Stammtisch - The Latest Political Chatter From Berlin

We're getting ready for a summer break at Stammtisch in the last episode of the season. But before we roll out those beach towels to reserve a sunny spot in Germany's seventeeth Bundesland, New York Time's Melissa Eddy and Die Zeit's Ferdinand Otto join Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner for a look ahead to the rest of the summer. Plus, we have all the usual political gossip from Berlin.

Yet another government crisis has been avoided in Berlin — for now! This week Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined by ECFR's Almut Möller and Yahoo News' Jill Petzinger, and they see what the surprise resignation of the Social Democrats' party leader means for Chancellor Angela Merkel's "grand coalition." Not that there's much grand about it these days!

Sweet little lies, or big massive whoppers? Either way, truth is a flexible concept in politics these days. So this week we're talking dodgy facts and fake news. Can Dundar, Nanjira Sambuli and Andreas Kappes join Damien McGuinness and Kate Brady for a special edition of Stammtich, live from the Global Media Forum in Bonn.

As the EU votes for a new parliament we tackle populists. Who are they? How well are they doing? And have we reached peak populism? DW Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner cater to the masses with the ever-popular Emily Schultheis, from the Institute of Current World Affairs, and Berlin Policy Journal’s Bettina Vestring.

Is the Eurovision Song Contest the European Union on a three-drink-minimum? Find out, as this week not only popstars are on the ballot, but so are EU parliamentarians. Stammtisch host Damien McGuinness fires up the confetti canon and goes glam as DW's Michaela Küfner, Jessica Saltz from Euronews and the Economist’s Tom Nuttall talk European voting habits – both musical and political.

It seems German arms are, indeed, the weapon of choice for many countries. So where are they going? What are they being used for? And is Germany really as peace-loving as it makes itself out to be? Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined by Jana Puglierin from the German Council on Foreign Relations and DW's Ben Knight for the latest political chatter from Berlin.

Damien McGuinness gets his samba on this week with Thomas Sparrow, William Noah Glucroft, and Carnegie Europe's Judy Dempsey, as we ask: what's behind Germany's sudden interest in Latin America? Is this the start of new foreign policy or is Foreign Minister Heiko Maas just in it for the mezcal? Plus, we have all the usual political chatter from Berlin.

There's just a month to go till the EU heads to the polls. So what's on the German agenda? And do Germans even care? DW Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner hit the campaign trail with The Economist's Tom Nuttall and journalist Emmanuelle Chaze. Plus, we unearth Germany's mysterious love for "Spargelzeit."

With rents sky-rocketing and construction scarce, Germany has found itself in a housing crisis. Is the bubble about to burst? And what does pricey property mean for Angela Merkel's government? Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner go on a heroic house hunt with journalist and Institute of Current World Affairs fellow Emily Schultheis and Zeit Online correspondent Ferdinand Otto.

We've lifted our Brexit ban as we catch up with the latest escapades at the Stammtisch seaside. What role did Germany and Angela Merkel play in the second Brexit extension? Did Germany miss its chance to avoid Brexit? Die Welt correspondent Robin Alexander and Berlin Policy Journal's Bettina Vestring answer all that and more as they join Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner.

Anchors ahoy and welcome aboard! We've packed our trunks and are going transatlantic on this week. Germany has headed to New York to take its seat on the UN Security Council — while Barack Obama has come to Germany. Damien McGuinness and DW's Fabian von der Mark chat US-German relations with former US government advisor Julie Smith and NATO expert Sophia Besch.

Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner get hot and bothered about climate change with Maurice Frank and Zeit Online's Sophia Schirmer on this week's Stammtisch. For weeks, hundreds of thousands of German school kids have been striking from school to call for more action from politicians. But it seems Berlin has side-stepped climate to create a different debate over the demonstrations.

Siri vs. Alexa, US vs. China - the battle for all kinds of technology is on. But where on Earth is Germany? Damien McGuiness lets the robots do the hosting on the latest Stammtisch, while Michaela Kuefner debates why Artificial Intelligence matters and how it’s changing Germany with guests Rasmus Rothe and Aspen Istitute‘s Tyson Barker.

As Angela Merkel's government reaches its first birthday, Stammtisch asks whether it really has the staying power to make it to the 2021 elections. Center of European Reform's Christian Odendahl, New York Time's correspondent Melissa Eddy and Berlin Policy Journal's Bettina Vestring also join host Damien McGuinness with the latest on Brexit and get in the mood for St. Patrick's Day in Germany.

It's International Women's Day! We've kicked off Damien McGuinness and it's all about the Frauenpower on the latest DW Stammtisch. Taking over the reins is Kate Brady as DW chief potilitcal editor Michaela Küfner, Reuters corresponent Andrea Shalal and DW's Linda Vierecke talk all things women and gender equality in Germany.

Book that interrail ticket, get your train timetable, and dig out that retro rucksack, because this week #DWStammtisch is touring Europe (at least from the studio!) Counting down to the EU elections, host Damien McGuinness, DW Chief Political Editor Michaela Kuefner and guests Ulrike Franke and Tobias Buck debate whether Germany is really leading Europe. Or is it lagging behind?

With Brexit looming, record numbers of British migrants are actually becoming German citizens. So, this week, Stammtisch finds out what it's like swapping your scones for Sauerkraut. Host Damien McGuinness, is joined by DW political correspondent Kate Brady, Berlin correspondent for The Guardian Kate Connolly, and political analyst Jon Worth.

The Stammtisch podcast is sending some love to the Munich Security Conference this week — an event not usually known for its romance. Join host Damien McGuinness, DW correspondent Fabian von der Mark, Sarah Brockmeier from the Global Public Policy Institute and Kristina Lunz of the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy to look at peacekeeping and defense in the most romantic way possible.

With the Berlinale Film Festival in town, it's time to put on your gladrags as Stammtisch hands out its own awards. Who will win the coveted "Golden beer" for Best Political Comedy or EU rising star? Fresh from the red carpet, Damien McGuinness is joined by The Economist's Tom Nuttall, DW's Alex Forrest Whiting and ECFR's Almut Moeller.

We're breaking free this week, as Stammtisch looks at Germany's political taboos. The topics that are off-limits, uncomfortable, or just not talked about enough. Free-thinkers Emily Schultheis and Chris Köver join Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner.