Category Archives: politics

Merkel meets Austrian PM to discuss refugee crisis

heir joint message was clearly that a humanitarian crisis at the doors of Europe can’t be ignored and will not go away on its own. They chided their neighboring European countries (all except for Sweden! They are behaving well) for not doing enough. Merkel insisted that Germany’s decision to control the borders again was not so that people can’t enter, but rather so that they are registered as asylum seekers right away.

Merkel and Austrian Prime Minister Werner Faymann stroll to their press conference.

Angela Merkel, more animated than usual.

Austrian Prime Minister Werner Faymann in Berlin.

Angela Merkel.

Merkel and Faymann, chatting like old friends. He actually used the informal, Du, and called her Angela!

Merkel, Hollande and Poroshenko hanging in Berlin

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Today Angela Merkel met with the presidents of France and the Ukraine, Francois Hollande and Petro Poroshenko, in Berlin. The theme of the day was obviously the ongoing conflict Ukriane’s east. It was a strong day for all three of the leaders: Hollande bestowed the Legion of Honor on the men who prevented a massacre on a high speed train and Merkel finally spoke out against the Nazis who are burning homes built for asylum seekers. For Poroshenko the day has historical significance: Today is the day on which Ukrainian independence (from the Soviet Union) is celebrated.

An odd welcome: A man waves the separatist flag of Novorossiya in Berlin as the motorcade carrying Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko passes by en route to Merkel’s offices.

Merkel, Hollande and Poroshenko stroll towards the press conference inside the German Federal Chancellory.

The Big Picture: Francois Hollande, Angela Merkel, Petro Poroshenko. And some colleagues’ lenses.

French President Francois Hollande thinking hard.

Chancellor Angela Merkel receives the President of the Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and President of France Francois Hollande at the German Federal Chancellery in Berlin on August 24, 2015.

It’s getting hot in here… Poroshenko is one sweaty man.

Photos: Artist Ai Weiwei in Berlin

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Ai Weiwei met the Governor of Berlin and the press today. The artist arrived several days ago, traveling via Munich from China. Weiwei recently got his passport back from Chinese authorities, allowing him to leave China for the first time in years. His visit in Berlin is not explicitly political: his son lives here, he has a large studio space here, and has been offered a professorship at the art university here. But today, he met the Governor at City Hall and briefly said hi to the press.

Artist Ai Weiwei in Berlin on August 13th, 2015.

Ai Weiwei took a picture of us press on his iphone and checked it (or posted it?) just after meeting the governor.

The image Ai Weiwei posted on Instagram. I’m the bald guy poking out over the crowd. Original here. Photo Credit: Ai Weiwei.

Artist Ai Weiwei in Berlin on August 13th, 2015.

The Governor of Berlin Michael Mueller gave Weiwei a football jersey from the local team (ok, the better of the two).

Artist Ai Weiwei in Berlin on August 13th, 2015.

Photos: UK Prime Minister David Cameron visits Angela Merkel in Berlin

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Prime Minister of the UK David Cameron had a working lunch with Angela Merkel in Berlin ahead of the upcoming G7 conference in Germany. The press conference focused of course on the EU – Cameron’s plans and the upcoming referendum. Journalists seemed mostly to care about FIFA and the World Cup, for a change. More of him in a few weeks when he’s back with The Queen.

Angela Merkel tells David Cameron whats up.

Angela Merkel and David Cameron, from the 2nd row. That’s the view you get when you are late.

Surpise! Angela Merkel.

David Cameron having a slight earpiece malfunction.

Angela Merkel and David Cameron chatting amongst the Union Jack, the German flag and yes, the EU’s stars.

Prime Minister of India Modi visits Angela Merkel in Berlin

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The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi is spending a few days in Germany, first opening the Hannover Fair with Angela Merkel on Sunday and now officially in Berlin. Some photos of his reception below.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and Indian Prime Minisiter Narendra Modi giving a joint press conference.

