Comedians, comrades and the climate

Dear Reader,

Once again international news headlines have focused heavily on Germany this week due to Olaf Scholz’ controversial decision to travel to Beijing weeks after Xi Jinping had himself appointed Chinese leader for life. Scholz insists he’s a man on a mission. In an op-ed for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, he said that he was “going as a European” to make clear to China that there “could be no more business as usual.”

Whether all his European partners are rejoicing that Scholz is speaking up for them in Beijing is another matter. Reports from Brussels suggest that Germany’s stock in other European capitals has never been lower. Paris claims to be leading a Europe-wide revolt against Berlin over issues including China, energy price caps, and debt sharing.

There is another reading of the situation though. On Monday I looked at whether the latest rumours from Brussels aren’t just a replay of the hate that came Germany’s way in 2015.