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Merkel and Corbyn: There’s Room for Decency in Public Life

Published

9 years ago

September 30, 2017

~By Saeed Naqvi

Two developments in Europe this week have brought cheer. First, Angela Merkel has held onto her job (even though only by the skin of her teeth). Secondly, the very citadel of western capitalism, The Economist, has editorially welcomed Jeremy Corbyn, a socialist in the Michael Foot mould, as Britain’s next Prime Minister, whenever elections take place. There is a stamp size photograph of Corbyn standing at 10 Downing Street, without a neck tie, of course.

It is maliciously reported that smoke billowed out of Lord Peter Mandelson’s ears after he read the editorial while holidaying on an oligarch’s yacht. Tony Blair’s favourite sidekick and one of the architects of the now defunct New Labour, had sworn in 2015, that he would work hard to “undermine Corbyn”.

It is not that The Economist has suddenly turned pink. It is doing the best it can to cope with altered circumstances: if you can’t beat them, join them.

The trophy for prescience must go to Chris Mullin, writer and former Labour MP. In 2015, Mullin wrote an imaginary piece in The Guardian under the heading:

“All hail the Bearded One! The first 100 days of Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister”.

“To general astonishment, among the early visitors to Downing Street is a grim-faced Rupert Murdoch. He is closeted with the new prime minister for more than an hour, at the end of which the following announcement is made.”

“First, that the Broadcasting Acts are amended, requiring Sky to compete on a level playing field with the main terrestrial TV channels. And secondly, that he relinquishes control of all his British newspapers which will, in future, be managed by a trust in which no single shareholder will have a controlling interest. Mr. Murdoch has accepted these conditions. Our discussions were amicable.”

While Corbyn is still in the realm of speculation, the historic German elections have stirred up the heart of Europe. From the wreckage around her, emerges Angela Merkel as a fourth term German Chancellor, testimony to the compelling power of decency in public life. If she were not a hardnosed politician also she would not be where she is – a titanic figure in world affairs. But a premium she places on moral and ethical values in decision making, shines through. This fourth term is her trophy on that count.

Daughter of a vicar in East Germany, her background has been something of an asset for her. It is the abiding Christian in her, in the highest sense of the term, that enabled her to rise above the din and keep compassion as an ingredient in her decision to accord hospitality to hapless Arab and North Africa migrants – totally against the prevailing political current.

She is too intuitive not to have known that she would be made to pay a price for her decision. As a consequence, the Bundestag will have for the first the ultra right wing AFD (Alternative for Germany) with 94 seats, making it the country’s third largest party much of it at Merkel’s cost. Marine Le Pen in France or Geet Wilder in the Netherlands also represent narrow, anti immigrant Xenophobia. In Germany the AFD resonates more frightfully. It stirs images of Nazism. But it would be a mistake to paint all the one million voters who moved away from the ruling Christian Democrats, with the same brush.

Let me add in parenthesis: voters moved away from CDU and its Bavarian partner, CSU, but, please note, much the largest number of the vote did not shift. They stayed with Angela Merkel. It must be put down to Merkel magic that in a House of 709, she still has 246 seats despite her immigration policy. But she is still 109 short of a majority. “One thing is clear” she announced with good natured mischief in her eyes. “They can’t form a government without us.”

By the same token, she cannot form a government without them. The Social Democrats who were with her in a grand coalition in the outgoing government, have been decimated. They have decided to sit in the opposition.

If Merkel lost 8.5% of her vote because of her calculated decency, Martin Schulz of SPD is kicking himself for having lost 5.2% of his vote for the sin of looking like CDU’s B team. The fate of the Spanish Socialist party leader Pedro Sanchez must have haunted him. After two deadlocked elections, Sanchez was persuaded to abstain from a vote, enabling the Peoples Party Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to sail through. Sanchez now looks a cipher in public life. Schulz wishes to escape that fate. There is accidental altruism in his decision too. By choosing to be in the opposition with 153 seats, he has effectively blocked AFD from taking the pulpit as leader of the opposition.

