John Rosenthal is a journalist and political commentator specializing in European affairs. You can subscribe to his Substack here.
An Obituary for Stefan Niehoff—and Free Speech in Germany?

An Obituary for Stefan Niehoff—and Free Speech in Germany?

The German justice system used a law designed to prosecute Nazis in order to prosecute and convict someone who was plainly and obviously anti-Nazism.

February 23, 2026
Who Funds the Defunders? A Closer Look at the Global Disinformation Index

Who Funds the Defunders? A Closer Look at the Global Disinformation Index

The GDI calls itself “independent”—but if it depends on funding from governments and public institutions like the European Commission, what kind of independence is that?

February 6, 2026
Germany’s HateAid: Portrait of a ‘Trusted Flagger’

Germany’s HateAid: Portrait of a ‘Trusted Flagger’

The arbiters of acceptable online speech are not nearly as ‘independent’ as the EU would have people believe.

January 13, 2026
Political Justice in Germany: On the Prosecution of Stefan Niehoff

Political Justice in Germany: On the Prosecution of Stefan Niehoff

The Nazi propaganda chief is famously supposed to have said “we decide who is Jewish!” When it comes to AfD supporters or sympathizers, the not dissimilar attitude of current German authorities would appear to be: “We decide who’s a Nazi.”

July 3, 2025