Black, Red, Green: What to Expect in the German Federal Election

On the eve of the German federal election, a panel of experts will weigh in on the various issues concerning German voters, the legacy of outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel, the potential impact of this election on the EU and Germany’s relationship with the U.S., and the significance of the Green Party mounting their first ever...

The Race to Replace Angela Merkel

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...

The Rise of Olaf Scholz and the Social Democrats

Since the beginning of August, the Social Democrats have seen a jump from 16 to 26 percent in opinion polls in the final weeks of Germany’s federal election campaign. The SPD’s Kanzlerkandidat Olaf Scholz is largely credited with this turnaround. In snap polls following each of the three television debates between the three candidates for chancellor, Scholz...

The Polls Have Closed in Germany: An Election Readout

With less than a week to go, the race to succeed Angela Merkel as Germany’s next chancellor has become a nail-biter. The results of Germany’s federal election will determine the coalition talks for a new German government and the ultimate course of the country’s political future. To unpack one of Germany’s most unpredictable and transformative...

After the German Election: What Can the World Expect from Berlin?

As the dust settles after Germany’s historic election and parties engage in complex negotiations to form a governing coalition, questions will abound concerning the foreign policy priorities of the new government – and what the end of the Merkel era means for Germany, Europe, and the world. What are the key issues that will shape...