All of Merkel’s negotiating skills will be brought into play to forge what in German parlance is called a “Jamaica” coalition – black, yellow and Green representing the colours of CDU, FDP and Green. The combination happens to be the colour of the Jamaican flag.

How will Merkel reconcile her gentler, market approach to the Liberal, FDP leader, Christian Lindner’s unbridled capitalism?

Will there be difficulty striking a rapport with the Green’s Katrin Goring-Eckardt on environmental issues? Merkel did not hesitate calling off nuclear energy for Germany quite instinctively as soon as she witnessed Japan’s Fukushima disaster.

She will also work very hard to retrieve the million or so voters who drifted away from her because of her being “soft” on immigration. A hunch on Merkel is that she will not compromise on her core beliefs. One such belief concerns immigration. Refugees fleeing from the post 9/11 West Asian wars strike a very Christian chord with her.

Being practical, she will not accelerate migration; she will facilitate migrant leaders, NGOs, in establishing model migrant settlements. Unnecessary gestures unpopular with the electorate, will be discarded. She has already spoken with her usual honesty that talks with Turkey should be suspended on European entry. Where is the point in sustaining a dialogue with Turkey when nobody in Europe is willing to give up the medieval aversion to the “Turk”. Decades ago, French President Giscard d’Estaing declared with stunning candour: “European civilization is Christian civilization”. In it there was no room for a Muslim Turkey. Those were days when Turkey’s case could be supported because it still donned the secular cloak of Ataturk. Now Europe considers such support untenable: Turkey is quite transparently, Muslim Brotherhood.

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Magnitude 7 earthquake strikes Tibet after floods

A magnitude 7 earthquake struck northern Tibet on Thursday, October 22. The tremor came weeks after deadly flash floods and landslides hit the mountainous region near the Nepal-China border. Initial reports did not confirm casualties or damage from the earthquake.

Published

1 day ago

October 22, 2026

APNLive Desk

A powerful earthquake measuring magnitude 7 struck northern Tibet on Thursday, October 22, weeks after deadly flash floods and landslides devastated parts of the mountainous region near the Nepal-China border.

The earthquake struck the Nagqu region of Tibet, according to initial reports from earthquake monitoring agencies. The tremor occurred at around 10:33 pm local time in China, with the epicentre located in a county in northern Tibet.

The earthquake was reported at a depth of around 10 kilometres by China’s Earthquake Networks Center. The United States Geological Survey also reported the magnitude 7 tremor, placing its depth at approximately 18 kilometres.

There were no immediate confirmed reports of casualties or property damage following the earthquake, according to initial information available after the tremor.

Earthquake strikes northern Tibet

The earthquake occurred in the Nagqu region, approximately 400 kilometres from Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.

The tremor was recorded on Thursday evening, with monitoring agencies reporting slightly different estimates of its depth. China’s Earthquake Networks Center placed the epicentre at a depth of 10 kilometres, while the US Geological Survey reported a depth of 18 kilometres.

Further information about the earthquake’s impact was awaited at the time of the initial reports.

Tibet earthquake follows deadly flash floods

The earthquake struck weeks after devastating flash floods and landslides affected the mountainous region along the Nepal-China border in late August.

The earlier disaster followed an ice-and-rock avalanche near the border on August 26, triggering flash floods that swept through downstream areas. Homes, roads, bridges and power infrastructure were among the structures affected, while rescue and recovery operations continued in the aftermath.

The floods caused extensive destruction and left thousands of people dead or missing across the affected region, according to reports published after the disaster.

The latest earthquake is a separate event from the earlier avalanche and flooding disaster. An assessment of its effects was not immediately available.

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Macron rejects Trump’s immigration claims over France riots

French President Emmanuel Macron criticised Donald Trump and other foreign leaders over their comments on France’s recent unrest. Macron rejected claims that the country was being overrun by migrants and Islamists, calling such assertions false.

Published

2 days ago

October 22, 2026

APNLive Desk

French President Emmanuel Macron has criticised US President Donald Trump and other foreign leaders for their remarks about the recent unrest in France, accusing them of using the situation to advance their political agendas.

