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The AfD has become the largest party in the German state of Thuringia. The far-right party also scored a landslide victory in neighboring Saxony, where it finished in second place. Meanwhile, the left-wing populists led by politician Sahra Wagenknecht are also gaining ground. Chancellor Scholz called the results of the state elections “bitter”: the ruling parties suffered significant losses.

Germany expert Ulrike Nagel spoke with Sophie Derkzen on Radio 1 about the discontent among East Germans and the call for change.

Continue reading “Radio 1: East Germans Give the Governing Coalition a Red Card”

“No New Money for Ukraine,” read the headline in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. This led to significant discord within a coalition already known for its conflicts. For months, the governing parties have been unable to finalize next year’s budget, while the upcoming state elections in the east loom over them like a dark cloud. VRT’s Germany expert Jeroen Reygaert and journalist and Germany expert Ulrike Nagel discuss these tensions.

Continue reading “On Radio 1: Dispute Over Support for Ukraine in the German Coalition”

For the second time in three years, Germany is grappling with major flooding. After relentless rain in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, several dams have burst, and villages in the region are being evacuated today. The damage is once again enormous. In Germany, the “Jahrhundertflut” of 2021—which struck the Eifel region just three years ago—is still fresh in people’s memories. And yet, once again, streets are flooded, dikes are breaking, and people are forced to leave their homes in search of higher ground. Is Germany sufficiently prepared for the growing threat of flooding caused by climate change? And what lessons have been learned from the catastrophic floods in the Ahr Valley in 2021? Our guest is journalist and Germany expert Ulrike Nagel.

Continue reading “On Radio 1: Major Flooding in Germany”

A recent study shows that many middle-aged Germans say they are satisfied with their lives. And after years of the COVID-19 crisis, high inflation, and war on the continent, this positive outlook is quite surprising. Germany expert Ulrike Nagel tells us more in the “In the Spotlight” section.

Continue reading “Radio 1: “The average German is happy with his life””

In the “Spotlight” section, we highlight a unique initiative by German linguists who are seeking greater acceptance for “Hochdeutsch.” Journalist and Germany expert Ulrike Nagel brings us up to speed on “Bureau Buitenland.” What exactly is “Hochdeutsch”—the German equivalent of Standard Dutch? That’s the question linguists in Bavaria are asking. “They explain that there isn’t just one standard German language at all, but that it varies by region,” says Germany expert Ulrike Nagel on *Bureau Buitenland*.

Continue reading “On Radio 1: Greater acceptance of “Hochdeutsch.””

Romantic relationships in the workplace are the talk of the town in Berlin. The mayor there has just announced that he is in a relationship with his education commissioner. Berliners can’t stop talking about it. But now the question is whether this is actually allowed, says Germany expert Ulrike Nagel on “Bureau Buitenland.”

Continue reading “Ulrike on Radio 1 about Romeo and Juliet-style scenes in the Berlin Senate”

It’s the end of an era for Germans: the final episode of *Wetten, dass..?* aired last Saturday. A show we know in the Netherlands as *Wedden dat..?*, but it’s far more popular among our neighbors—especially the host who presented the show for years — Thomas Gottschalk. “Bureau Buitenland” discusses this with Germany expert Ulrike Nagel.

Continue reading “Radio 1: “Wetten, dass..?” with Thomas Gottschalk has ended”