February
Scholz promised stability, but Germany got chaos instead
The deeper rot in German governance will require more fundamental reforms than any coalition is likely to deliver.
October 2023
New Zealand’s cliffhanger election could be a major surprise
Instead of an easy win for the opposition, disarray in the campaign of the National Party and the ACT Party might drive voters back to Labour Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.
March 2022
Decades of pacifism gone in a day
Berlin’s post-Cold War foreign policy was rich in moralism but poor in morality. It left Germany defenceless, Eastern Europe weak, and Vladimir Putin expecting an easy victory in Ukraine.
September 2021
Angela Merkel governed Germany for 16 years, but never led
Wrongly compared to Margaret Thatcher, avoiding much needed economic reform was easy for the retiring chancellor who never had any political convictions from the start.
December 2020
Housing needs supply-side fix
By boosting demand, early release of superannuation will increase house prices. The real solution for home affordability depends on making it easier to build more houses.
October 2020
Calm in a crisis won't be enough for a second-term Ardern
Jacinda Ardern's crisis communication is world class. But she is lucky that elections aren't won on achievements after a term overshadowed by disaster and catastrophe.