FEATURED COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

Angela Merkel: Time for a Legacy

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

Angela Merkel: Time for a Legacy

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

Angela Merkel: Time for a Legacy

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

Program

The Europe Center promotes the transatlantic leadership and strategies required to ensure a strong Europe.

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Content

New Atlanticist

Mar 8, 2018

Angela Merkel: Time for a Legacy

By Frances G. Burwell

Now that the new German government has been approved by the political parties and can finally begin work, it is time for Angela Merkel to think about her own agenda for the next few years. At the start of her fourth—and presumably last—term as chancellor, she is politically weaker than she has been before, and […]

European Union Germany

New Atlanticist

Mar 4, 2018

In Germany, Social Democrats Give Merkel a Fourth Term

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The political uncertainty that had gripped Germany for the past five months was lifted on March 4. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) rank-and-file voted in favor of another grand coalition that would keep Angela Merkel chancellor of Germany for a fourth term. Sixty-six percent of the SPD’s members voted in support of a grand coalition; […]

European Union France

New Atlanticist

Mar 2, 2018

Trump May Get His Trade War After All

By Ashish Kumar Sen

US President Donald J. Trump’s surprise decision to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, and a tweeted declaration that “trade wars are good” have set off alarm bells across the globe while causing the stock market to plunge.

China Economy & Business

In the News

Feb 25, 2018

Cohen in The Hill: Germany and The US Need a New Beginning in Their Security Relationship

By Ariel Cohen

Read the full article here

Germany

EnergySource

Feb 21, 2018

Groko or Noko: What Germany’s grand coalition means for energy and climate

By Ellen Scholl

Members of Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) have a big decision to make. SPD party members have until March 2 to vote on whether their party should participate in a coalition government with the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the party of Chancellor Angela Merkel. The vote puts SPD party members in a difficult position—endorse a […]

Climate Change & Climate Action Energy Markets & Governance

New Atlanticist

Feb 20, 2018

7 Things You Should Know About ‘Mini Merkel’

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Under pressure to groom a successor, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has picked a “Mini Merkel” to take over as secretary general of her Christian Democrats (CDU). Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, a close ally of Merkel’s, is expected to be voted into her new role at the CDU congress on February 26. She will replace Peter Tauber who […]

Germany

In the News

Feb 16, 2018

Braw in Frankfurter Allgemeine: German Voters are More Mature About Security

By Elisabeth Braw

Read the full article here

Germany NATO

Event Recap

Feb 14, 2018

Reforming the European Union: The Franco-German Tandem and the Future of Economic Governance

By Global Business & Economics Program

On Wednesday, February 14, 2018, the Atlantic Council's EuroGrowth Initiative hosted a breakfast discussion on the changing Franco-German attitudes towards European Union (EU) economic governance.

Economy & Business European Union

New Atlanticist

Feb 8, 2018

What’s the Deal?

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Atlantic Council analysts discuss agreement that could end political uncertainty in Germany German Chancellor Angela Merkel on February 7 moved a step closer to forming a coalition government that would include her conservative Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and the center-left Social Democrats (SPD). But first, more than 460,000 members of the SPD will need to approve […]

Germany

New Atlanticist

Feb 7, 2018

Germany Muddles Through

By Nick Ottens

The center can still hold in Germany. Angela Merkel’s conservatives have finalized a government deal with the Social Democrats. Barring a last-minute upset—Social Democratic Party members need to vote before the deal can go through—Germany will be ruled by another “grand coalition” for the next four years. The worry is that this one will mostly […]

Germany
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Samuel Denney

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Transatlantic Security Initiative

English Europe & Eurasia

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Tyson Barker

Nonresident Senior Fellow

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Cybersecurity Digital Policy

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James Batchik

Associate Director

Europe Center

Central Europe Digital Policy

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Noel Coenraad

Strategy Advisor, Vattenfall AB

Millennium Leadership Program

Energy Transitions Germany

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Hanna Dohmen

Nonresident Fellow

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China Chinese

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Jörn Fleck

Senior Director

Europe Center Transform Europe Initiative

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