
The SPIEGEL editorial by René Pfister, Paris
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The presidential election campaign in France is approaching and is being shaped by extreme political forces.
opinion •Election campaign in France Will Germany become the archenemy again?
The SPIEGEL editorial by René Pfister, Paris
The beginning of the presidential election campaign in France is dominated by two extreme candidates: Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon. They are united by their dislike of their neighbors across the Rhine.
In Germany, citizens are currently experiencing heat waves with an estimated 16,000 deaths, forest fires, dry riverbeds as well as a failed Russian drone attack on Leipzig Airport and a successful hacker attack on the Berlin Senate administration. The BND speaks of a “shadow war” with Russia, while the USA has mutated from an ally into a hostile actor. Experts warn that this situation is now the norm.

The Singapore government has launched state-owned dating app FirstDate to address the declining birth rate. The app is in a pilot phase and is currently only available to government employees aged 21 to 35. Users must fill out a detailed questionnaire about their lifestyle and living situation.
In an interview with ZEIT, Ernest Herzog criticizes the isolated view of anti-Semitism. He warns against portraying Jews as the sole victims, since Islamist terror is directed against the entire Western society.

Israel mourns the first anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023. Society is struggling to come to terms with the atrocities and the failure of the security apparatus, which is shaping the political debate surrounding Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Federal Prosecutor's Office accuses former BND President August Hanning of using internal documents for private business. The case raises questions about the security of the secret service.

Three years after the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, in which 1,195 people were killed, Israel continues to mourn its victims. Society has not dealt with the trauma and is looking for blame for the failure of the security apparatus, which is affecting the upcoming parliamentary elections.