

Megan's Megacan
Megan's Megacan
It's a German news podcast in English, because the German news is hard enough without it being all in German. Also involves canned cocktails. Not massive cans.
Our Megacans will always be free, but if you feel like buying us a round, not only will we be ever-grateful - our supporters get a free cocktail in a can when we do a live show! Find us on Patreon too. https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/megans-megacan/subscribe
Our Megacans will always be free, but if you feel like buying us a round, not only will we be ever-grateful - our supporters get a free cocktail in a can when we do a live show! Find us on Patreon too. https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/megans-megacan/subscribe
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 9, 2025 • 38min
Not Such Good News After All
The hosts confront the harsh reality of Germany's arms exports, retracting their previous optimistic view. There's a glimmer of hope with the preservation of dual citizenship despite recent rule changes. However, welfare reforms are tightening, risking benefits with stricter sanctions. The podcast also explores the push for extended work past retirement and the challenges facing Germany's auto industry amidst ongoing EV subsidies. Lastly, Berlin's crackdown on the beloved 'free stuff' boxes raises a new controversy.

Sep 26, 2025 • 45min
Big News Variety Pack
A bewildering grab bag of news this week as Megan and Konrad whip through two weeks of German politics while staying heroically sober thanks to some cracking 0.0 Radler. Annalena Baerbock changes her tune at the UN, the AfD's Maximilian Krah makes the case for diversity in the workplace at the trial of his old friend and business partner the Chinese spy, Germany finally fills up its supreme court, and there's bad news for the teenage luch. O'Zapft is'!Big Gaza solidarity demo in Berlin, Sept 27, here: https://www.zusammen-fuer-gaza.de/Megan's Megacan theme song by Eden Ottignon from Planet OTTBuy us a round, ask us a question! https://www.patreon.com/megansmegacanOr follow us on whichever psychotic billionaire's data-fracking machine you prefer:https://www.instagram.com/megansmegacan/https://twitter.com/megansmegacanhttps://www.facebook.com/MegansMegacanhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-o_U5nqe4_-yKfOm1CXOPA

9 snips
Sep 12, 2025 • 49min
Fascism = Colonialism For White People
Wael Eskandar, a freelance journalist from Egypt now in Berlin, shares his transformation from seeking police permissions to witnessing protests firsthand. He discusses the alarming rise of state violence and police brutality, comparing policing in Germany and Egypt. The conversation delves into the impact of media representation on marginalized communities, and the troubling echoes of Germany's authoritarian past. Eskandar emphasizes the need for historical awareness in confronting contemporary injustices and critiques the media's role in shaping perceptions.

Aug 29, 2025 • 46min
Merz's Compromise And Sausage Politics
The Megacanners are back, and they're not the only ones. After a busy summer of trying to sound important in America, Friedrich Merz is back in Berlin to ring in his so-called autumn of reforms, by which he means cutting the welfare state and making poor people join the army. Meanwhile, Robert Habeck, not wishing to rattle his chains as a ghost in parliament anymore, takes a swipe at nemesis Markus Söder and his affinity for sausages before disappearing to California. See ya mate! Megan's Megacan theme song by Eden Ottignon from Planet OTTBuy us a round, ask us a question! https://www.patreon.com/megansmegacanOr follow us on whichever psychotic billionaire's data-fracking machine you prefer:https://www.instagram.com/megansmegacan/https://twitter.com/megansmegacanhttps://www.facebook.com/MegansMegacanhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-o_U5nqe4_-yKfOm1CXOPA

Aug 15, 2025 • 39min
Ding Dong, What A Night (Summer Repeat)
First released on February 26, 2025!It's the end of an era: Scholz, Habeck, and friend of the pod Christian Lindner have all had their last Absacker and stumbled out into the night — you can still hear them arguing in the distance in a cloud of mutual acrimony. Hey, we just let the market regulate itself, Christian! But spare a thought for Megan, who has to learn a whole new set of German politicians' names. At least Merz will be easy to remember (it rhymes with Schmerz). And there was good news too: Arch-splitter Sahra Wagenknecht took her heeby-jeeby energy into the wilderness — and Die Linke finally figured out how to set up a TikTok account and do a proper election campaign. Hooray! Megan's Megacan theme song by Eden Ottignon from Planet OTTBuy us a round, ask us a question! https://www.patreon.com/megansmegacanOr follow us on whichever psychotic billionaire's data-fracking machine you prefer:https://twitter.com/megansmegacanhttps://www.facebook.com/MegansMegacanhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-o_U5nqe4_-yKfOm1CXOPA

