What's happening in the German economy?

Well it's clearly slowing down, quite significantly. There are a number of structural and short-term factors for it. There's a Brexit uncertainty. There's a trade uncertainty and Germany is a big exporting nation. And there are question marks about the future of the car industry, which is highly significant. These are temporary but also structural factors. And the Brexit factor will come in, depending on what happens there.

Is socialism on the rise in Europe?

No, we don't really see that. We see the social democratic parties being in a fairly critical situation in most countries. There are exceptions. Portugal is clearly an exception. But apart from that, not very much. The politics of Europe has entered a phase where there is less ideology and more identity politics. And that explains a lot of what you are seeing.

More For You

Students and their supporters take part in a protest demanding snap parliamentary elections, continuing an anti-corruption movement sparked by a deadly railway station collapse in Novi Sad in November 2024, in Belgrade, Serbia, May 10, 2026.
REUTERS/Djordje Kojadinovic

Student protesters are set to take to the streets in Serbia this weekend in the first major demonstrations of the year against President Aleksandar Vučić, as frustration mounts over democratic backsliding and corruption.

GZERO Media is back on the podium at the 47th Annual Telly Awards, adding six more trophies to our shelf — including three in Gold! We’re so grateful to be recognized for our groundbreaking work in global analysis and… *checks notes*... geopolitical puppetry.