The Deutsche-Commerzbank merger fiasco sheds light on how weak Germany’s private banking sector remains a decade after the financial crisis, in a national market dominated by highly competitive customer-oriented savings banks and cooperative banks. On April 25, 2019, both banks announced that their management boards had come to the conclusion that a German government-supported … [Read more...] about Europe’s Forever Unfinished Banking Union
Europe
Maron’s Visions Confront Merkel’s Reality
The recent cover of The Economist reads “Europe’s new order,” and shows a youthful French president in the glaring spotlight—and a German Chancellor Angela Merkel behind him in the dark shadow. Inside, the article titles tell the story: “A dynamic Emmanuel Macron and a diminished Angela Merkel promise a new balance in Europe,” “President Emmanuel Macron’s reform plans represent … [Read more...] about Maron’s Visions Confront Merkel’s Reality
How Merkel will integrate a million refugees
Today “Hosanna,” tomorrow “Crucify him!” These words from the Bible also apply in politics, as Chancellor Angela Merkel, the daughter of a Lutheran pastor, has had to learn. As this exploration of how Germany is coping with a million refugees based on “real facts” and not on “alternative facts” shows, neither “hosanna” nor “crucify” could be justified. On September 4, 2015, … [Read more...] about How Merkel will integrate a million refugees
Surprises, Shocks, and Upheavals
Looking for future surprises that could shock the world? This would not be an exercise Europe’s top leaders such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel need these days. For her, the surprises, shocks, and upheavals are coming faster than ever. For years, she has played a key role in crisis management at the helm of the largest and strongest member country of the European … [Read more...] about Surprises, Shocks, and Upheavals
Merkels Brexit Problem
Already facing an immigration and European integration crisis that is shattering the country’s democratic foundations in the postwar era as never before, another nightmare looms on the horizon for Germany’s political and business elite: the prospect of Britain leaving the European Union. This explains why an embattled German Chancellor Angela Merkel—fully aware of the enormous … [Read more...] about Merkels Brexit Problem