On the off chancellor: Friedrich Merz, one year in

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<p>Germany’s chancellor came to office making big promises. A year later they are unfulfilled, his government is squabbling and he <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/05/03/friedrich-merzs-ill-timed-tussle-with-donald-trump?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">has drawn</a> President Donald Trump’s ire. The advertising industry is, inevitably, starting to <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2026/04/19/why-your-ai-assistant-is-suddenly-selling-to-you?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">peddle its wares</a> quietly in AI chatbots. And a historical look at the oratory around war and how it has taken a sharp turn <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/04/23/the-rhetoric-of-war-has-changed-not-for-the-better?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">for the worse</a>.</p><br><p>Guests and host:</p><ul><li>Tom Nuttall, chief Germany correspondent</li><li>Tom Wainwright, media editor</li><li>Catherine Nixey, culture correspondent</li><li>Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”</li><li>Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Topics covered: </p><ul><li>Germany, Friedrich Merz, Donald Trump</li><li>AI, chatbots, advertising</li><li>rhetoric of war </li></ul><p><br></p><p><em>Get a world of insights by </em><a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>subscribing to Economist Podcasts+</em></a><em>. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our </em><a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>FAQs page</em></a><em> or watch </em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>our video</em></a><em> explaining how to link your account.</em></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>