🎧 Germany, Italy, Coalitions and Vaccines

Episode summary: We look at two countries where things may be changing: Germany, as it starts to imagine life beyond Merkel, and Italy, after the resignation of the prime minister. Would Armin Laschet as Chancellor mean business as usual? Can Conte cobble together a new government? Where are the biggest challenges to the established order coming from? Plus we talk about the new politics of vaccine nationalism. With Helen Thompson, Hans Kundnani and Lucia Rubinelli. Talking Points: In some ways Germany is in a state of continuity, rather than flux. - Armin Laschet is a continuity candidate. Though it’s not clear that he will be the candidate for chancellor in the September election. - Were Laschet to become chancellor, you would probably have a Black-Green coalition. - Has the pandemic made coalition formation less difficult? If so, it would be because the Christian Democrats are in a stronger position than they were. The German Greens may be different from other Green parties. - When the Greens emerged in the late 70s/early…