Tom Nuttall
@tomnuttall.bsky.social
Our new cover story is on the threat posed to German and Europe by China’s industrial model and its decision to exploit its stranglehold on chips/rare earths. Based on my reporting from Berlin and a trot around the Mittelstand in the Black Forest.
economist.com/briefing/202...
economist.com/briefing/202...
Chinese regulations and competition are panicking European manufacturers
Recent curbs on computer chips and rare earths are feeding broader fears about deindustrialisation
economist.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Our new cover story is on the threat posed to German and Europe by China’s industrial model and its decision to exploit its stranglehold on chips/rare earths. Based on my reporting from Berlin and a trot around the Mittelstand in the Black Forest.
economist.com/briefing/202...
economist.com/briefing/202...
Just back from a week in Israel/West Bank. Fascinating trip, tho I'll spare the world my half-baked thoughts on the Middle East. But what struck this European was how often I heard Israelis of all stripes, including avowed leftists, repeat what are here usually regarded as far-right tropes (1/3)
November 14, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Just back from a week in Israel/West Bank. Fascinating trip, tho I'll spare the world my half-baked thoughts on the Middle East. But what struck this European was how often I heard Israelis of all stripes, including avowed leftists, repeat what are here usually regarded as far-right tropes (1/3)
"lol," said the Bundesrepublik. "lmao". www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
November 1, 2025 at 5:06 PM
"lol," said the Bundesrepublik. "lmao". www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
Eurobonds for Ukraine, say we. www.economist.com/leaders/2025...
Why funding Ukraine is a giant opportunity for Europe
The bill will be huge. It is also a historic bargain
www.economist.com
October 30, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Eurobonds for Ukraine, say we. www.economist.com/leaders/2025...
Reposted by Tom Nuttall
With the official prognosis giving one additional seat to PVV and one to FvD compared to the ext poll, the narrative should really not be that the Netherlands/Jetten has beaten the radical right. The far right bloc remains remarkably stable.
October 30, 2025 at 7:01 AM
With the official prognosis giving one additional seat to PVV and one to FvD compared to the ext poll, the narrative should really not be that the Netherlands/Jetten has beaten the radical right. The far right bloc remains remarkably stable.
Absurd fragmentation of Dutch electorate means everyone can legitimately do a "why the election shows my politics are right" take - perhaps excepting the trad left there's a party of nearly every flavour that did well.
October 30, 2025 at 7:24 AM
Absurd fragmentation of Dutch electorate means everyone can legitimately do a "why the election shows my politics are right" take - perhaps excepting the trad left there's a party of nearly every flavour that did well.
One peculiarity about being a correspondent in Germany is the regularity with which you meet Germans who are completely bemused that someone might be interested enough in their country to choose to live in and write about it.
October 23, 2025 at 7:08 AM
One peculiarity about being a correspondent in Germany is the regularity with which you meet Germans who are completely bemused that someone might be interested enough in their country to choose to live in and write about it.
And I hear that Merz failed to win approval for his proposed pension reform in Germany at the Western Balkans summit. Looks like it was lose-lose :(
Starmer failed to take decisive step to smash the gangs at leaders summit - as small boat crossings exceed 2024
Starmer failed to take decisive step to smash the gangs at leaders summit - as small boat crossings exceed 2024
There were some wins for the UK at the Western Balkans Summit at Lancaster House in central London today.
news.sky.com
October 22, 2025 at 9:05 PM
And I hear that Merz failed to win approval for his proposed pension reform in Germany at the Western Balkans summit. Looks like it was lose-lose :(
we're so back lads :)
Divisive German civil servant Martin Selmayr should return to Brussels for the sake of the EU, a senior minister declared today — sparking an immediate rebuke from his own government.
Germany split over Selmayr’s return to Brussels
EU minister says controversial civil servant “very much welcome” in Brussels but German government makes clear that is not its official position.
www.politico.eu
October 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
we're so back lads :)
"I never thought this man who has been shitposting for over a decade would do a LITERAL shitpost"
October 19, 2025 at 8:57 AM
"I never thought this man who has been shitposting for over a decade would do a LITERAL shitpost"
The @faznet.bsky.social has discerned a strain of unhappiness among German Christians over gay marriage that I confess has so far eluded me.
