea is destroyed, or if something happens on Crimea itself, where most of the Russian military logistics are located, then that would be an opportunity to bring this country strategically back into the picture finally.' Cool, cool. Which picture would that be, exactly? The one labeled 'Catastrophic Misjudgments of the 21st Century'? Probably. Which is why Merz needs a useful idiot to ride shotgun alongside him in the doltmobile to share in any responsibility for the eventual mayhem when things inevitably go pear-shaped. 'You rang?' say the Brits. Or at least that's what Merz is apparently hoping they say. 'Our European partners are already supplying cruise missiles,' Merz said in an interview. 'The British are doing it, the French are doing it, and the Americans are doing it anyway, this must be jointly agreed. And if it's agreed, then Germany should take part.' Merz's fellow Christian Democratic Party MPs have been floating the idea in the Western press that he's waiting for an official permission slip from London. It would probably read something like this: 'Dear Herr Friedrich, You are hereby authorized to partake in a highly coordinated, militarized pub crawl. First stop: a punch-up with Russia, followed by a wobbly march to a greasy spoon for black coffee, bad lighting, and a collective hangover.' 'Ah, wonderbar!' Merz is just days away from grabbing the wheel, and he's done pretending to be the guy in the backseat yelling directions at Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Scholz, for his part, always said that Germany wouldn't hand Kiev the Taurus long-range missiles. Not that he had much wiggle room after last year's leaked audio from Russian intelligence of German Air Force brass workshopping ways to hit the Kerch Bridge without leaving any German fingerprints. Kind of a bad look for a guy who keeps overtly declaring that he wants peace. So naturally, he was furious. Which is why, if Team Scholz suddenly turned around now and said, 'You know what? Let's try a few long-range missile strikes, just for funsies,' people might reasonably assume that he'd undergone a surprise lobotomy with a NATO letter opener. As the coalition partners for Merz's incoming government, Scholz's Social Democrats' support would be needed on any vote. And so far, they've shown no interest in greenlighting his WW3 passion project. You know, democracy and all that. Minor hiccup, I know. If military ambition and musings alone were all it took, Merz would already be well on his way to having a Netflix original named after him and maybe even a seat with his name on it waiting at The Hague. But hey, hear the guy out. What if it's, like, a group project? Das ist gut, ja? Nah, dude. Nicht gut. Nicht gut at all. What exactly does Team Merz think this would look like? Would the Brits and Germans sit side by side, fingers hovering over their respective missile buttons, doing a tense little 'one, two, three, fire' and just praying that neither one flinches at the last second and leaves the other one with some very awkward phone calls to make? If so, that would certainly explain why they're talking about specifically needing Britain's non-negotiable participation and not France – the country that trained a flagship brigade for the Ukrainian army, who apparently learned how to bail out before even seeing action. 'Paris hailed it as a 'unique' initiative,' reported France24. Training 1,700 Ukrainians in France to fight who then just end up surrendering to the foie gras and rosé at the local café prior to deployment is 'unique', alright. Britain isn't exactly a great choice for a wingman either, though. If only because it says that its own participation in Ukraine is contingent on Washington holding its hand. 'Europe must play its role, and I'm prepared to consider committing British forces on the ground alongside others, if there is a lasting peace agreement, but there must be a US backstop,' British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in February. So for those keeping score at home. For deeper involvement in Ukraine, Merz would need the Brits. The Brits would need Washington. And what would Washington need? For them all to knock it off. But apparently that memo got lost in their inbox among all the world war fantasy fiction. 'Pentagon figures recently questioned one ally about why it was still supplying weapons to Ukraine – a challenge that was ignored,' The Economist reported on April 15. 'Diplomats in Washington also report that some Trump aides say privately that they are 'fed up' with Europe's effort to strengthen Ukraine.' Doesn't sound like Team Trump is up for holding hands as part of the West's human chain in its reckless playground games against Russia. 'Red Rover, Red Rover, send Putin right over!' It's hard to believe that there was a time not too long ago that Germany wasn't trusted with the sharp knives, like nukes. Oh wait, it still isn't. Technically, the Bundeswehr is still supposed to be defense only, but Merz seems determined to assemble just enough multilateral hand-holding to justify pulling out the long knives – the 500-kilometer-long ones, to be precise. If this is the new leadership model, then someone better put all the launch codes in a childproof box.
Euronews
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
What's at stake for Europe after the German election?
