The conversation between Sahra Wagenknecht and Frauke Petry: misunderstandings outweigh

In the Weimar Republic, the Communists and the Nazis were not only enemies. Again and again there were physical confrontations. But there was a practice that is hardly imaginable today. Communists and Nazis argued against each other in meetings, each side had its powerful members and sympathizers with them, and after the battle of the arguments, there was often a battle in the hall.

Frauke Petry ; Sahra Wagenknecht . License: CC-BY-SA-3.0

Some Christian Democrats may expect worse results for the SPD if the Rhinelander becomes its candidate for chancellor

In January 2017, the agreed term of SPD politician Martin Schulz as European president will expire. Six months earlier, several leading CDU/CSU politicians stressed that they were against a renewed presidency for Rhinelander, which he was rumored to be seeking.

According to information from the daily newspaper Die Welt, the CDU presidium decided this week not to support Schulz in the process. Rhineland-Palatinate CDU state chairwoman Julia Klockner told the newspaper that in the de facto grand coalition of Social Democrats and Christian Democrats in the European Parliament there were "an agreement that there will be a change after his term in office" and since they consider Schulz to be a "Man of honor" If they hold "that he will stick to the promises he has made to himself." Gerda Hasselfeldt, the leader of the CSU in the Bundestag, also spoke of a "unambiguous agreement", that the post will be taken over by a Christian Democrat from the EPP group in January 2017.

Sheikh Ahmed, the leader of the U.S.-fought Union of Islamic Courts, became Somalia’s new president – the new U.S. administration congratulates

Somalia has a new president: Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who was ousted two years ago as leader of the "Union of Islamic Courts" (ICU) two years ago. However, it does not look like peace. Militant Islamists, who control large parts of the country, want to continue fighting and Ethiopian troops are at the border.

After the election of Sheikh Ahmed as president, it was believed that the country in the Horn of Africa could finally come to peace. The Somali parliament had chosen the former geography teacher from Mogadishu as an integration figure who would finally persuade the different Somali factions to make peace. "In Somalia today, everyone thinks he or she is right and therefore refuses any dialogue. We need to put an end to this culture, sit down together, talk to each other and find solutions to our problems."

Renzi, Hollande and Merkel on Ventotene. Image: T. Barchielli/governo.it/CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IT

Merkel, Hollande and Renzi met for a symbolically charged meeting after Brexit

Brexit has put the European crisis more than clearly on the agenda. On a political and economic level, the future is unclear in the face of increasing centrifugal forces in the euro area and the European Union. At the invitation of Italian head of government Matteo Renzi, he, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande met on Monday for a symbolic mini-summit outside Naples. In the face of decay, they invoked the European idea, but little more than symbolism was on offer from the leaders of the three main remaining EU members.

Full-scale war can break out in Ukraine again at any time

If one constantly demands that Russia must first de-escalate in order to change its own policy, then it seems strange when NATO has just launched the Rapid Trident Manover at the Yavorov military training area in western Ukraine. In the current conditions of the conflict between the West and Russia, this should be seen as both a warning and a provocation. Although the exercise is held annually, the fact that it has to take place now is a clear sign that all the countries involved have agreed to it. After all, it had been possible to hold in another country. German soldiers participate, but also soldiers from Azerbaijan, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. Of course, soldiers from Ukraine are involved, but also from Georgia and Moldova. Moreover, other exercises are taking place.

It is to be expected and intended that Russia will react with anger to this flip. Moscow said that the exercise could increase tensions and endanger the ceasefire. This does not prevent Russia from expanding its troop presence in Crimea, sending a new, quite provocative aid convoy to eastern Ukraine, supplying Lugansk with electricity, and at the same time expanding its military presence in the Arctic. Because of the enormous resources and the new shipping routes, a dangerous conflict will develop here if there are no more talks and agreements between NATO and Russia, which were also urgently needed for action against the Islamic State in Syria in accordance with international law.

Grune and Sweden Democrats are the winners

It reminds of the famous Gallic village with its two strong guys. Except this place is in Sweden and the strong person is a woman born in 1948. The place is Simrishamn, a historic little town with 6.500 inhabitants and capital of the coarse municipality of the same name with 19.000 inhabitants on the southeast coast, where countless artists live. In the 2010 local elections, four of the 49 seats were won by a political grouping that is not represented in parliament anywhere else in Sweden. A tiny and local party – which suddenly moves into the European Parliament.

Gudrun Schyman. Image: FrankieF/CC BY-SA 3.0