Viewed from the media coverage of the Group of Eight Summit in Heiligendamm, Germany, the gathering was dominated by three main issues: environment, missile defense and clashes between demonstrators and police.
At first glance, these three issues may appear unrelated, but under the surface they are all linked by a common thread. Behind them all lie questions about the legitimacy and credibility of G8 governments at home and abroad.
In Europe, for example, particularly Germany and the Scandinavian countries, environmental issues are now a core test of the governments' domestic legitimacy and credibility.