In the 1990s, a young Friedrich Merz wasn’t particularly outraged about higher German contributions to the EU budget. His criticism went deeper – he questioned the very way the common budget was financed. That could become relevant in the upcoming negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
By Till Hoppe
In his book "Eisiges Schweigen flussabwärts," Zeit correspondent Michael Thumann offers more than a personal account of his journey from Moscow to Berlin. He delves into the shifting currents – and persistent stagnation – within Russia’s political system and its place in the world.
By Florian Keisinger
