Stammtisch - the latest political chatter from Berlin

We're getting ready for a summer break at Stammtisch in the last episode of the season. But before we roll out those beach towels to reserve a sunny spot in Germany's seventeeth Bundesland, New York Time's Melissa Eddy and Die Zeit's Ferdinand Otto join Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner for a look ahead to the rest of the summer. Plus, we have all the usual political gossip from Berlin.

Yet another government crisis has been avoided in Berlin — for now! This week Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined by ECFR's Almut Möller and Yahoo News' Jill Petzinger, and they see what the surprise resignation of the Social Democrats' party leader means for Chancellor Angela Merkel's "grand coalition." Not that there's much grand about it these days!

Sweet little lies, or big massive whoppers? Either way, truth is a flexible concept in politics these days. So this week we're talking dodgy facts and fake news. Can Dundar, Nanjira Sambuli and Andreas Kappes join Damien McGuinness and Kate Brady for a special edition of Stammtich, live from the Global Media Forum in Bonn.

As the EU votes for a new parliament we tackle populists. Who are they? How well are they doing? And have we reached peak populism? DW Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner cater to the masses with the ever-popular Emily Schultheis, from the Institute of Current World Affairs, and Berlin Policy Journal’s Bettina Vestring.

Is the Eurovision Song Contest the European Union on a three-drink-minimum? Find out, as this week not only popstars are on the ballot, but so are EU parliamentarians. Stammtisch host Damien McGuinness fires up the confetti canon and goes glam as DW's Michaela Küfner, Jessica Saltz from Euronews and the Economist’s Tom Nuttall talk European voting habits – both musical and political.

It seems German arms are, indeed, the weapon of choice for many countries. So where are they going? What are they being used for? And is Germany really as peace-loving as it makes itself out to be? Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined by Jana Puglierin from the German Council on Foreign Relations and DW's Ben Knight for the latest political chatter from Berlin.

Damien McGuinness gets his samba on this week with Thomas Sparrow, William Noah Glucroft, and Carnegie Europe's Judy Dempsey, as we ask: what's behind Germany's sudden interest in Latin America? Is this the start of new foreign policy or is Foreign Minister Heiko Maas just in it for the mezcal? Plus, we have all the usual political chatter from Berlin.

There's just a month to go till the EU heads to the polls. So what's on the German agenda? And do Germans even care? DW Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner hit the campaign trail with The Economist's Tom Nuttall and journalist Emmanuelle Chaze. Plus, we unearth Germany's mysterious love for "Spargelzeit."

With rents sky-rocketing and construction scarce, Germany has found itself in a housing crisis. Is the bubble about to burst? And what does pricey property mean for Angela Merkel's government? Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner go on a heroic house hunt with journalist and Institute of Current World Affairs fellow Emily Schultheis and Zeit Online correspondent Ferdinand Otto.

We've lifted our Brexit ban as we catch up with the latest escapades at the Stammtisch seaside. What role did Germany and Angela Merkel play in the second Brexit extension? Did Germany miss its chance to avoid Brexit? Die Welt correspondent Robin Alexander and Berlin Policy Journal's Bettina Vestring answer all that and more as they join Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner.

Anchors ahoy and welcome aboard! We've packed our trunks and are going transatlantic on this week. Germany has headed to New York to take its seat on the UN Security Council — while Barack Obama has come to Germany. Damien McGuinness and DW's Fabian von der Mark chat US-German relations with former US government advisor Julie Smith and NATO expert Sophia Besch.

Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner get hot and bothered about climate change with Maurice Frank and Zeit Online's Sophia Schirmer on this week's Stammtisch. For weeks, hundreds of thousands of German school kids have been striking from school to call for more action from politicians. But it seems Berlin has side-stepped climate to create a different debate over the demonstrations.

Siri vs. Alexa, US vs. China - the battle for all kinds of technology is on. But where on Earth is Germany? Damien McGuiness lets the robots do the hosting on the latest Stammtisch, while Michaela Kuefner debates why Artificial Intelligence matters and how it’s changing Germany with guests Rasmus Rothe and Aspen Istitute‘s Tyson Barker.

