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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Comment
Lars Klingbeil

I want to reform our country because a strong Germany is a precondition for a strong Europe

Oderberger Straße, Berlin. German government reforms would scrap tax rules that disincentivise both parents working.
Oderberger Straße, Berlin, April 2026. German government reforms would scrap tax rules that disincentivise both parents working.
Photograph: snapshot-photography/T Seeliger/Shutterstock

Wars and crises are draining our economies, our sense of security and our emotional wellbeing. They are affecting our daily lives: supply chains are becoming less reliable, energy prices are soaring, and trade dependencies on fossil-fuel energy and critical minerals pose risks to national security. Tariffs, industrial overcapacities and export restrictions threaten jobs and prosperity. Taken together, all this is exposing Europe’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

At the same time, we have shown how strengthening our alliances and our economic and military capacities can increase our scope for action. Forming a united European political front is helping to safeguard the sovereignty of Greenland, for instance. And despite all the recent turmoil, Europe remains one of the most attractive places in the world to live and work.

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