National governments are increasingly dominated by political polarization, crisis management, and partisan gridlock, often rendering them unable to join forces to address common global challenges. In view of inaction at the federal level, subnational actors such as states, communities, and cities have often stepped up to fill this void left by traditional nation-states. This trend...

A virtual discussion with Ricklef Beutin, Deputy Chief of Mission at the German Embassy, and moderated by Dr. Steven E. Sokol, President of the American Council on Germany.Ricklef Beutin assumed the position of Deputy Chief of Mission at the German Embassy in Washington, DC, in July 2019. Prior to this, he was a Visiting Fellow in the Europe...

On Sunday, 14 March 2021, Germany will hold state elections in the western Länder of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. Although the states are relatively small – with roughly 7.7 million and 3.1 eligible voters, respectively – these elections mark the beginning of Germany’s Superwahljahr, which will culminate with federal elections in late September and the formation of a new...

The pandemic has forced companies around the globe to adapt their business models. Due to public health concerns and lockdowns, many companies had to lay off or furlough workers. In Germany, Kurzarbeit policies softened the economic blow. With the rollout of vaccines and the passage of economic recovery bills, what does the future hold for organized labor,...

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect lives around the world, it is becoming clear that the pandemic and its economic fallout are having a regressive effect on gender equality. Sociologist Jutta Allmendinger recently claimed the pandemic will set Germany back 30 years in terms of the equality achieved between men and women. Mothers in...