The Syrian crisis has thrown a wrench into Turkey's regional ambitions - as long as Assad defies the international community, the country's foreign policy will remain paralyzed. more
Will the internet lead to a new "tyranny of the masses"? That seems to be the worry of German liberals. But they are as mistaken as wholesale believers in direct democracy: "The masses" don't exist - not even online. more
The Cuban decision to expand its drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico is a risky move for the regime in Havana. more
In Germany, the search for new presidential nominees has begun. While the office is easily ridiculed for its lack of political power, the president fulfills an important function: A high social and moral authority outside of party politics. more
The more we read about the violence in Syria, the more powerless we feel. Big ideals and strong rhetoric are torn to pieces as the tanks advance towards Homs. more
The Russification of Bella Italia
Today's Italy increasing resembled Russia during the Yeltsin years: A country marked by an exodus of capital, shortage of credit, and inflexible economic structures. Mario Monti's government is looking at a difficult future. more
The newspaper is no longer a necessity. It is a choice, a deliciously wasteful object in terms of time, energy, and money. more
For years, a Muslim student fought for his private prayer room – all the way to the German Constitutional Court. The case shows: The debate is not about private prayer but about the greatest visible dominance of Islam. more
21st century issues cannot be tackled by a quota alone: In the future, public servants will increasingly need to be chosen on the base of merit. more
Italy has outlived its bizarre prime minister. Now the country must come to grips with the havoc he wreaked and rebuilt its political culture. A eulogy to the land I love. more
In Germany, a series of neo-nazi killings is shocking the nation. As disturbing as the acts may be, the group's choice of Pink Panther as representation speaks volumes about their rationale. more
Many speculate about the potential for an Israeli attack on Iran. Yet fears are unjustified: Israeli politicians know better than to destabilize the region with a preventive strike. more
Under its dictator, Libya was long unable to fully exploit its vast resources. Now that Ghaddaffi is gone, the country faces great challenges to reposition itself as a prime oil producer. more
Two Partners, Each Alike In Dignity
Turkey and the EU are drifting apart. The question of Cyprus and anti-Turkish sentiments within the EU have thrown a wrench into the wheels of diplomacy. In the future, Turkey will have to look for strategic partners towards the East and South. more
Pope Benedict XVI has rejected the idea that the Church must have worldly power. What matters are not one's worldly actions but one's faith before God. The pope's mission is the complete separation of church and state. more
Three days after it opened, the Ground Zero memorial had already turned into a tourist destination. Spectators flood the area to pose in front of anything that looks like death. If that is the legacy of 9/11, how can we expect to muster enough energy to defend the values we cherish? more
The 9/11 attacks are the most important event since the fall of the Berlin wall. Ten years later, we are beginning to realize their significance as they enter the historical record. more
But 'Till You Feed Us, Right And Wrong Can't Wait
Has the Left been correct all along? Frank Schirrmacher has asked that question in Germany, Charles Moore asked it in Britain. And I ask myself the same question. The free market has been poisoned; our communities have been corrupted. We have gambled for social cohesion and have lost. Everything we believed has gone to shit. more
Turkey's prime minister Erdogan has traveled to Mogadishu as the first Western head of state in twenty years. This reckless gesture illustrates his daring vision: Erdogan's Turkey as a regional broker whose influence extends deep into Asia and Africa. And who, according to this vision, will lose out? Europe. more
Can we talk about objective, irrevocable truth? Or merely about claims to truth that are contested by the statements of others? Truth or opinion – the answer to that question has massive implications for our idea of man. more
Local solutions against global hunger
Mere redistribution cannot overcome food crises in poor countries. Real solutions must begin on the ground, not in the West. more
Fifty years ago in August, construction for the Berlin wall began. And while the "anti-fascist defense line" did not last, the idea behind it is still alive: Around the world, we build walls to separate, demarcate, divide and isolate people from each other. Fortunately, the work is futile. more
The Importance of Being Honest
Good communication can serve as a bulwark against fear and hysteria. In the aftermath of the Norwegian terror attacks, the government walked the fine line between accuracy and timeliness – and set the stage for an informed discussion of the country's future. more
Germans are discussing whether the military should be used to protect trade routes overseas. The Minister of Defense Thomas de Maizière and Social Democratic chairman Sigmar Gabriel have joined the debate. We have moved beyond the times when German defense policy hid behind the idea of a pacifist state. Good! more
Many EU states can't seem to make up their mind: They dislike US military involvement, and frown on ideas of American isolationism. For NATO, praise comes from Europe - and money from the US. If the transatlantic relationship is to remain strong, Europe needs to reconsider its strategic commitment to the use of military force. more
Hungary's new media law cannot be interpreted solely within a legal framework. It is part of a larger campaign by the Hungarian government to undermine the defenses against illiberal despotism. We are witnessing a Kafkaesque metamorphosis of democracy. more
The Pricetag Of A Better Life?
