FEATURED COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

The coal phase out commission and Germany’s struggling climate leadership

New Atlanticist May 6, 2025

Is Merz’s double-take chancellor vote a sign of things to come in Germany?

By Jörn Fleck and Jurek Wille

It took two rounds of voting in the Bundestag to elect Friedrich Merz chancellor, a sign of division unprecedented in modern German history.
Defense Policy Elections
The coal phase out commission and Germany’s struggling climate leadership

New Atlanticist Feb 19, 2025

Germany’s economy has gone from engine to anchor. Here’s what the next chancellor faces.

By Piotr Arak

Revitalizing growth in Germany’s economy, which appears increasingly mired in stagnation, will demand urgent action from the next chancellor.
Economy & Business Elections
The coal phase out commission and Germany’s struggling climate leadership

New Atlanticist Feb 4, 2025

The next German chancellor must lead from the front, not the middle, on European security

By Rachel Rizzo, James Batchik

From support for Ukraine to defense spending, German leaders would be wise to take the phrase Führung aus der Mitte permanently out of their vocabulary.
Elections Germany

Events

Online Event Tue, May 6, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

What to expect from Germany’s next government
Elections Europe & Eurasia European Union Germany
Online Event Tue, February 25, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

Debriefing Germany’s federal elections
Elections European Union Germany Politics & Diplomacy

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Timely Commentary & Analysis

Jul 23, 2018

The coal phase out commission and Germany’s struggling climate leadership

By Ellen Scholl and Peter Freudenstein

This piece is the second in a series examining the opportunities and challenges facing the recently launched “Coal Exit Commission” in Germany. You can read the first piece here. Earlier this month, former vice president and climate campaigner Al Gore delivered a tough message to Germany, calling the country’s narrative of climate leadership “out of […]

Energy & Environment Energy Transitions

In the News

Jul 20, 2018

Shaffer Quoted in Newsweek on Trump’s Criticism of Europe on Russian Energy

By Brenda Shaffer

Read the full article here.

Germany Russia

NATOSource

Jul 18, 2018

Can NATO Allies Effectively Utilize Increases in Defense Spending?

By Andrew Clevenger, Roll Call

Decreases in NATO members’ defense budgets in the years before Vladimir Putin’s takeover of Crimea in 2014 created readiness problems in Europe just as they have in America,

Germany NATO

In the News

Jul 18, 2018

Scholl and Morningstar in Handelsblatt Global: Nord Stream 2 takes center stage in Trump’s NATO performance

By Ellen Scholl & Richard Morningstar

Read the full article here.

Germany NATO
President Donald Trump, July 12, 2018 (photo: NATO)

NATOSource

Jul 17, 2018

Trump on NATO Summit: ‘Yes, There Was Fighting’

By Donald Trump and Theresa May, White House

[Excerpts from joint press conference by President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May, July 13, 2018]

Germany NATO
https://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/29478570128/

NATOSource

Jul 13, 2018

Trump Reveals He was ‘Very Firm’ with NATO Allies

By Donald Trump, White House

[Excerpts from remarks by President Trump at press conference after NATO Summit, July 12, 2018.

Germany NATO

Timely Commentary & Analysis

Jul 12, 2018

Amid government turmoil, Germany dives into effort to phase out coal

By Ellen Scholl and Peter Freudenstein

This piece is the first in a series examining the opportunities and challenges facing the recently launched “Coal Exit Commission” in Germany. It will shed some light on the context surrounding the establishment of the Commission and explain the important role coal still plays in Germany. Amid political turmoil over migration, last month Germany launched […]

Energy & Environment Energy Transitions

New Atlanticist

Jul 11, 2018

The Trump-Merkel Showdown

By Mark Fischer and Mark Simakovsky

Managing a growing rift within NATO US President Donald J. Trump traveled to Europe this week with his rhetorical guns loaded, taking aim at NATO allies for failing to adequately pay for their own defense. The primary target of Trump’s ire is German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Despite positive trajectories in both German and NATO allies’ […]

Germany NATO

New Atlanticist

Jul 11, 2018

NATO Ministers Preach Unity, But Divisions Persist

By David Wemer

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz, and German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen stressed the importance of unity in the Alliance during a panel discussion in Brussels on July 11. Although each of the ministers implored the Alliance to find common ground on the challenges facing the bloc, divergent views […]

Germany NATO

New Atlanticist

Jul 10, 2018

Nord Stream 2 is a Bad Deal for Europe

By Agnia Grigas and Lukas Trakimavičius

This week, Western leaders will gather at the NATO Summit in Brussels to discuss the most pressing issues of the day, likely including the construction of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline. The pipeline, owned by Russian energy giant Gazprom, would significantly increase Moscow’s capacity to export natural gas directly to Germany. Nord Stream […]

European Union Germany
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Samuel Denney

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Tyson Barker

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James Batchik

Associate Director

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Central Europe Digital Policy

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Noel Coenraad

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Energy Transitions Germany

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Hanna Dohmen

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