There has been a lot of uncertainty surrounding Germany’s federal election. But one thing is clear: Angela Merkel is not running again. As the traditional catch-all Volksparteien – the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats – have lost traction in recent years, three candidates compete to replace her.
In the final days before Germans take to the polls in an historic election which marks the end of the “Merkel Era,” join the American Council on Germany for a discussion with veteran political observer and journalist Dr. Christoph von Marschall to discuss the candidates, possible coalitions, and what this election means for Germany, Europe, and the transatlantic relationship.
Dr. Christoph von Marschall is Chief Diplomatic Correspondent of the German daily Der Tagesspiegel, published in Berlin. He has been with the paper since 1991. From 2005 to 2013, he was Washington Bureau Chief and White House Correspondent. Before that, he served as the newspaper’s Editorial Page Editor.
His most recent book is “Wir verstehen die Welt nicht mehr. Deutschlands Entfremdung von seinen Freunden” (Herder Verlag 2018), which analyzes the foreign policy challenges facing Germany and Europe. He has also written several books on Barack Obama and the differences in political culture between Germany and the United States, including “What’s the Matter with America? Why They Hate What We Love” and “The New Obama. What to Expect from the Second Term.”
He holds a PhD in East European History from the University of Freiburg, Germany.