Jul 29, 2025 • 51min
How Old Are Germans And What Do Americans Call A Skip?
It's quiz week at Megacan Manor, as Megan welcomes her summer holidays by guessing some mildly interesting facts about Germany's demographic troubles and the latest pension age gossip. Plus, there's bad news as the German police decides that it would be a great idea to let Mr-Ayn-Rand-wet-dream-fascist-billionaire take over its databases, but also – just for the vibes - some general good news about German democracy, and Megan's special summer tips! Hooray!Berliners! Write to your Bürgermeister here to stop library cuts! Jetzt Mail schreibenMegan's Megacan theme song by Eden Ottignon from Planet OTTBuy us a round, ask us a question! https://www.patreon.com/megansmegacanOr follow us on whichever psychotic billionaire's data-fracking machine you like best:https://twitter.com/megansmegacanhttps://www.facebook.com/MegansMegacanhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-o_U5nqe4_-yKfOm1CXOPA

Jul 20, 2025 • 54min
CDU? Cowardly Democratic Union More Like
See, Jens? This is what happens when you don't do your job properly. This week, Germany's Constitutional Court is taken hostage by a right-wing social media campaign, as someone with normal opinions gets torn apart for no reason at all. And Jens Spahn might wanna stay out of Merz's way for a while. Then the summer holiday wars break out, as Markus Söder fights for every Bavarian teenager's sacred right to pick potatoes, while Berlin finally stops using a racist slur for one of its street names. Chin chin!Megan's Megacan theme song by Eden Ottignon from Planet OTTBuy us a round, ask us a question! https://www.patreon.com/megansmegacanOr follow us on whichever psychotic billionaire's data-fracking machine you like best:https://twitter.com/megansmegacanhttps://www.facebook.com/MegansMegacanhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-o_U5nqe4_-yKfOm1CXOPA

Jul 5, 2025 • 40min
Shoplifters, Unite And Take Over
Exploring Germany's minimum wage saga, the hosts reveal public disillusionment with the SPD party. They tackle alarming shoplifting trends, discussing its implications as a 'poverty crime.' Light-hearted anecdotes, like a brave wood pigeon and delightful wine-lemonade mixes, add humor to the political analysis. The conversation dives into the absurdities of criminalizing poverty-driven acts, alongside personal swimming experiences in Germany's pristine natural waters. Get ready for a mix of laughter and thought-provoking insights!

Jun 27, 2025 • 38min
How Minimal Can A Minimum Wage Be?
More Germans can't live on their wages, but the new minimum wage commission has decided to raise it, erm, minimally — ensuring another neoliberal wet dream this weekend for BlackRock Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Meanwhile, Olaf Scholz gets a shiny new office (but what for?), the Bundestag president is unnecessarily mean to the LGBTQ community, and we can confirm that former Health Minister Jens Spahn is indeed a wanker. All in a day's work for the Megacanners. Cheers!Megan's Megacan theme song by Eden Ottignon from Planet OTTBuy us a round, ask us a question! https://www.patreon.com/megansmegacanOr follow us on whichever psychotic billionaire's data-fracking machine you like best:https://twitter.com/megansmegacanhttps://www.facebook.com/MegansMegacanhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-o_U5nqe4_-yKfOm1CXOPA

Jun 18, 2025 • 34min
Craven Complicity
While one part of the German government tries to decide whether it's against international law to be sending weapons to a country that has started a war while committing genocide, another department is trying to figure out why one in four immigrants wants to leave the country. Meanwhile, we've apparently decided that enough Nazis are dead now so it's ok to have a military veterans' day. Plus, a tiny morsel of good news about urban speed limits. Cheers!Megan's Megacan theme song by Eden Ottignon from Planet OTTBuy us a round, ask us a question! https://www.patreon.com/megansmegacanOr follow us on whichever psychotic billionaire's data-fracking machine you like best:https://twitter.com/megansmegacanhttps://www.facebook.com/MegansMegacanhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-o_U5nqe4_-yKfOm1CXOPA