"The EU is attempting to put final touches on three mega-projects, all of a transformative nature. A carbon-neutral transformation of economy, the 'Next Generation Fund' (NGF) to deal with the economic fallout of the coronavirus crisis, and the introduction of a 'Rule of Law' (RoL) mechanism all have the potential to fundamentally change the character of how the EU works. They are all intertwined, all politically problematic, and all difficult to agree on. No wonder then that all eyes are on Germany. Europe’s only superpower assumed the rotating EU presidency on 1 June 2020. In the six months that will end on 31 December, Chancellor Angela Merkel would like to solve all three problems (and many smaller ones as well)."

"'Rule of Law' has become the battle cry of our times in the arena of European politics. Accompanied by spectacular rhetorical theatrics of leading politicians whenever the media are around, the 'RoL', as it is often abbreviated, looks set to become the object of new EU rules aiming to discipline wayward member states. The whole debate has been hugely divisive, and somewhat of a burden for all involved. Practically-minded politicians are wondering how the whole thing could be put to rest – but without appearing to do so."

"The crisis is so severe that CDU Chairwoman Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer announced her resignation on 10 February (effective later this year). Also, she will not be the party’s candidate for Chancellor in the next elections. She had been handpicked and groomed by Chancellor Angela Merkel to become her successor. Who will it be now? No-one knows. But Wolfgang Schauble (CDU), President of the Bundestag, has warned that "whoever will be our candidate will not become Chancellor if we carry on like this much longer'."

"Without the UK, the EU becomes a continental affair in which Germany’s relative weight will again increase. All eyes are on Berlin: how will Germany position itself? Historically, close cooperation between Germany and France has been the EU’s centre of gravity. But that may change. Particularly, the Visegrad countries of East Central Europe (the V4: Poland, Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia) are becoming a political and economic heavyweight, and they have been reaching out to Berlin for years to form a strategic alliance."

"A neo-Nazi attack against a synagogue in the town of Halle, Eastern Germany, has shaken the Germany psyche. Two views have emerged about this. One is that the country is witnessing the return of rightwing terrorism with roots in Nazi violence of the 1920s and 1930s. The other is that the act of a lonely lunatic is being instrumentalised by all political actors to shift the national discussion in their favour."

"Regional elections in Saxony and Brandenburg on 1 September illustrated where this will probably lead to: in both states the ruling parties CDU (in Saxony) and SPD (in Brandenburg) lost heavily and are now trying to include the Greens in a larger coalition. This may be exactly what lies ahead for the country as a whole.'