Friedrich Merz always wanted to be chancellor but he’s too tactless to turn Germany around
One year into the chancellorship of Friedrich Merz and the German military is once again on the rise. Yet impolitic leadership, including a spat with Trump, means that Germany’s fortunes are unlikely to change.
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DESIGN AWARDS
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Colin Nagy
Contributing Writer
Stella Roos
Design correspondent
Tom Vanderbilt
Contributing writer
Charlotte McDonald-Gibson
Journalist
Andrew Mueller
Host of The Foreign Desk on Monocle Radio
Nic Monisse
Design editor
Alexis Self
Foreign editor
Sophie Monaghan-Coombs
Culture editor
Natalie Theodosi
Fashion director
Inzamam Rashid
Gulf correspondent
Florian Siebeck
Frankfurt correspondent
Tyler Brûlé
Editorial director and chairman
Gregory Scruggs
Seattle correspondent
Robert Bound
Contributing editor
Mary Fitzgerald
North Africa correspondent
Fiona Wilson
Senior Asia Editor
Alexei Korolyov
Vienna correspondent
CITY GUIDES
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URBANISM
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Why São Paulo should rethink its plan to give up its reputation as an ad-free metropolis
Two decades after the Lei Cidade Limpa, São Paulo faces a return of gaudy large-scale building ads.
RETAIL
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Inside The Peninsula Hong Kong’s stunning shopping arcade, the birthplace of the city’s luxury-retail scene
The Peninsula hotel in Hong Kong is home to one of the city’s premier shopping destination, shaped by history and a considered curation of speciality shops and fashion houses.
TRAVEL
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Design-led dining spots to visit this May – from a fire station-turned-ale house in Auckland to Marseille’s latest retro-futurist opening
As warmer weather welcomes us back outdoors, here are our picks of where to dine this month.
LONGER READS
FROM THE MONOCLE SHOP
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FROM OUR PARTNERS
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Setting a new standard
Godrej Ventures
Design Stories
Flexform
Five homes, effortlessly yours
August Collections
Thailand: A creative legacy
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand
Haven of History
Tai O Heritage Hotel
Hong Kong’s new global landmark takes centre stage
The Henderson
Your perfect tasting menu in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Tourism Board
Hong Kong’s new story begins
Central Yards
A new era
Landmark
A sense of place
Sino Group
World Governments Summit 2026: Shaping our global future
World Governments Summit
Widen your world with Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines
Sharjah Collection: Modern hospitality redefined
Sharjah Collection
Island of Light
Paradores
Welcome to Jing’an, the heart of Shanghai
Jing An Kerry Centre
EVENTS
Monocle in Athens, from 23 April
From 23 April, a curated selection of Monocle products will be available at The Store at The Ilisian, a new retail space within the Conrad Athens, which is one of the hottest openings this…
Monocle in Shanghai, 25 April – 30 June
Our first pop-up shop and café in Shanghai at the Jing An Kerry Centre. Enjoy good coffee and classic bites from the Monocle Café in a space designed for reading and browsing.
Monocle at Thuma New York, 01 May – 31 May
This May, Monocle will take up residence at Thuma’s New York flagship shop and café in Soho. Set within the brand’s calm, design-led space, the Monocle edit will present a curated selection of merchandise…