As Angela Merkel's government reaches its first birthday, Stammtisch asks whether it really has the staying power to make it to the 2021 elections. Center of European Reform's Christian Odendahl, New York Time's correspondent Melissa Eddy and Berlin Policy Journal's Bettina Vestring also join host Damien McGuinness with the latest on Brexit and get in the mood for St. Patrick's Day in Germany.

It's International Women's Day! We've kicked off Damien McGuinness and it's all about the Frauenpower on the latest DW Stammtisch. Taking over the reins is Kate Brady as DW chief potilitcal editor Michaela Küfner, Reuters corresponent Andrea Shalal and DW's Linda Vierecke talk all things women and gender equality in Germany.

Book that interrail ticket, get your train timetable, and dig out that retro rucksack, because this week #DWStammtisch is touring Europe (at least from the studio!) Counting down to the EU elections, host Damien McGuinness, DW Chief Political Editor Michaela Kuefner and guests Ulrike Franke and Tobias Buck debate whether Germany is really leading Europe. Or is it lagging behind?

With Brexit looming, record numbers of British migrants are actually becoming German citizens. So, this week, Stammtisch finds out what it's like swapping your scones for Sauerkraut. Host Damien McGuinness, is joined by DW political correspondent Kate Brady, Berlin correspondent for The Guardian Kate Connolly, and political analyst Jon Worth.

The Stammtisch podcast is sending some love to the Munich Security Conference this week — an event not usually known for its romance. Join host Damien McGuinness, DW correspondent Fabian von der Mark, Sarah Brockmeier from the Global Public Policy Institute and Kristina Lunz of the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy to look at peacekeeping and defense in the most romantic way possible.

With the Berlinale Film Festival in town, it's time to put on your gladrags as Stammtisch hands out its own awards. Who will win the coveted "Golden beer" for Best Political Comedy or EU rising star? Fresh from the red carpet, Damien McGuinness is joined by The Economist's Tom Nuttall, DW's Alex Forrest Whiting and ECFR's Almut Moeller.

We're breaking free this week, as Stammtisch looks at Germany's political taboos. The topics that are off-limits, uncomfortable, or just not talked about enough. Free-thinkers Emily Schultheis and Chris Köver join Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner.

Don your political party hats as Stammtisch celebrates its first birthday! The Economist's Tom Nuttall and Berlin Policy Journal's Bettina Vestring join hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner to blow out the candles and bring you Germany's biggest political stories of the week.

This month marks 100 years since the murder of socialist revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg. So, on this week's Stammtisch we're asking: why is Luxemburg so important today for left-wing politics? And how is the radical Left in Germany doing anyway? Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined by journalist Siobhán Dowling and The Guardian's Kate Connolly.

A data breach targeting German politicans, a party leader leaving Twitter and still no Brexit bug fixes in sight. Time to reboot 2019 already? Don't worry! Stammtisch host Damien McGuiness and his IT team Fabian von der Mark, Andrea Shalal and Jill Petzinger are ready to install the latest update of political chatter in Berlin for you.

Merkel's long goodbye, eastern Germany goes to the polls, European elections: Germany's got a lot on its plate for 2019. What else is on the menu? Stammtisch host Damien McGuiness and his guests Judy Dempsey, Anna Noryskiewicz and Richard Jones dish up some tasty political goodies for the New Year.

Government on the brink of collapse, coalition chaos, foreign policy revamps and party shake-ups (and we’re not talking the Christmas party kind). It‘s been a busy old year in German politics. Join Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner as the whole Stammtisch team - Nina Haase, Maximiliane Koschyk and Kate Brady - look back on the year in German politics. We might need a mulled wine...or two.

Since beating her male rivals to become leader of Germany's conservative CDU, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbaur is certainly showing some frauen-power. So who is AKK? And does it, or even should it, matter that Angela Merkel’s successor is another woman? With or without the Chaka Kahn attitude. Die Zeit's Ferdinand Otto and DW political correspondent Kate Brady join Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner.

Germany’s president is in Beijing this week, so Stammtisch heads east. How is Germany dealing with China's rise? What are the pros and cons of Chinese tech giants? And where do hire bikes fit into all this? Journalist Didi Kirsten Tatlow and analyst Thorsten Benner join Damien McGuinness and Nina Haase-Trobridge from Berlin.

