Reflecting on Germany’s European Council Presidency

In July Germany assumed the six-month rotating Presidency of the European Council. Germany took on this role at a critical juncture for the European Union. The public health and economic implications of the corona crisis, Brexit, and the rising tensions between member states are just some of the issues that have been on the European...

Why Trade Matters! The Future of Transatlantic Economic Relations

Businesses invested in transatlantic trade and multilateral trade relations not only create sustainable jobs and economic growth, but also support the urgently needed reliability and stability within the transatlantic partnership. Once President-elect Joe Biden takes office on January 20th, the future of the trade relationship between the United States and the European Union will be...

A Conversation between Austin and Koblenz

The Austin-Koblenz sister city relationship was established in 1991. The partnership connects citizens through a variety of cultural and economic exchanges and has had a strong focus on education and workforce development. In addition to student exchanges at the elementary and secondary levels, a number of dual degree and exchange programs have been created at...

Reporting on the Riots at the U.S. Capitol

On Wednesday, January 6, the world was watching as thousands of pro-Trump protesters convened outside the U.S. Capitol. They disrupted a joint session of Congress to count the electoral votes and formalize Joe Biden’s election victory. After breaching the perimeter, the rioters occupied and vandalized parts of the building. Reporting from Washington, DC, Juliane Schäuble, the...

“We, the People…”: Reality or Illusion?

The recent attack on the U.S. Capitol and incidents in other Western democracies – such as the attempt to storm the Reichstag building in Berlin in August 2020 – demonstrate how fragile our democracies are. Are the aspiration and promise of our liberal constitutions an illusion? How resilient are our democratic institutions and practices in...