1. French president François Hollande answers questions from reporters at the Elysée Palace in Paris, April 13, 2013

    France’s Hollande Lambastes Austerity, Germans Shrug

    The Germans recognize that the Frenchman’s denunciations are to shield himself from left wing criticism.

    The German response to French president François Hollande's reinvigorated campaign against austerity in Europe has been underwhelming. Commentators in the only major eurozone economy that posted modest growth in the first three months of this year…
  1. French president François Hollande greets Italy's prime minister Enrico Letta in Paris, May 1, 2013

    France, Italy Seek Different “Growth” Than Germany

    When European leaders speak of “growth,” they can mean very different things.

    Italy appears to have joined the ranks of European nations calling for an end to austerity with its new prime minister, Enrico Letta, insisting earlier this week that his country had "done its bit" as far as fiscal consolidation was concerned…
  1. Winfried Kretschmann, the state prime minister of Baden-Württemberg, speaks at a news conference in Stuttgart, Germany, May 4, 2011

    Seeking to Broaden Coalition, German Greens Lurch Left

    German Green party members defy their more pragmatic leaders by voting for tax increases.

    German Green party members on Sunday defied warnings from their more pragmatic leaders in backing two sharp tax increase proposals, a move that could alienate centrist voters but raise the prospect that a…
  1. The Reichstag building in Berlin, seat of the German parliament, September 22, 2012

    “German Europe” Replaces “European Germany” in Crisis

    The European Union was designed to contain German power but now it can’t do without.

    After all the wrangling and talk, Cyprus swallowed the bitter medicine---a European bailout conditioned on austerity measures, including a tax on bank deposits. Many analysts argue that the small Mediterranean country has been forced to succumb to the will of Germany. There is…
  1. German chancellor Angela Merkel addresses a press conference in Brussels, February 8, 2013

    German Conservatives Regard Euroskeptics Warily

    A new party that advocates a German eurozone exit could steal right wing votes.

    Germany's ruling party takes "seriously" competition from an upstart Euroskeptic party, its parliamentary leader said on Thursday, but has seemingly little reason to, given German voters' overwhelming support for incumbent chancellor Angela Merkel. Volker Kauder, the chairman of the christian democrat delegation in…
  1. Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and President Vladimir Putin of Russia meet in Berlin, June 1, 2012 (Bundesregierung/Guido Bergmann)

    Germany, Netherlands Struggle With Russian Relationship

    Russia’s biggest trade partners in Europe are uneasy about its human rights situation.

    President Vladimir Putin reminded Russia's biggest trade partners in Europe on Sunday and Monday how ambivalent they are about their economic relations with his country. Putin's visit to Germany and the Netherlands was overshadowed by concerns in…