Yes, things are getting festive in Germany, but don't get carried away with the Glühwein just yet. With the CDU leadership contest just around the corner and international stories for days, there's plenty to keep us busy in political Berlin. FAZ's Johannes Leithaeuser and the Körber Foundation's Liana Fix join Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner for the latest political gossip from Germany.

It's budget week in Germany, so we're all about the money. Who's got it. Who's spending it. And who wants more of it. Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined this week by Bloomberg's finance aficionados Sarah Syed and Richard Jones to see what it all means for Europe and the rest of the world.

This week we party with Poland as the country celebrate 100 years since regaining independence. But we also check out its tricky relationship with Berlin and Brussels. Damien McGuinness, Tom Nuttall, Anna Noryskiewicz and Nina Haase get in touch with their slavic souls, and dance the Brexit pain away with some Polish pop.

On the 100th anniversary of the end WWI, Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined by Elisabeth von Hammerstein from the Körber Foundation and DW's Christian Trippe to find out where the liberal Western order stands a century on. What are the biggest dangers? And how long can it last?

Yes, the end of Angela Merkel's leadership in Germany really has begun. So what will the country do without her? Who will take over? And what does this mean for politics in Germany, and the rest of Europe? Damien McGuinness has the answers with Handelsblatt's Andreas Kluth, DW Chief Political Correspondent Melinda Crane and DW reporter William Noah Glucroft.

Double, double toil and trouble: It’s Halloween and Stammtisch is ready to give you twice the fright this week. Forget Alien vs. Predator, we’re talking Brexit vs. Hessen. Damien McGuiness has gathered Nina Haase, Judy Dempsey and Jon Worth around his bubbling cauldron to determine: Which one is going to be the ultimate political horror movie?

What at first bore the signs of a Shakespearean tragedy is fast becoming a comedic farce. After taking a beating in Bavaria, one question stands before Chancellor Angela Merkel's government: 'To be, or not to be.' Stammtisch bards Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined by Die Zeit political reporter Ferdinand Otto and The New York Time's Melissa Eddy.

The beer's flowing and the lederhosen are on, which can only mean one thing in German politics: Bavaria's state election is here. But as the Greens and far-right AfD climb the polls, the conservatives are slipping. Where did it all go wrong? And what does it mean for Berlin? Find out with Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner, and guests Spiegel International's Charles Hawley and DW's Max Koschyk.

Almost three decades since German reunification, a rise of far-right violence, and growing economic disparity signals anything but a united Germany. Hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined by DW's Linda Vierecke and The Economist's Conny Günther to ask: just how united is Germany?

Turkey's President Erdogan is in town and Germany is quite literally rolling out the red carpet. So will Merkel and Erdogan kiss and make up? Or will things turn nasty over nibbles at the state banquet? Join Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner for all this and more political shenanigans in Berlin with guests "Die Welt" Foreign Editor Daniel-Dylan Böhmer and ECFR's Almut Möller.

No, this isn’t a repeat episode, but the new normal in European politics. On the podcast this week: the hills are alive with the sound of Brexit and hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner reveal what the latest political row in Berlin is really about, together with guests Judy Dempsey and Richard Jones.

It's budget week! But no boring number-crunching in Berlin. Things are getting rowdy in parliament and the coalition is in crisis - again! Spy chief Hans-Georg Maaßen is under fire for links to the far-right AfD. But Damien McGuinness knows how to keep DW’s Nina Haase, Fabian von der Mark and Reuter's Andrea Shalal under control: Just buy them off with candy.

How should Germany move forward after the political unrests in Chemnitz and how do Journalists have to be a part of that debate? In this week's episode of our Stammtisch podcast host Damien McGuinness is joined by Chief Political Editor Michaela Küfner, Jaafar Abdul Karim of Shabab Talk and Elisabeth Niejahr from Wirtschaftswoche to discuss their role and experiences in last week's events.

Summer's almost over and it's back to school for the Stammtisch team. This week, DW's Elizabeth Schumacher and Spiegel Online's Kristin Haug join hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner to see if German education is up to A* standard - or will it be staying behind after class?

Get out your hankie: this week, Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner bid a fond "Auf Wiedersehen!" to Stammtisch stalwart Jeremy Cliffe as he leaves The Economist's Berlin bureau for Brussels. Also joining us on the Berlin-Brussels extravaganza is ECFR's Almut Moeller to explain what will be keeping the EU busy this autumn.