Politics · Germany · 12 hrs ago
Timothy Garton Ash warns Europe faces threats from within and abroad
British historian Timothy Garton Ash says he is more worried about Europe than ever.
He sees threats coming from both outside and inside the continent.
He says Europe could be caught between the United States, China and Russia in their geopolitical rivalry.
He also points to the rise of populist movements on the right and left across Europe.
In his view, the liberal political centre is weakening, putting democratic politics under pressure.
He urges political leaders to show more emotional intelligence and says replacing German Chancellor Friedrich Merz with Hendrik Wüst would not solve Germany’s problem.
He warns that Europeans should not take what their continent has achieved for granted.
Historian Timothy Garton Ash says Europe faces existential threats from abroad and within.
He warns that Europe could be caught in the geopolitical struggle among the United States, China and Russia.
He also points to the rise of right-wing and left-wing populists and the weakening of Europe’s liberal political centre.
Garton Ash urges politicians to show more emotional intelligence.
He says replacing German Chancellor Friedrich Merz with Hendrik Wüst would not solve Germany’s problem.
- Who
- Timothy Garton Ash, a British historian.
- What
- He warned that Europe faces existential threats from abroad and within.
- When
- The interview was published on 11 October 2026.
- Where
- The interview was published by Handelsblatt; the threats he described affect Europe.
- Why
- He cited geopolitical rivalry and the rise of populists, alongside a weakening liberal political centre.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
I have never been so worried as I am today. Europe has never been so strongly existentially threatened – from outside and from within.
I have spent my life studying Europe, travelling through Europe, enjoying its enormous diversity (…)
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Interviewee
- Timothy Garton Ash
- Published
- 11 October 2026
- External powers named
- United States, China and Russia
- Populist movements cited
- Right-wing and left-wing
- German politicians named
- Friedrich Merz and Hendrik Wüst
Sources
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