October 18, 2025 at 3:32 PM
The @faznet.bsky.social has discerned a strain of unhappiness among German Christians over gay marriage that I confess has so far eluded me.
Important, deeply reported piece in Stern on the CDU's agonising debate over whether to maintain the anti-AfD "firewall" in its current form. Unless the AfD's rise is somehow arrested, I fear this is a dilemma without a solution. www.stern.de/politik/bran...
Brandmauer: Wie die CDU an einem neuen AfD-Kurs arbeitet
Die Union findet kein Rezept gegen die AfD. Jetzt beginnt in der CDU eine Debatte über eine Öffnung zur extremen Rechten. Das könnte die Republik verändern.
www.stern.de
October 15, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Important, deeply reported piece in Stern on the CDU's agonising debate over whether to maintain the anti-AfD "firewall" in its current form. Unless the AfD's rise is somehow arrested, I fear this is a dilemma without a solution. www.stern.de/politik/bran...
Sad news about D'Angelo. Never saw him live, but when I saw Maxwell my main thought was, I wish this was a D'Angelo show. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxVN...
D'Angelo - Untitled (How Does It Feel) (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by DAngeloVEVO
www.youtube.com
October 14, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Sad news about D'Angelo. Never saw him live, but when I saw Maxwell my main thought was, I wish this was a D'Angelo show. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxVN...
In both Britain and France we are witnessing the agonies of electoral systems ill-suited to political fragmentation and changing voter behaviour. In Germany, for all the grumbling and the pearl-clutching over the Brandmauer, we're not there yet.
October 6, 2025 at 8:41 AM
In both Britain and France we are witnessing the agonies of electoral systems ill-suited to political fragmentation and changing voter behaviour. In Germany, for all the grumbling and the pearl-clutching over the Brandmauer, we're not there yet.
The answer is right there: "Our European friends, many of whom are facing similar challenges to us, are thinking hard about partnering with third countries to deport illegal immigrants, and under my leadership this is a conversation the United Kingdom would be part of." Instead....this.
Kuenssberg: “Where would the 150,000 people you plan to deport each year actually go?”
Badenoch: “I’m tired of irrelevant questions.”
The Tories have an idiot in charge, one who doesn’t know NI voted Remain or why deportation deals even matter. #ukpolitics
Badenoch: “I’m tired of irrelevant questions.”
The Tories have an idiot in charge, one who doesn’t know NI voted Remain or why deportation deals even matter. #ukpolitics
October 5, 2025 at 12:21 PM
The answer is right there: "Our European friends, many of whom are facing similar challenges to us, are thinking hard about partnering with third countries to deport illegal immigrants, and under my leadership this is a conversation the United Kingdom would be part of." Instead....this.
Will FCAS ever take off? One of the most ambitious military projects Europe has ever known is teetering on the edge, thanks to industrial bickering. With help from excellent colleagues
@sophiepedder.bsky.social & @shashj.bsky.social www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
@sophiepedder.bsky.social & @shashj.bsky.social www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
Europe’s biggest military project could collapse
Industrial bickering is putting the Future Combat Air System at risk
www.economist.com
October 2, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Will FCAS ever take off? One of the most ambitious military projects Europe has ever known is teetering on the edge, thanks to industrial bickering. With help from excellent colleagues
@sophiepedder.bsky.social & @shashj.bsky.social www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
@sophiepedder.bsky.social & @shashj.bsky.social www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
German asylum claims have halved in the last year. Nothing to do with border theatre; everything to do with developments outside the EU that hardly ever play a role in European countries' domestic migration debates. Still, take the win if it allows you to change the subject.
There are good reasons to think the number of small boat crossings may fall in the next couple of years - and it will have little to do with whatever has been announced at party conferences
Europe’s astonishing drop in illegal migration
economist.com/internationa...
Europe’s astonishing drop in illegal migration
economist.com/internationa...
October 2, 2025 at 9:33 AM
German asylum claims have halved in the last year. Nothing to do with border theatre; everything to do with developments outside the EU that hardly ever play a role in European countries' domestic migration debates. Still, take the win if it allows you to change the subject.