Speaking to reporters in Doha on Wednesday, October 21, Macron said foreign manipulation of information following the violence and looting had led to comments he described as “unacceptable” and “stupid”.

When asked whether he was referring to Trump, Macron replied, “Among others.”

The remarks came after Trump attributed the unrest in France to immigration and urged European countries to tighten their borders. Macron rejected claims that France had been overrun by migrants and Islamists, describing them as false.

Macron rejects claims linking unrest to immigration

Trump had argued that immigration was responsible for the violence in France, dismissing other explanations related to education and social concerns. He also urged Macron to close France’s borders, warning that the country faced serious consequences if it failed to act.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump claimed that immigration had damaged France and called on the country to regain control of its borders.

Macron pushed back against this narrative, saying that some foreign leaders were repeating misleading claims about the situation. He also highlighted the circulation of artificial intelligence-generated images that depicted events he said had never taken place in France.

The French president said claims that the country had been invaded by large numbers of migrants and Islamists were “completely false”.

Macron argued that some politicians were using France’s domestic situation to support their own political campaigns, particularly as elections approach in their respective countries.

French minister offers to counter misinformation

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said his office could provide clarification to countries concerned about the situation.

He said the aim was to help prevent the spread or amplification of false information and unsupported claims on social media.

Macron also criticised those speaking negatively about France during the unrest, saying that foreign leaders should not exploit the country’s difficulties for political purposes.

Protests driven by rising living costs

The unrest followed demonstrations over rising living costs, inflation and concerns about public services. The protests initially involved students demanding more teachers and better school conditions before expanding to include trade unions and others concerned about economic pressures.

Violence and looting subsequently affected Paris and other French cities.

The French interior ministry estimated that 550,000 people took part in the nationwide demonstrations, while the CGT trade union put attendance at 800,000. The demands reported in connection with the demonstrations centred on living costs and public services rather than immigration.

The French government has faced pressure to prevent further violence, with additional demonstrations planned in the coming days.

Macron said France had the means to maintain order and indicated that a state of emergency was not necessary at that stage.

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Marco Rubio says India and US share extraordinary alignment on key issues

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said India and the United States share an extraordinary alignment on core issues, even though disagreements between the two countries may arise.

Published

3 days ago

October 21, 2026

APNLive Desk

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has described the relationship between India and the United States as one marked by an “extraordinary alignment” on important national interests, while acknowledging that the two countries may disagree on certain matters.

Speaking at a ‘Freedom 250’ reception in Mumbai on Tuesday during his visit to India, Rubio said the partnership between the two countries could play a significant role in shaping the 21st century. He emphasised the importance of cooperation between the two nations on issues that affect their respective national interests.

Rubio highlights shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific

Rubio identified the need for a free and open Indo-Pacific as a key area of common ground between New Delhi and Washington. He said both countries had an interest in ensuring that no nation claimed dominance over international shipping routes.

He acknowledged that disagreements between countries were inevitable but said the alignment between India and the US on core issues remained significant, particularly given the size and influence of both nations.

Rubio also described India as a powerful, influential and advanced country, calling it a strong geopolitical partner for the United States.

India-US relationship could shape the 21st century

Rubio said the partnership between the two countries could help shape the course of the coming decades. He pointed to shared values, including individual dignity, democratic principles and the rule of law, as common ground between the two nations.

He also noted that decisions being taken today on geopolitics, economics, trade and commerce would have consequences for future generations.

The US Secretary of State said he believed the relationship between India and the United States could positively influence what the 21st century looks like.

Trade ties remain an important part of the relationship

Rubio’s remarks come amid ongoing discussions between India and the United States over trade and other bilateral issues.

Earlier on Tuesday, he said the two countries were very close to signing a bilateral trade agreement, with a small number of outstanding points still to be resolved.

Trade relations have faced challenges over tariffs, India’s purchases of Russian oil and US immigration policies. Despite these differences, Rubio’s comments underscored Washington’s emphasis on the broader strategic partnership with New Delhi.