Hungary's government is cracking down on the free media. Prime minister Orban has offered his citizens a deal: Give me your liberties in exchange for a better life. Yet if this seems like a bargain to some, they are mistaken. No democracy can function without a free press - and already self-censorship is returning to Hungary. more
Europe is in decline, its international influence is constantly shrinking. At home, its democratic promises have remained unfulfilled. The EU has developed into a behemoth that is ruled from Brussels without much oversight or participation. If Europe wants to remain an important player, it needs to reconsider its ways. more
The US has until August 2 to raise its debt ceiling. If negotiations fail, Washington might soon resemble Athens. And an agreement is looking increasingly unlikely. more
Revolutionaries During Ramadan
We talk about the Egyptian revolution as if it happened a hundred years ago. Yet it is far from finished. When will elections take place? How democratic is the country going to be, how Islamic? Those open questions illustrate that the revolution has only just started. This is not the time to sit back and relax. more
A strong Turkey can afford to give Europe the cold shoulder for a while. Despite this new confidence, the country still wants to grow into the European Union and beyond. more
After Osama's Death, A Confusion of Legal Norms
When Osama Bin Laden was killed, German journalists lamented the violation of basic legal principles. When Nazi perpetrator John Demjanjuk was released without punishment, they rejoiced. It might be time for a reassessment of our principles. more
Justice Has Not Been Done, Mr. President
The civilized West likes to look down on archaic Muslim countries. But a proper trial of Bin Laden would have done more to bolster the standing of the West than Obama's comment that "justice has been done" by the execution of the top terrorist. more
Technological innovation is often hailed as a solution to development. But its potential goes to waste. The blindness towards local conditions inhibits progress and primarily benefits the corporations and donors in the Western world. Sustainable development must be done by the locals, for the locals. more
Gaddafi has turned out to be the most brutal dictator in a region that has seen more than its fair share of authoritarian rule. Hundreds upon hundreds have already died during the protests in Libya; many more could soon follow. And Europe is in part to blame. more
The people on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea have had little contact since northern Africa came under Islamic influence many centuries ago. The current developments are changing that dynamic. Today marks 1989 for the Middle East. Soon, we will bond over stories of liberation. more
Egyptians are freeing themselves from the yoke of despotism. One can only hope that they can avoid another authoritarian reign: The Muslim Brotherhood is positioning itself as a vital alternative to Mubarak's regime. The end of dictatorship does not imply the advent of freedom. more
Demonstrations in Egypt are carried on by the country's youth. The opposition to President Mubarak is genuinely popular. It first formed on social networks - the only place left for dreams - and galvanized in the streets of Cairo and Alexandria. more
It has become fashionable to explain the overthrow of dictators with the use of social media. The implication: agency of the people matters less than technological tools. Time for a small correction, from armchair athlete to armchair athlete. more
Euroscepticism is gaining new momentum. But the trouble of some states does not imply a decline of the continent or the currency. Europe will remain a global center - if Europeans are willing to act decisively and speak with a single voice. more
Facebook has become serious business. Goldman Sachs just valued the company at 50 billion dollars. But when business interests trump moral considerations, users will turn away. Facebook is shifting to the Dark Side. more
The Cancun summit was dominated by power politics and greed for profits - at least if you listen to the doubters and naysayers. They are wrong. It is a misconception to taunt UN climate negotiations as useless. more
Scare and fear reign in Germany when it comes to abstract issues such as nuclear power, genetic engineering and Google Street View. But now might really be the time to get worried. Islamist terror is threatening our culture of freedom and democracy. We must take a firm stand against it. more
"You love life, we love death." The credo of the suicide bombers must not scare us. The bearded fundamentalists signal the last uproar of the Islamic world. They are no threat to us. more
Jo Groebel is turning sixty today. But he has trouble feeling old. One of the achievements of modernity is the freedom to feel young for longer, and the time to search for insights into life's big issues. more
Obesity rates in Europe are increasing sharply. We increasingly rely on pre-packaged food with a high calorie density instead of freshly prepared and healthy meals. As a result, the state is burdened with increasing health care costs. It is time to invest in healthy eating habits. more
A few days before a pivotal midterm election, with candidates in every district vying to convince the last swing voters, the biggest political event is organized by two comedians. What a spectacle. more
An ever-increasing number of people feel that they are being robbed of political responsibility. Parliamentary debates or even a popular referendum are no substitutes for direct participation. What we need is the inclusion of the citizens in political decision-making processes. more
The West is historically tied to the Christian tradition. But tradition is only one side of the coin; change is another. We need to embrace Muslim immigrants as part of contemporary society. more
European societies must talk about values that are self-evident. About values that can form the ethos of Europe for the coming decades. The questions we must ask of ourselves are not conservative questions but societal questions. more
The European Voice
The Syrian crisis has thrown a wrench into Turkey's regional ambitions - as long as Assad defies the international community, the country's foreign policy will remain paralyzed.