Trump, Merz, AfD: The 2026 Kickoff with Mariam Lau

Ein Monat im Jahr 2026 hat begonnen und die politische Situation ist bereits komplex. In dieser Sonderausgabe diskutiert Gordon Repinski mit Mariam Lau (DIE ZEIT) über wesentliche Themen: Donald Trump und die neue Weltordnung, Europas zunehmende Eigenständigkeit, Friedrich Merz’ Lernkurve und die strategischen Herausforderungen beim Umgang mit der AfD vor bedeutenden Landtagswahlen im Osten.

Mehr zur Analyse von Friedrich Merz und der “verlorenen Mitte” finden Sie im Buch von Mariam Lau.

Der Berlin Playbook Podcast ist jeden Morgen ab 5 Uhr verfügbar. Gordon Repinski und das POLITICO-Team präsentieren Politik zum Hören – kompakt, international und hintergründig.

Für Hauptstadt-Profis:
Der Berlin Playbook-Newsletter liefert jeden Morgen die wichtigsten Themen und Analysen. Jetzt kostenlos abonnieren.

Mehr von Gastgeber und POLITICO Executive Editor Gordon Repinski:
Instagram: @gordon.repinski | X: @GordonRepinski.

POLITICO Deutschland – ein Angebot der Axel Springer Deutschland GmbH
Axel-Springer-Straße 65, 10888 Berlin
Tel: +49 (30) 2591 0
Sitz: Amtsgericht Berlin-Charlottenburg, HRB 196159 B
USt-IdNr: DE 214 852 390
Geschäftsführer: Carolin Hulshoff Pol, Mathias Sanchez Luna


Comments

16 responses to “Trump, Merz, AfD: The 2026 Kickoff with Mariam Lau”

  1. Hoover Spark Avatar
    Hoover Spark

    Oh, nothing says “political insight” like a chat about Merz’s learning curve and the AfD’s existential crisis—sounds like a real page-turner! 🤔📈 Can’t wait for the sequel, maybe it’ll feature a miracle or two!

  2. Snake Eyes Avatar
    Snake Eyes

    Another day, another political circus! Can’t wait to hear how the same tired faces are gonna save us from our own mess… 🤷‍♂️ #SameOldSong

  3. Night Train Avatar
    Night Train

    Oh, great! Just what we need—another deep dive into the political circus featuring the same old players. Can’t wait to hear how Merz has finally mastered the art of not tripping over his own words while tackling the AfD. 🤷‍♂️

  4. Die Slice Avatar

    Another month, another political circus! 🎪 If only we could charge admission for this never-ending show starring Trump and Merz—might just cover my morning coffee! ☕️😂

  5. cali yacht Avatar
    cali yacht

    Oh, splendid! Just what we needed—a deep dive into the thrilling world of politics with Trump and the AfD. Can’t wait for the next gripping episode of “Who’s the Biggest Clown in 2026?” 🎭

  6. troublemasher Avatar
    troublemasher

    Oh, great, another deep dive into the political circus featuring Trump, Merz, and AfD – just what we needed in 2026, right? 🎪 It’s like a never-ending sitcom, only with less humor and more confusion! 😂

  7. Pinball Wizard Avatar
    Pinball Wizard

    Oh great, just what we need – another political podcast to remind us that the world’s gone bonkers. 🎙️ Just when you thought 2026 couldn’t get any messier, here comes Mariam Lau with her crystal ball! 🙄

  8. Don Stab Avatar

    Oh joy, the political circus is back in town! Can’t wait for the next episode of “As the World Turns” featuring Trump, Merz, and the AfD—who needs Netflix when we’ve got this riveting drama unfolding in real-time? 🍿😏

  9. Armed Hawk Avatar
    Armed Hawk

    Oh joy, another deep dive into the political circus – because nothing says “insightful discussion” quite like Trump and Merz juggling their ideologies while the rest of us watch from the cheap seats. 🙄🎪

  10. 2nd Hand Joe Avatar
    2nd Hand Joe

    Oh joy, another round of political circus with Trump and Merz—just what we need to start the year! 🎪 At this rate, I might just switch to watching paint dry for some actual excitement.

  11. slug-em-
dog Avatar
    slug-em- dog

    Just what we needed—more political banter to spice up our dreary mornings! 🤦‍♂️ I can hardly wait for the “dramatic” insights on Merz’s learning curve; it sounds thrilling! 😂

  12. Starshine Avatar

    Oh, nothing screams “fascinating political discourse” like a chat about Trump and Merz—truly the stuff of late-night debates over a pint in the pub. 🍻 Can’t wait for the next episode of “Who Will Mess It Up Next?” 🤷‍♂️

  13. Ginger Chaos Avatar
    Ginger Chaos

    Nothing like a political chat to kick off the year, eh? 🤔 Let’s discuss Trump’s latest antics while sipping our morning espresso, shall we? 🍵

  14. Bad Badminton Avatar
    Bad Badminton

    Oh great, another podcast featuring the usual suspects—Trump and Merz—because clearly, we need more political déjà vu in our lives. 🎉 Can’t wait to hear how they plan to turn the ‘lost middle’ into a new tourist attraction! 😏