Merkel in the reflections of the Chancellery.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and Indian Prime Minisiter Narendra Modi together in Berlin.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the press conference.

Modi, Merkel, and that photographer with a bird on his flash, or something.

Photos: French and German Administration Consultation

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Francois Hollande and his lame duck administration came to Berlin to meet Angela Merkel and her government for a complete French-German administration consultation. Photos below.

Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande.

Angela Merkel waits for Francois Hollande at the Federal Chancellery in Berlin.

Francois Hollande stroll through the courtyard at the German Federal Chancellery.

First Row (left to right): Michel Sapin, Wolfgang Schäuble, Emmanuel Macron, Sigmar Gabriel, Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande (backs to camera), Bernard Cazeneuve, Thomas de Maiziere, Fleur Pellerin, Olaf Scholz

the gang’s all here: the complete French and German administrations pos fore a family photo. Merkel and Hollande got something a bit backwards.

The happy duo of Merkel and Hollande stroll to their press conference together.

Flags, Podiums, Politicians: Francois Hollande and Angela Merkel address the press together.

Francois Hollande at the press conference.

When press conferences go on too long, we get restless. The AFP photographer next to me was aiming for reflections in the glass, I went for his lens crossing Hollande towards Merkel.

Photos: Greek Prime Minister Tsipras visits Merkel in Berlin

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Alexis Tsipras, the freshly minted Prime Minister of Greece, came to visit Angela Merkel in Berlin yesterday evening. The meeting ranged from palpably tense to awkwardly humorous, but no real drama to speak of. Photos below.

Angela Merkel and Alexis Tsipras start their press conference.

Alexis Tsipras, deep in thought.

Angela Merkel and Alexis Tsipras at their press conference.

Merkel is thinking, “hey, he’s stealing my hand thing!”

Alexis Tsipras.

The press conference ended without incident.

Angela Merkel strolls through the yard at the chancellery.

Angela Merkel Recieves Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic

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Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic was received with military honors by German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the German Federal Chancellery in Berlin on June 11th, 2014. Afterwards the two gave a joint press conference.

Angela Merkel and Aleksandar Vucic have chat at the reception.

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic during the press conference.

Angela Merkel during the press conference.

“Man, that guy is tall”.

Here’s the red carpet a few minutes before Vucic’s arrival. The guard is already there, but some work still had to be done.

Angela Merkel and Aleksandar Vucic shake hands after adressing the press in Berlin.

Irakli Garibashvili, the Prime Minister of Georgia, visits Berlin

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The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili, came to Berlin for a whirlwind 24 hour visit on 2 June 2014. German Chancellor Angela Merkel received him with military honors at the Federal Chancellory. They went off to talk, and then gave a press conference. A few hours later, Garibashvili met the German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Bode Museum on Museum Island. The evening was about giving back stolen cultural goods. To my great surprise, Georgia was giving back two books, part of a large collection recently found in the university library in Tiblisi. Silly me, I thought Germany might have some things it wanted to return.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili was received by German Chancellor Angela Merkel with military honors.

…and the close up.

Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Chancellor Angela Merkel at the afternoon press conference.

Merkel listens carefully and looks sceptical as Garibashvili speaks.

The flags of Germany, Georgia and the European Union fly at the Federal Chancellory. The German Bundestag and its flags are in the background.

Irakli Garibashvili gives back recently surfaced books of German origin to the German Foregin Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and German Foregin Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier sitting next to each other before the event began.

Merkel, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova…

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel received the Prime Ministers of the the Ukraine (Arseniy Yatsenyuk), Georgia (Irakli Garibashvili), and Moldova (Iurie Leanca) this evening in Berlin. Though the excuse was an award, the press conference was about the EU’s policies looking eastwards and the role Germany plays there, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the EU’s major eastward expansion in 2004. The meeting comes on the heels of the Ukrainian presidential election, amidst increased fighting in the country’s east. The evolving situation in the Ukraine was clearly on everybody’s minds.