FEATURED COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

Germany to Boost Troop Numbers for First Time Since Cold War

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

Germany to Boost Troop Numbers for First Time Since Cold War

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

Germany to Boost Troop Numbers for First Time Since Cold War

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

Public Event
Thu, July 24, 2025 • 8:45 am ET

Germany’s digital minister on Europe’s digital competitiveness

Digital Policy
Economy & Business
Germany

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

What to expect from Germany’s next government

Elections
Europe & Eurasia
European Union
Germany

Program

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

EXPLORE THE PROGRAM

Content

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, March 23, 2016

NATOSource

May 10, 2016

Germany to Boost Troop Numbers for First Time Since Cold War

By Stefan Wagstyl, Financial Times

Germany is to raise troop numbers for the first time since the cold war in response to growing international challenges, including Islamist terrorism, instability in Africa, cyber attack threats and Russia’s newfound assertiveness.

Germany NATO
NATO exercise in Baltic Sea, May 29, 2015

NATOSource

May 6, 2016

The Case for a More Robust NATO Presence in the Baltic Sea

By Franklin D. Kramer and Magnus Nordenman

NATO has also begun to plan and exercise for maritime contingencies in the region, with additional bilateral and national exercises as complements.

France Germany

In the News

Apr 19, 2016

Polyakova Quoted by Bloomberg on Russia’s Involvement in the Increase in Popularity of Right Wing Parties in Germany

By Alina Polyakova

Read the full article here.

Germany Russia

EconoGraphics

Apr 13, 2016

Europe’s Path to Budget Equilibrium

By Alvaro Morales Salto Weis & TK Spandhla

The European Union’s 28 member nations are required by Stability and Growth Pact to keep their budget deficits to within 3 percent of GDP. According to the European Commission forecast (as of winter 2016) six countries will exceed this level in 2016: the U.K., France, Spain, Greece, Croatia and Portugal. Romania will post a deficit at the threshold. This is an improvement from 2009 and 2010, when no fewer than 22 EU countries overstepped the deficit limit.

Economy & Business European Union

New Atlanticist

Apr 13, 2016

Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama: Enlargement a Secondary Priority for the European Union

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Leader says Europe preoccupied with economic, security, and migration crises A combination of economic, security, and migration challenges facing Europe could “fuel instability in the Western Balkans” and “bring more uncertainty to the south and east,” Albania’s Prime Minister, Edi Rama, said on April 13. Rama contended that Balkan states such as Albania—eager to deepen […]

European Union Germany

EconoGraphics

Apr 1, 2016

The European Refugee Surge: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities

By Alvaro Morales Salto Weis & TK Spandhla

Asylum applications to the European Union (EU) set an all-time record in 2015, more than doubling the 2014 figure, according to EUROSTAT. After the recent agreement between Turkey and the EU, the influx of refugees is expected to decrease significantly.

Afghanistan Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Mar 10, 2016

Burrows in The National Interest: Germany Is a Great Power—It Should Act Like One

By Mathew J. Burrows

Read the full article here.

Germany
British Marines skiing in Norway, Feb. 17, 2014

NATOSource

Mar 1, 2016

NATO Warned of Vulnerability to Moscow in Eastern Europe

By Sam Jones, Financial Times

A chorus of voices across Nato is warning that the alliance cannot defend Europe’s eastern border against an increasingly aggressive Russia.

Germany NATO

In the News

Feb 25, 2016

Coote and Morningstar Quoted by RT Deutsch on Nord Stream 2 Implications

By Bud Coote and Richard L. Morningstar

Read the full article here.

Germany Russia

In the News

Feb 24, 2016

Wilson in Newsweek: Merkel, Isolated and Under Pressure, Needs American Help

By Damon Wilson

Read the full article here.

Germany
Load More

Experts

Fellow

Jeremy Stern

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

China Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Didi Kirsten Tatlow 

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Global China Hub

China Politics & Diplomacy
Nicholas Yap

Staff

Nicholas Yap

Director, Strategy and Operations

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Disinformation Elections