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Regulation against overtourism: Merz’s controversial leadership style in focus
Find out from Jürgen Schmude how overtourism in cities should be regulated and what political developments are currently taking place.
Regulation against overtourism: Merz’s controversial leadership style in focus
In today's episode of the WDR 5 podcast "Politicalum", the team led by Philipp Anft deals with the pressing issues of overtourism and the latest political developments in Germany. Emeritus tourism professor Jürgen Schmude talks about the challenges that cities like Barcelona, Dubrovnik and Venice have to overcome due to excessive tourism. Schmude emphasizes that regulation is necessary to combat overtourism as the desire to travel continues. This makes it clear that not only travelers, but also cities themselves need to look for solutions to mitigate the negative impact of the tourism sector.
A central theme of the episode is the upcoming meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Alaska. Anft expresses his interest in the idea of territorial changes in Europe, which reinvigorates the discussion about geopolitical changes. Thoughts on international relations contrast with domestic challenges.
Political controversies in Germany
Another exciting line of discussion arises from the controversy surrounding Chancellor Friedrich Merz's announcement that he would partially restrict arms deliveries to Israel. This decision has led to significant reactions. The kitchen table commentator Peter Zudeick is surprised at the feedback and criticizes Merz's leadership style. The listeners of the podcast, including listener Kai Busch, have different opinions on this. Busch argues that Merz did a favor for both Germany and the CDU with the arms export ban. Such different perspectives illustrate the division in public opinion about Merz and his politics.
Additionally, the moderators invite listeners to share their views via voice message or email. This promotes dialogue and shows the importance of community interaction in political discourse.
A highlight of the issue is also the mention of a “shooting star” that people can look forward to 365 days a year, symbolizing hope and positive expectations in an often challenging political landscape.
For more information about today's topics and the underlying discussions, those interested can listen to the complete podcast on the WDR 5 website, which is available until August 12, 2026. Further details on the aspects addressed can also be found in the PDF document, which also offers exciting insights and takes up the discussion. You can find the information here: WDR 5 podcast “Politics” and the supplementary material below Pageplace.