Today we will deal with the death of IS chief Baghdadi and its consequences for Donald Trump's election campaign, with the possible minority government of Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow in Thuringia and with the comeback of the former Argentine president Cristina Kirchner.
Not because of Trump, but despite Trump?
Jim Bourg / REUTERS
More in the SPIEGEL
Issue 44/2019
From 100 to zero
Ideless, lethargic, anxious: Is the German automotive industry as a prosperity engine still to save?Digital Edition | Printed issues | Apps | SUBSCRIPTION
The killing of terrorist chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the head of the Islamic State, is a great success for Donald Trump ahead of the 2020 presidential campaign. "He died like a dog, he died like a coward," said Trump on Sunday. US special forces of the Navy Seals had tracked Baghdadi and his family on Saturday in northwestern Syria, the IS chief blew himself up according to US data with three of his children themselves.
Trump has repeatedly tried in his presidency to outdo his predecessor Barack Obama , or undo his achievements. Now he has something like his own "bin Laden moment" . The killing of the Qaida chief in 2011 under Obama's command was indeed significantly more important for the nation, because it also had something of revenge for the attacks of September 11, 2001. Bin Laden was also much more famous than Baghdadi was ever - it controlled the IS -Chef temporarily a kind of state the size of Britain.
He was a brutal gangster responsible for terrorist attacks around the world, personally engaging in atrocities and raping captured women, including US human rights activist Kayla Mueller. The death of the murderer Baghdadi comes as a shout for Trump - after all, he is currently criticized worldwide because he has withdrawn the US troops pretty headless from Syria.
The trumpeting press conference Trumps of Sunday, however, covers the fact that the action against the terrorist leader apparently not because of, but succeeded despite the recent decisions of the President. In the New York Times, high-ranking military officials say that the operation had to be carried out at high-risk and, to some extent, last-minute overnight conditions - because the hasty withdrawal of troops would soon have made it impossible for the US special forces to carry out such operations in Syria.
Paradoxically, it is the secret services that Trump sees more than his enemies that have given him that victory. In addition, the death of Baghdadis weakens the IS, but it is therefore far from over. I recommend Baghdadis to the article of our IS expert Christoph Reuter, who has been dealing with the man and the organization for many years:
- Death of IS leader Baghdadi: End of a Terror King without land
Thuringia chooses ungovernability
Jan Woitas / DPA
At the state election in Thuringia on Sunday there were two winners: first, Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow. It is above all a personal success of the father of the country that the Left Party won again - with a rather moderate course.
Second, the AfD. She more than doubled her score. It did not deter the voters that the AfD-leading candidate Björn Höcke belongs to the right wing "wing" of the party, which, according to the intelligence chief, "more and more extremist".
The losers are the traditional people's parties SPD and especially the CDU . The Greens and the FDP made it just short of the state parliament. The complicated result has the following result: The country is almost ungovernable, assuming classical coalition models. The solution could bring a kind of minority government under election winner Ramelow: He remains due to a peculiarity of the Thuringian constitution simply in office, looking for his government but partner from case to case.
Chancellor Angela Merkel has rejected a minority model after the last Bundestag election, but in Erfurt there is probably no other choice - with a popular country father like Ramelow, there are at least certain chances of success. It is true that the FDP does not engage in a coalition with the CDU, the Greens and the SPD and that the CDU does not coalition with the Left Party - because such pure anti-AfD coalitions, which ideologically little connects, the right-wing party would be well only get stronger. Please also read the analysis of my colleague Kevin Hagen:
- Thuringia's Prime Minister Ramelow: Nothing works without him
China's leadership, the Hong Kong crisis and the trade war
Jason Lee / REUTERS
China's head of state Xi Jinping is facing crises on many fronts: violent clashes between police and demonstrators have hit Hong Kong again on Sunday, and the US trade war has plunged to its lowest level in three decades.
As of today, Xi must defend his course to the leadership of the Communist Party , which will meet for four days. Xi is regarded as the most powerful party leader and head of state since Mao, his doctrine was even anchored in the constitution two years ago. But the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong threatens the party's claim to power; and economic problems are putting pressure on the leadership to initiate reforms.
Whether and how Xi is criticized internally - and how the discussions in the leadership circle run - we will probably never know - the gathering takes place behind closed doors. China's leaders are not accountable to anyone except themselves.
- China's weaker economic growth: The Magic Six
The story of the day
Natacha Pisarenko / AP
She is not allowed to travel freely on suspicion of corruption, her mental health has been questioned, and now she is back: Cristina Kirchner , the eccentric left-wing populist who has ruled Argentina for many years as state president. In the Sunday elections , she was elected vice president under new president Alberto Fernández. His left-wing government ends the hapless term of the liberal liberal Mauricio Macri.
What does Kirchner intend to do in her new position? My colleague Marian Blasberg portrayed her a few weeks ago in the election campaign and talked to many people who know her:
- Argentina's ex-president: populist Kirchner wants to return to power
Loser of the day ...
Marijan Murat / DPA
... is the SPD. Actually, the membership decision on the new presidents should revive the party, somewhat like an American area code. Instead, the process has something depressing: Only a good half of all members have ever participated in the election of the new party leaders, that is the opposite of mobilization and departure.
And then it was announced on Saturday that in the ballot now two candidate duets face, which are not synonymous just for a new euphoria in the party: There are on the one side Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the Brandenburg politician Klara Geywitz, for many party members embody the "keep it up" On the other side are the hitherto little-known politicians Norbert Walter-Borjans and Saskia Esken, an ex-Finance Minister from NRW and a member of the Bundestag. The two were chosen mainly by those who want to prevent Scholz and want to leave the grand coalition.
The SPD has to wait for their rescuers.
The compact news overview in the morning: current and opinionated. Every morning (weekdays) at 6 o'clock. Order directly here:
The latest news from the night
- Historic electoral success for the Left : In Thuringia, all electoral districts are counted, and according to the preliminary final result reached Bodo Ramelow with his left 31 percent. The AfD has more than doubled its share of votes
- Change of power in Argentina : The opposition candidate Alberto Fernández has won the presidential election. Thus, the controversial ex-president Cristina Kirchner returns to the government
- Lewis Hamilton wins the Formula One race in Mexico : And although Valtteri Bottas prevented the premature sixth world title of his teammate, the Brit was happy
The SPIEGEL + recommendations for today
- Republican ex-strategist on Trump: "Then the globe could be in a terrible state"
- Power struggle in the state-owned company: Railway chief Lutz meets his opponents
- Internet star: The amazing career of "Bauer Willi"
- Left-politician Katrin Lompscher: Who is the woman who invented the rental cover?
- Expert for autonomous driving: "The flying car will be the next step"
I wish you a good start into the week.
cordially
Your Mathieu von Rohr