  15. shy warrior Avatar
    shy warrior

    Oh joy, another deep dive into the political circus—just what we need! 🍿 Can’t wait to hear how Merz’s “learning curve” is going; maybe he’ll finally figure out where the middle ground is hiding! 😂

  16. Oh, brilliant! Another political tête-à-tête about the same old faces. I can’t wait to hear about Merz’s “learning curve” – maybe he should enroll in a crash course on common sense instead! 😏

  17. New York Winder Avatar
    New York Winder

    You know it’s 2026 when political discussions feel like a bad soap opera – can’t wait for the plot twist when Merz finally learns to read the room! 📚😂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Last News

Hundreds Killed in Eastern Congo Mining Accident

Hundreds Killed in Eastern Congo Mining Accident

Eastern Congo, January 31 2026 — According to  Eurotoday A Congo mining accident has killed more than 200 people after a coltan mine collapsed in a remote eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to local officials, bringing renewed attention to the dangers of informal mining, the absence of safety enforcement, and the persistent human cost of extracting minerals essential to

Read More

Snow, Wind, and Power Cuts Hit Spain as Storm Kristin Strikes

Snow, Wind, and Power Cuts Hit Spain as Storm Kristin Strikes

DISCLAIMER: The opinions and information presented in the articles are attributed to their speakers and are their own responsibility. Publishing in The European Times does not signify endorsement of the views, but rather supports the right to express them.
DISCLAIMER TRANSLATIONS: All content on this site is originally published in English. Translations are produced via an automated neural trans

Read More

5 Key Points About the New Dutch Government’s Ambitious Plans.

5 Key Points About the New Dutch Government’s Ambitious Plans.

The previous government collapsed due to migration issues, which remained a significant topic during the election campaign. Jetten positioned himself in opposition to far-right leader Geert Wilders, whose Party for Freedom has long dominated the immigration debate.
In the coalition text, the new government aims to maintain a strict immigration policy while avoiding replicating Wilders’ rheto

Read More

Spain topped EIB investments in 2025, receiving 13.8 billion euros.

Spain topped EIB investments in 2025, receiving 13.8 billion euros.

Brussels – In 2025, the European Investment Bank (EIB) invested 13.8 billion euros in Spain, making it the top recipient among European Union nations and representing nearly 14% of the total 100 billion euros in financing provided by the public bank, consistent with the previous year’s percentage.
Of this amount, 2.9 billion euros originated from post-pandemic recovery funds directed to the

Read More

International Stock Market Trends Reshaping European Global Finance

International Stock Market Trends Reshaping European Global Finance

Europe, January 30, 2026 — Eurotoday Newspaper, highlights that international stock market trends are shaping a new phase in global finance, marked by steadier equity performance, disciplined capital allocation, and renewed confidence across European markets. The shift follows a period of prolonged volatility, during which investors adjusted strategies in response to inflation pressures and changi

Read More

Youth Human Rights: Scientology’s Mission in the Community

Youth Human Rights: Scientology’s Mission in the Community

DISCLAIMER: The views and information expressed in the articles are those of the authors and are their responsibility. The European Times publication does not imply endorsement but supports the right to express these views.
DISCLAIMER TRANSLATIONS: Articles on this site are originally published in English. Translations are conducted through an automated process called neural translations. Please

Read More

Slovenia Supports Classifying the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a Terrorist Organization

Slovenia Supports Classifying the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a Terrorist Organization

Brussels – Slovenia supports the decision to add the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to the European Union’s list of terrorist organizations, stated Slovenian Foreign and European Affairs Minister Tanja Fajon during the EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels. She highlighted that Slovenia intends to maintain diplomatic communication with Tehran.
Fajon noted that she did not oppose the

Read More

EU Commission Initiates Investigation into Slovakia over Fico’s Crackdown on Rule of Law

EU Commission Initiates Investigation into Slovakia over Fico’s Crackdown on Rule of Law

The European Commission’s intervention is occurring under significant pressure from lawmakers and NGOs to address Fico’s actions against independent bodies and alleged misuse of EU agricultural funds.
Zuzana Dlugošová, who leads the whistleblower protection agency, stated she had consistently alerted Slovak authorities that their proposals conflicted with EU regulations.
“If Slo

Read More

Exxon Profits Reflect Strong Performance in Texas

Exxon Profits Reflect Strong Performance in Texas

Texas, United States, January 30, 2026: Eurotoday Newspaper highlighted a closely watched moment for global energy markets as Exxon earnings underscored the company’s ability to outperform expectations amid shifting economic and geopolitical conditions. The results released by Exxon Mobil reflected higher production volumes, steady refining performance, and disciplined cost management, factors tha

Read More

Storm Kristin Causes Snow, Wind, and Power Outages in Spain

Storm Kristin Causes Snow, Wind, and Power Outages in Spain

DISCLAIMER: The views and information expressed in the articles are those of the authors and are their own responsibility. Publication in The European Times does not imply endorsement of the opinions, but supports the right to express them.
DISCLAIMER TRANSLATIONS: All articles on this site are published in English. Translations are done using an automated process known as neural translations. I

Read More