The dust is now settling after Sunday's federal election in Germany — but whatever new government is formed will be facing an uphill battle. Germany's top three concerns for this election were peace and security in Europe, the economy, and social issues. However, centre-right Christian Democratic Party (CDU) leader and presumptive chancellor Friedrich Merz also placed migration policy at the top of his agenda after a series of deadly attacks by non-Germans that dominated German media over the past couple of months. Merz is under pressure to form a stable government as quickly as possible to begin tackling these issues, and has already begun coalition talks with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD). So what exactly is at stake? Tricky transatlantic relationship Since the collapse of the so-called "traffic light" government just hours after US President Donald Trump was re-elected last year, the exact prospects of Germany's strong support for Ukraine has been unclear — this as the US and Russia edge closer to a deal concerning Ukraine's future. With tensions between Europe and Russia running high, Rafael Loss of the European Council on Foreign Relations says geopolitical issues will be among the government's top priorities. Merz has recently made "numerous statements about transatlantic relations and the problems that Donald Trump will create for Germany and Europe", Loss told Euronews. "This goes hand in hand with Germany's defence capabilities, questions of the debt brake, conscription, and so on." Europe and Germany in particular are increasingly worried that the US under Trump will be less concerned about defending Europe, even as the continent grapples with the prospect of an increasingly hostile Russia and higher energy costs. Stronger EU relationships Relations with France and Poland have been frosty during the past couple of years, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz several times finding himself at odds with key French and Polish policies. Yet despite this, the countries have managed to work together amicably. "The potential outcome of this election is that, with a Chancellor Friedrich Merz — if he manages to form a governing majority — there could be a reset in these crucial relationships," Loss explains. "This could also bring new momentum to European policy from Berlin." "However, this wouldn't necessarily be a strongly EU-centric policy. In many cases, Merz will likely attempt to build 'coalitions of the willing'. Nonetheless, given the geopolitical challenges posed by Moscow, Washington, and Beijing, we must do much more on all fronts." Increased defence spending Whilst Merz is promising a stronger and more stable government, questions surrounding financing increased defence spending, especially relating to the threat of Russia, are emerging. "That is the big question that broke the traffic light coalition apart, and it will be the major question that the new government coalition in Berlin will have to answer sooner rather than later," Loss explains. "Ultimately, the sums involved are so enormous that one cannot rely solely on budget prioritisation, new debt, or tax measures alone. A compromise between all these elements will certainly be necessary in order to generate several hundred billion euros for both defence and infrastructure investments at the same time." Whilst a potential CDU and SPD coalition could bring more stability to Germany, which has also been trying to revive a flagging economy, the question of cooperation between political parties is also important, especially as German politics becomes ever more polarised. "A black-red coalition could certainly bring stability. However, many key questions will revolve around whether a two-thirds majority in the Bundestag can be secured — for example, to amend the constitution for a new special fund, reform the debt brake, or reintroduce conscription under a new model," Loss says. "Here, a black-red coalition will urgently need cooperation, especially from the Greens, which I see as less problematic, but also from The Left, which holds fundamentally different views on some foreign policy issues." The domestic front Inflated energy costs and the spiralling cost of living have fuelled many Germans' disillusionment with the traditional parties of government. That much was reflected in a record result for the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), which pulled in 20% of the national vote. Support for AfD was particularly pronounced in the former East Germany, which remains blighted by infrastructure issues increasingly visible across Germany; schools are deteriorating, and there are not enough kindergartens, for one. The next government will need to invest heavily in infrastructure, Loss says. "Political parties, both those in government and the opposition — especially the Greens and, to some extent, The Left — will have to take responsibility by addressing these issues programmatically."
New York Times
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘Exterior Night' Review: Life in Perilous Times
When the great Italian filmmaker Marco Bellocchio made 'Good Morning, Night' in 2003, about the 1978 kidnapping and killing of the politician Aldo Moro by the Red Brigades, he provided a fanciful, heartbreaking coda: an image of Moro walking away from captivity, looking not much worse for wear after 55 days in a small cell. Bellocchio revisits the Moro affair in his first television series, 'Exterior Night,' and once again he frees Moro (Fabrizio Gifuni) for just a bit. This time the scholarly, prickly statesman gets to stare down his colleagues in Italy's Christian Democratic Party and tell them exactly how and why they have allowed him to die. (Released in 2022, the series is now available in the United States on MHz Choice, where the third and fourth of six episodes will stream beginning Tuesday.) Moro's abduction and death was a watershed moment in the 'years of lead,' when politically motivated bombings, shootings, kidnappings and assassinations convulsed Italy and other European countries. But it is a story that can speak to anyone who has a sense of living in perilous times. As a character in 'Exterior Night' says, a society can tolerate a certain amount of crazy behavior, but 'when the crazy party has the majority, we'll see what happens.' What makes Moro's fate such prime material for dramatization, though, are its elements of mystery and imponderability and its hints of conspiracy, as murky today as they were four decades ago. Why did Moro's own government — of which he would have become president later that year — refuse to negotiate for his release? Why did the Red Brigades finally kill him, knowing it probably would be disastrous for their cause? 'Good Morning, Night,' told from the point of view of a female captor who begins to sympathize with Moro, was a splendid film, both passionate and razor sharp. Working across five and a half hours in 'Exterior Night,' Bellocchio spreads out, adding historical detail and giving space to players he had little or no room for in the film. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CNN
05-02-2025
- Business
- CNN
Candidate for German Chancellor on how he would deal with President Trump
As Germany enters the final few weeks of its election campaign, CNN's Senior International Correspondent, Frederik Pleitgen asks Friedrich Merz, the frontrunner for German Chancellor and leader of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU), how he would deal with President Trump if tariffs were levied on Germany. On Sunday, President Trump said the European Union was an "atrocity" that would be facing tariffs. According to US trade data, the US is the European Union's second largest trading partner.
