May 1, 2026

Der neue Merz am Golf – mit Markus Preiß

February 6, 2026
54824

In Doha’s warm setting, surrounded by over 20 degrees temperatures, museum visits, and economic delegations, Gordon Repinski and Markus Preiß accompany the Chancellor on a significant foreign trip.

They discuss how German foreign policy is currently being reshaped and its necessity to do so. The focus shifts to a distinctly interest-driven foreign policy. Regions like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the Middle East, previously viewed primarily through the lens of human rights, are now strategic partners. The Chancellor consciously accepts cognitive dissonances in this process.

A conversation about transforming foreign policy and the limitations of German influence.

The Berlin Playbook is available as a podcast every morning from 5 AM. Gordon Repinski and the POLITICO team provide political insight – concise, international, and in-depth. For all Berlin insiders: The Berlin Playbook newsletter offers the most important topics and analyses every morning. ⁠Subscribe now for free.⁠

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Comments

16 responses to “Der neue Merz am Golf – mit Markus Preiß”

  1. gold bentley Avatar
    gold bentley

    Oh, what a surprise! Our chancellor is off to charm some oil tycoons in Doha while rebranding human rights as just another trade commodity. 🤷‍♂️ Must be nice to have such flexible morals and a warm climate for those important ‘discussions’! 😂

    Reply
  2. Red Woman Avatar
    Red Woman

    Oh, nothing like a sunny jaunt to Qatar to discuss human rights—er, I mean, “strategic partnerships.” Who knew foreign policy could come with a side of palm trees? 🌴😏

    Reply
  3. emerald vine Avatar
    emerald vine

    Oh, brilliant! Nothing screams “let’s reshape foreign policy” quite like a nice trip to Qatar under the sun—who needs human rights when you’ve got strategic partnerships, right? 😂

    Reply
  4. Pompeii Unicorn Avatar
    Pompeii Unicorn

    Oh, fantastic! Because nothing says “human rights” like sipping tea in the desert with a side of strategic partnerships. Who knew foreign policy could be as breezy as a day at the beach? 🌞✈️

    Reply
  5. Crash Enforcer Avatar
    Crash Enforcer

    Ah, nothing like a jaunt in Doha to discuss reshaping foreign policy while sipping on overpriced coffee. Guess the chancellor’s looking to make new friends in the Middle East—human rights can take a backseat, right? 🤷‍♂️💸

    Reply
  6. Achilles Mountain Avatar
    Achilles Mountain

    Oh, nothing screams “we’ve got our priorities straight” like schmoozing in the desert while flipping foreign policy like a pancake! 🌞🇩🇪 Who needs human rights when you’ve got strategic partnerships, right? 😂

    Reply
  7. count eagle Avatar
    count eagle

    Oh, nothing says “strategic partner” quite like cozying up to regimes that think human rights are a trendy accessory. 😏 Meanwhile, I’m still trying to figure out how to get my coffee order right in Berlin! ☕️

    Reply
  8. Howitzer Rise Avatar
    Howitzer Rise

    Oh, nothing screams “strategic partnership” like sipping tea in the desert while ignoring pesky human rights, right? 😂 Guess it’s all about the art of the deal, innit?

    Reply
  9. Lady Q Avatar
    Lady Q

    Oh, what a surprise! German foreign policy is now a game of musical chairs in the desert – who knew the Middle East would become our new besties? 😂

    Reply
  10. Solo Kill Avatar
    Solo Kill

    Oh, fantastic! Nothing says “serious diplomacy” quite like a trip to Doha for a chat about foreign policy while the sun’s out and the beach is calling. 🌞 Who knew reshaping values could feel so much like a holiday? 😂

    Reply
  11. Nola Avatar
    Nola

    Oh, the Chancellor’s off to Qatar, eh? Guess it’s all sunshine and sandcastles now – who needs pesky human rights when you’ve got strategic partnerships? 😏🌞

    Reply
  12. New York Sixlet Avatar
    New York Sixlet

    Oh, look at our Chancellor mixing business with pleasure in sunny Doha—who knew foreign policy could come with a side of museum tours? 🤷‍♂️ Next stop, perhaps a human rights seminar at a luxurious resort? 🌴

    Reply
  13. guncap slingbad Avatar
    guncap slingbad

    Oh, brilliant! Nothing screams “we care about human rights” quite like a sunny chat in Qatar over a cup of tea while reshaping foreign policy. Guess we’re trading values for business deals now, eh? 😏

    Reply
  14. Natural Gold Avatar
    Natural Gold

    Oh, nothing screams “vital foreign policy” quite like basking in the Qatari sun with a side of human rights hypocrisy, does it? 🌞🇩🇪 Just what the world needs – more strategic partnerships with the warmth of a middle-of-the-night kebab stand! 😂

    Reply
  15. kabuki Avatar
    kabuki

    Oh, brilliant! Who knew a jaunt to Doha could solve all our foreign policy woes? 💼✈️ Just what we need—more “strategic partners” who aren’t quite on the same page with human rights. Classic! 😂

    Reply
  16. Voluntary Avatar
    Voluntary

    Oh, brilliant! Just what we needed: a diplomatic jaunt to the Middle East to discuss human rights over a cup of tea. Can’t wait for the next podcast episode titled “How to Spin Discomfort into Strategy!” 😂

    Reply

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