The AfD qualified for three mayoral run-offs in cities in North Rhine-Westphalia today, and lost all by big margins. The lesson is not that we have overdone the AfD's rise, but that we do perhaps sometimes underestimate the counter-mobilisation effects - including in east Germany, incidentally.
September 28, 2025 at 6:09 PM
The AfD qualified for three mayoral run-offs in cities in North Rhine-Westphalia today, and lost all by big margins. The lesson is not that we have overdone the AfD's rise, but that we do perhaps sometimes underestimate the counter-mobilisation effects - including in east Germany, incidentally.
Spätsommer Brandenburg
September 28, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Spätsommer Brandenburg
Reposted by Tom Nuttall
"experts say"
www.cnn.com/2025/08/11/b...
www.cnn.com/2025/08/11/b...
September 26, 2025 at 1:59 AM
"experts say"
www.cnn.com/2025/08/11/b...
www.cnn.com/2025/08/11/b...
do Brits realise how demented their ID card debate looks from basically every other European country?
September 26, 2025 at 8:57 AM
do Brits realise how demented their ID card debate looks from basically every other European country?
Reposted by Tom Nuttall
We are delighted to announce The Economist Insider.
From next month subscribers will get access to a weekly show from @zannymb.economist.com, our editor-in-chief, plus shows exploring geopolitics, defence, economics and tech. They can also submit questions.
Join us: www.economist.com/comingsoon
From next month subscribers will get access to a weekly show from @zannymb.economist.com, our editor-in-chief, plus shows exploring geopolitics, defence, economics and tech. They can also submit questions.
Join us: www.economist.com/comingsoon
The Economist Insider teaser trailer
YouTube video by The Economist
www.youtube.com
September 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM
We are delighted to announce The Economist Insider.
From next month subscribers will get access to a weekly show from @zannymb.economist.com, our editor-in-chief, plus shows exploring geopolitics, defence, economics and tech. They can also submit questions.
Join us: www.economist.com/comingsoon
From next month subscribers will get access to a weekly show from @zannymb.economist.com, our editor-in-chief, plus shows exploring geopolitics, defence, economics and tech. They can also submit questions.
Join us: www.economist.com/comingsoon
Reposted by Tom Nuttall
What this actually means: "The US washes its hands of the conflict altogether; Ukraine seems to be doing fine on its own and it not, it's up to Europe to help it out; no more direct aid to Ukraine; the US now regards NATO as basically European and will help it from afar but not as a member."
Well this is something.
Trump: "I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form."
Trump: "I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form."
September 23, 2025 at 8:29 PM
What this actually means: "The US washes its hands of the conflict altogether; Ukraine seems to be doing fine on its own and it not, it's up to Europe to help it out; no more direct aid to Ukraine; the US now regards NATO as basically European and will help it from afar but not as a member."
For the first time the AfD has nudged ahead of the Union in this national polling aggregator, perhaps Germany's most reliable. Beware cope about the AfD losing this or that mayoral election, including in NRW this coming weekend. Something important is shifting.
CDU/CSU 25,4
AfD 25,6
SPD 14,6
Grüne 11,2
Linke 10,8
BSW 3,9
FDP 3,1
FW 1,6
pollytix.de/wahltrend
@pollytix.bsky.social
AfD 25,6
SPD 14,6
Grüne 11,2
Linke 10,8
BSW 3,9
FDP 3,1
FW 1,6
pollytix.de/wahltrend
@pollytix.bsky.social
September 22, 2025 at 8:14 AM
For the first time the AfD has nudged ahead of the Union in this national polling aggregator, perhaps Germany's most reliable. Beware cope about the AfD losing this or that mayoral election, including in NRW this coming weekend. Something important is shifting.
So far the rise of the AfD in Germany looks less like a wave across the country than a wedge driven inside it. My report after North Rhine-Westphalia's local elections. www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
www.economist.com
September 19, 2025 at 12:40 PM
So far the rise of the AfD in Germany looks less like a wave across the country than a wedge driven inside it. My report after North Rhine-Westphalia's local elections. www.economist.com/europe/2025/...