The Irish Times World View Podcast

Angela Merkel is on her last lap as German Chancellor and will stand down when September’s federal election ends her fourth and final term in office. Meanwhile her party, the ruling Christian Democratic Union, is trapped in a high-stakes stand-off with its Bavarian ally, the Christian Social Union. The impasse? Which of their leaders should guide their centre-right alliance through the upcoming election campaign, the first in over two decades without Mrs Merkel at the helm. In this episode, the Irish Times Berlin correspondent Derek Scally has the latest in Germany's unfolding political drama.

Dan McLaughlin explains the background to a new flare-up in the war in eastern Ukraine between the government in Kiev and Russian-backed separatists, and the news that Russia has sent troops and tanks to its border with Ukraine for what it insists are military exercises. Why is trouble in the region increasing now, and is the threat of a major escalation real?

Brazil's Covid-19 case numbers and deaths have hit staggering new highs in the past month: over 60,000 died in March alone. Now it is facing a political crisis to match its health crisis. President Jair Bolsonaro, his authority undermined by the raging pandemic, sacked his defence minister and three top military chiefs in what looks like a struggle for control over the armed forces. Tom Hennigan in Sao Paolo reports.

Voters in Israel went to the polls this week in a bid to free the country of the political stalemate that has seen it hold four elections in two years. But after another cliffhanger result, the deadlock continues and it may be weeks before it becomes clear if prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu will be able to form another government. Exit polls after Tuesday’s vote indicated it might be possible for Netanyahu - or Bibi as he is known to some – to form a wafer-thin majority if he could persuade the right-wing Ya-mina party to come on board. But that was before the anti-Zionist Arab party, Ra’am, surprised pundits by crossing the threshold needed to win a place in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. Ra’am’s projected five seats means the support of Ya-mina will no longer be enough to keep Netanyahu in power – he will need the support of both. An unlikely prospect, given that Ra’am and Ya-mina would seem very unlikely to countenance going into government with each other. To find out more, we talk to our correspondent in Jerusalem Mark Weiss.

Brazil's often chaotic political scene got even more complex recently when former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's conviction for corruption was suddenly overturned. Will Lula's expected return to politics, combined with the government's disastrous pandemic response, spell the end for current right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro?

Suzanne Lynch on the fall from grace of New York State governor Andrew Cuomo, whose early handling of the pandemic won him praise but is now subject to increasing scrutiny, and whose declining fortunes have been worsened by accusations of sexual harassment.

When voters elect a new government in Germany this year, it will bring the curtain down on the 16 year chancellorship of Angela Merkel. In parliament since 2005, Merkel has been one of Europe’s most influential leaders, steering her country and the bloc through numerous crises. What will be the consequences of her departure from office and who will replace her? Derek Scally reports from Berlin. Later, London editor Denis Staunton takes us through the highlights of Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon’s testimony to a parliamentary committee inquiry into her government’s handling of sexual harassment complaints made against her predecessor Alex Salmond.

Italy's new prime minister Mario Draghi, a compromise choice asked to lead a national unity government after the collapse of the previous coalition, has several tough challenges on his hands: to administer EU Covid-19 relief funds in an effective way, to navigate the pandemic, and to retain control of the unwieldy coalition of parties that voted him in. Can he do whatever it takes? Chris Dooley talks to Brussels correspondent Naomi O'Leary. Plus, how did some Texans end up paying thousands of dollars in electricity bills?

The issue of Brexit and the popularity of SNP leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon have put the idea of Scottish independence back on the agenda. Public opinion polls show a majority in favour, but with implacable opposition from Boris Johnson assured, what paths are there to an "Indyref 2"? Denis Staunton reports. And Guy Hedgecoe in Madrid explains the social complexities behind the jailing of a Catalan rapper for insulting the royal family and glorifying terrorism.

Suzanne Lynch reports from former president Donald Trump's Senate impeachment trial. Under attack from a well-organised prosecution, Trump's own legal team have not impressed. But will it matter? Plus, a decade after Hosni Mubarak was toppled, what remains of Egypt's revolution? We talk to Declan Walsh, chief Africa correspondent at the New York Times.

A few months ago Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was lying in hospital in Berlin, recovering from being poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok. This week he was imprisoned after returning to Russia to continue his campaign against Vladimir Putin, despite the clear risks. But who is Alexei Navalny? And does his campaign have any chance of success? We talk to our correspondent Dan McLaughlin. Plus, the story of the Chinese writer first praised but then shunned for sharing her insider account of the Wuhan lockdown.

Today on the podcast: Tom Hennigan on the dire Covid-19 situation in Brazil, where the second-highest number of people have died of the disease. A more spreadable variant of the disease has deepened the crisis, as has the corruption and dysfunction of the national response, led by anti-vaxxer President Jair Bolsonaro.

Our Washington correspondent Suzanne Lynch was one of the lucky few to attend President Joe Biden's inauguration yesterday. She talks to foreign editor Chris Dooley about the message Biden sent in his address and his early policy moves. And we talk to Omar Wasow, an assistant professor of political science at Princeton University. He says the violent events of January 6th were more akin to a lynch mob than a riot or a coup, and explains why he thinks calls for unity are unlikely to work in the long run.

The race is on to roll out the coronavirus vaccine across the European Union. Denmark is sitting proudly in first place, with 2% of their population already vaccinated. All EU countries have had the same level of access to the first vaccine approved by the bloc, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, so how has Denmark managed to administer doses at such an efficient rate? Joining David McKechnie to discuss the different elements of the rollout process and the reasons behind the delay in some member states is our Europe Correspondent Naomi O’Leary.

Yesterday the world watched on in disbelief as a group of pro-Trump protesters stormed the US Capitol, in a violent display of loyalty to the president. While Congress gathered to certify the election results, thousands of flag-waving supporters broke through police barriers and gained access to the historic building, tearing through offices, breaking furniture and smashing windows. In today’s episode, Irish Times Washington correspondent Suzanne Lynch joins David McKechnie to discuss how the dramatic events unfolded.