Dr. Dan Hough is a Professor of Politics at the University of Sussex.
The German SPD and the Curse of Corbynisation
On December 12, Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party slipped to inglorious defeat in what was Britain’s third general election in four years. Labour’s worst result since 1935 leaves the party no …
Merkel Remains in Control, but Problems are Looming on the Horizon
Angela Merkel has experienced a challenging 18 months. Events of the past week nonetheless indicate that she remains firmly in control of German political life. Eleven years is an awfully …
Anti-Corruption in Germany
Germany has traditionally been seen as a country where corruption is under control. This was further supported when Transparency International (TI), the largest and most prominent anti-corruption NGO, published its …
Britain No Longer Has National Parties
There is always a unique drama to an election night in Britain, but the events of Thursday, May 7 surprised even the most hardened of British election watchers (see here …
Life after Merkel?
A well-known German comedian once sang a song about the state of Thüringen decrying the Land’s apparent anonymity. “Thüringen,” bemoaned Rainald Grebe, “is a Land that David Bowie once flew …
Consensus and Contentment in Germany’s Left Party. For Now
A strange outbreak of consensus seems to have engulfed Germany’s Left Party (Linke/LP). The recent party convention, held from May 9-11, illustrated that the days of internal bickering seem to …
Lurch to the Left or a Spot of Shadow Boxing? The Left Party’s New Programme and its Implications for Governing Germany
When, on 27th September 2009, Die Linke (the Left Party) polled just under 12 per cent of the vote in Germany’s federal election, it looked as if a new era …
Don’t Mention the Four
“Football is not a matter of life or death,” claimed Bill Shankly, a former manager of Liverpool, one of England’s most well-known football clubs. “It’s much more important than that!” …
