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Nonnenmacher, Günther
5 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
Afghanistan needs another type of legitimation
The electoral fraud in Afghanistan raises the question of whether the international community can continue to work with President Hamid Karzai with a good conscience, the conservative daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes: "Two questions arise: Is there an alternative to Karzai? The Afghans should really decide this for themselves, with as little interference as possible from abroad. But this poses the threat of violent conflicts, which in turn raises the second, fundamental question: Is it wise to rely on elections as the key instrument for legitimation in unstable states with a mode of government that doesn't correspond to Western ideas? Instead of plunging the country into the turbulence and conflicts of an election campaign it would have been better to strengthen the constitutional institutions and vigorously tackle corruption."
» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Afghanistan
Günther Nonnenmacher on the unease of politicians in Eastern and Central Europe
Günther Nonnenmacher comments in the conservative daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on the unease of politicians in Eastern and Central Europe about the new foreign policy of US President Barack Obama: "Landing in a political 'between Europe' is a historic trauma for the peoples and states of Central and Eastern Europe. It has often meant that major West European states have reached over their heads in seeking rapprochement with the Soviet Union and with Russia. In the phase when Moscow was weak before and after the end of communism America in particular supported the striving of countries in this region for freedom and independence. But now former statesmen fear their countries might be getting a bad deal security-wise because Obama is setting new foreign policy priorities. The passivity of the West following Russia's intervention in Georgia seems like a warning sign to them. As understandable as some of their worries are, the risk zones of world policy have moved to the Middle East, and the resources of a world power are limited too. Anyone who goes on cultivating old traumas risks missing the path to the future. The best way of anchoring America in Europe is to strengthen the EU as a transatlantic partner."
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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU enlargement, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » EU Policy, » EU neighbourhood policy, » Europe, » Eastern Europe, » U.S.
Beijing is the key to finding a solution
In solving the North Korea problem the role of China is of particular importance, writes the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: "Everyone agrees that the key to a solution of the North Korea problem lies in Beijing, because China keeps Kim's regime alive economically. The dilemma facing the Chinese rulers is obvious: on the one hand they want to maintain North Korea as a strategically important buffer state, on the other Pyongyang is leading them around by the nose in front of the international community; Beijing also risks Japan losing its patience and beginning nuclear armament in eastern Asia. But neither six-party talks nor tougher sanctions will solve this Chinese dilemma. North Korea's provocative nuclear behaviour towards its great mentor is making deep scratches on Beijing's claim to being a superpower."
» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Asia, » U.S., » Global, » China
The Basic Law is flexible
The daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung praises the resilience of the German Basic Law: "The German unification came about constitutionally, and the Basic Law provided the ideal framework for that development - despite what its critics were saying twenty years ago with their democratic-cum-romantic plea for a new state framework to be worked out by constitutional convention. Politically, economically and intellectually, the decades of separation have nevertheless left their mark and posed new problems. The social state has come under pressure, the party system has changed, and political discourses in western and eastern Germany show that the German unification is still not fully completed. Our political system will also pass this test. The Basic Law is flexible enough to withstand the resulting pressure, and open enough to see through other changes - for example European unification."
» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » History, » Germany
France's Socialists face test of endurance
The German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung describes the party conference of France's Socialist Party (PS), which was held last weekend in Reims, as a "debacle". "Why shouldn't the party patched together by François Mitterrand from several smaller parties and clubs at a party conference in Epinay in 1971 split up into its individual components once more? For a decade now the French Socialists have had no success at a national level, their (several) wings represent ideologically irreconcilable positions and their leading figures can't stand each other. ... The delegates failed to reach a consensus about the candidate for the party leadership [at the conference]. Now the members are to achieve this through a primary election. Everything points to a duel between the unsuccessful presidential candidate [Ségolène] Royal and Martine Aubry, the mayor of Lille. ... But whatever the outcome, it's already clear that it will lead the party into a test of endurance."
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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » France
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