Soccer championships seem to bring out the German identity debate. Who doesn't remember the sudden proliferation of black-, red- and gold-clad fans, cars, windowsills and even hairstyles during the 2006 World Cup? Commentators around the world saw it as the country's chance to get comfortable with its national identity.

During last month's European Under-21 soccer championship in Sweden, another display caused quite a stir. This time it was not the overwhelming show of the German colors, but the names of players on the German national team: Khedira, Özil, Castro, Dejagah, Aogo - all names that many Germans still have trouble considering their own.

What is German? It's a heated debate. The late 1990s brought calls for a German "Leitkultur;" a defining, leading culture serving as an anchor for all Germans and especially as a point of reference for immigrants coming to Germany. Debate still simmers about whether Germany should be an immigration nation or not. And the recent resolution by the Christian Democrats (CDU) to make German the official language of Germany has also sparked controversy.

But the success of Germany's multi-ethnic team - Germany won the tournament in a 4-0 shootout against England - might elevate this debate. Immigrant children are twice as likely to drop out of school, and some argue that they are responsible for more than their share of crime. Job applicants with German names are ten times more likely to be invited to an interview than applicants with Turkish names. So the triumph of a young and determined team, whose captain's name is Khedira, may work against those stereotypes. It might also allow immigrant adolescents to follow the paths of these role models, whether in sports or elsewhere.

Germany needs these discussions, and not only to come to terms with the troubling parts of its past. In a time when low birthrates impede the success and viability of the German society, an inclusive discussion about the role of foreign-born Germans and their children is more than necessary. Maybe soccer, in its own way, could contribute to Germany's future.

Nikolas Foster is a graduate student in Energy and Environmental Policy and International Economics at the Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, DC.

In 2003 California got its Governator. Last weekend, Bulgaria got a hero of its own: Batman was elected the new Prime Minister.

The 'Batman' in question is the former bodyguard Boyko Borisov, who for the past few years served as mayor of Bulgaria's capital and who received the nickname for his love of drama and action. He is known to appear promptly at the scene of any significant event, especially if it might be broadcast by any major media outlet.

It is not yet clear whether the results of the parliamentary elections, announced late on July 5th, are a cause for celebration or mourning. On the one hand, the Socialist government ruling the country for the past four years was finally sidetracked from the parliamentary landscape. On the other hand, Borisov, who emerged as the new Prime Minister with an uncontested majority, has great public appeal and popularity, but has done little to demonstrate his credentials for political leadership.

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The apparent outcome of the recent national elections in Albania in favor of the incumbent Prime Minister Sali Berisha and his Democratic Party will prove to have mixed results for that country's citizens. Politics in Albania is a very personal issue for most Albanians:political affiliations are strong, and elections can have a major impact on their day-to-day lives.

On the positive side, the continuation of Prime Minister Sali Bersisha's mandate will provide a great deal of much-needed internal stability to regional and local state institutions. The power structures in Albania are designed so that at least the director of virtually every public institution in the country is politically appointed, all the way down to the directors of schools and hospitals. Any changes in the ruling party at any level cause a great deal of disruption to these institutions as new, politically-appropriate, people are chosen to fill these positions. Unfortunately, many times these positions are left vacant for months until the decision is made, and the position is usually given as a form of patronage to a loyal supporter instead of to someone who knows how to run a school or a hospital. It takes time for these new appointees to learn how the institutions function and what their roles should be in them. And often, once the new director is chosen, he or she then replaces everyone working in that institution with friends and relatives, whether those people are viable candidates for the jobs they receive or not. Thus the victory of the Democratic Party in the national elections should help keep to a minimum the disruption to important services as a result of the political process.

On the other hand, Albania's most serious internal problem is perhaps that of corruption. There is virtually no interaction that takes place between citizen and state that does not involve some form of corruption. Students from elementary schools to universities often must pay teachers for grades, doctors in state hospital emergency rooms must be bribed before they will provide treatment, and drivers often must pay their way through roadside police checks. Stability in the administration of state institutions comes with the price that the state employees who perhaps took some time to find the best way to use their positions for personal gain will be able to continue those practices for the foreseeable future.

Albania is a country that is still learning what it means to be democratic and open. While the impact of the elections of late June on the lives of ordinary Albanians will be mixed, the elections are another small step toward political maturity and the dream of eventually joining Europe.

Brandon Dorman served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Gramsh, Albania from March 2006 to August 2008 and is currently studying as a masters candidate with Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies in Bologna, Italy.

It was a cold winter, especially in several European countries. When Russia stopped pumping natural gas through Ukraine in January because of price disputes, several EU members found that their reliance on Eastern European partners made them surprisingly vulnerable. The lack of natural gas in the middle of the winter summoned the political will to find a solution and reduce the EU's dependence on Russian gas.

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Despite the murder of human rights activist Natalia Estimirova in Chechnya, the subsequent visit of Russian Federation President Dmitry Medvedev to Munich for the annual Petersburg Dialogue meeting between Russia and Germany appears to have gone off swimmingly. Medvedev spoke sharply against the killing and the meeting focused on energy and economic ties, including the purchase of automaker Opel by a consortium including Russia's largest bank.

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Allied efforts in Afghanistan are in danger of failing. Attacks against coalition forces are increasing; the economy remains largely undeveloped, with the dubious exception of poppy production; indigenous Afghan police and military forces still require the strong support of allied forces; and government corruption is rampant. Afghanistan is by nature a difficult country to stabilize, but the reality is that the coalition waging the war is in a fractured state.

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It's been a tough four years for Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD), so much so that comparisons with the U.S. Republican party's woes aren't too far off base. Chancellor Schroeder made an unpopular move to Gazprom just weeks after leaving office; party vice president Kurt Beck stepped down over supporting coalitions with the Left party (Die Linke). Now comes "Limogate": health minister Ulla Schmidt allegedly took her chauffeured limousine on vacation to Spain, where it was stolen. Now the SPD must explain why Schmidt needed the 100,000-Euro vehicle on her vacation, when it should be campaigning for the upcoming September 27th general elections. This won't be easy, since the trip only included two official events: speaking with German retirees and meeting the mayor of the village in which she stayed.

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