Each week, the ACG hosts a discussion with a journalist based in Germany on the topics making the headlines and shaping political discourse in Berlin. Join us on Monday, August 30 at 9:00 am ET for a discussion with journalist Miriam Hollstein, Chief Political Reporter for FUNKE Zentralredaktion. We’ll begin by getting her take on the first debate between the three candidates...
After the Western military withdrawal, the rapid takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban ends two decades of Western efforts to rebuild the nation based on democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Now, the gains in education, social and economic welfare as well as the legal system are at stake for millions of Afghans....
Following the swift takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, the international community has been in a state of shock. In Germany, in particular, many people are asking what the lasting impact of Germany’s military and civilian engagement over the past 20 years will be. And, questions loom regarding the future of Afghanistan. Join the American...
This month marks the 20 anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington – and two decades of conflict. In the days following the attacks, two young German journalists worked tirelessly to piece together the developments leading up to September 11, 2001. Their experiences then have influenced their careers, and one might...
Each week, the ACG hosts a discussion with a journalist based in Germany on the topics making the headlines and shaping political discourse in Berlin. Join us on Monday, September 13 at 9:00 am EDT, for a discussion on the morning after the second television debate between the three candidates for Chancellor with Bloomberg Opinion columnist Andreas Kluth.Andreas Kluth is...
On September 26, Germans will vote in federal elections that will determine the composition of the Bundestag. The new majority in the parliament – most likely a coalition of three parties – will elect the next German Chancellor, marking the end of 16 years of leadership by Chancellor Angela Merkel. Join us for an online conversation...
In 2005, Angela Merkel made history as the first woman to be elected chancellor of Germany. Over the 16 years she has served, Merkel has undeniably established Germany as a preeminent leader in Europe and the world. However, when Germany holds its federal elections this month, Merkel will not be running for re-election. As Germany enters its final...
Each week, the ACG hosts a discussion with a journalist based in Germany on the topics making the headlines and shaping political discourse in Berlin. Join us on Monday, September 20 at 9:00 am EDT, for a discussion about the television debate between the three candidates for Chancellor and what to expect in the final days before the...
In February, the Christian Democrats were riding high in the polls. By May, they had dropped some 10 percentage points and the Greens had surged to a temporary peak. Trailing by two or more percentage points throughout the year, in August the Social Democrats swept past the Greens and the Christian Democrats to take a...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
On September 26, 2021, German federal elections will be held to elect the 20th Bundestag – the first in 16 years without Angela Merkel standing as leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Join us for an online conversation about the implications of these elections for Germany, the European Union, and the world, with Jeff Rathke, President...
All eyes are on Germany. After 16 years as Chancellor, Angela Merkel is stepping away from the political spotlight. The September 26 election is critical for Germany – and for the European Union. According to the latest polls, no party will win an outright majority in the Bundestag, and a coalition government of as many as three...