Donald Trump’s re-election, Russia’s war in Ukraine, crises in the Middle East, tensions with China, and growing competitive pressures at home–the EU is facing manifold challenges. Yet Germany seems to have gone missing. It has retreated from the European leadership role it often played in the past. The snap election in February 2025 could set a new direction for the country, and with it Europe as a whole. How will the vote shape Germany’s future foreign policy? Can the country find new confidence on the international stage? And what are the internal political fault-lines that will decide whether it does?
Incoming German chancellor Friedrich Merz is an unlikely candidate to lead a decisive break with the US. But an erstwhile über-Atlanticist and fiscal conservative might be the only German politician who can credibly bury the country’s economically disastrous “debt brake” and pave the way for a truly independent Europe
Leaked documents reveal the new German coalition may cut development aid. But as the US steps back, now is the time for Berlin to instead take leadership and encourage a more strategic European approach to foreign aid
The German parliament will likely pass a debt break exemption for defence spending on Tuesday. Freeing up the money is only the first step towards a more effective military
The final episode of Searching for Deutschland—a special crossover with the World in 30 Minutes—sees experts from Berlin, London, Paris and Warsaw break down the…
Incoming German chancellor Friedrich Merz is an unlikely candidate to lead a decisive break with the US. But an erstwhile über-Atlanticist and fiscal conservative might be the only German politician who can credibly bury the country’s economically disastrous “debt brake” and pave the way for a truly independent Europe
On the morning after Germany’s election, Searching for Deutschland hosts Jeremy Cliffe and Jana Puglierin were joined for a live webinar by ECFR colleagues Timo Lochocki and…
Friedrich Merz is on the precipice of becoming Germany’s next chancellor. If successful, his conservatism and quest for new allies to secure Europe’s nuclear deterrent could create a “two-speed Europe”
In Searching for Deutschland’s last pre-election episode, hosts Jeremy Cliffe and Jana Puglierin review the Munich Security Conference, the US-Russia talks on Ukraine, and what the new era…
Ahead of the Munich Security Conference, hosts Jeremy Cliffe and Jana Puglierin talk German defence and the future of the country’s armed forces. They review the first…
Leaked documents reveal the new German coalition may cut development aid. But as the US steps back, now is the time for Berlin to instead take leadership and encourage a more strategic European approach to foreign aid
The German parliament will likely pass a debt break exemption for defence spending on Tuesday. Freeing up the money is only the first step towards a more effective military
Incoming German chancellor Friedrich Merz is an unlikely candidate to lead a decisive break with the US. But an erstwhile über-Atlanticist and fiscal conservative might be the only German politician who can credibly bury the country’s economically disastrous “debt brake” and pave the way for a truly independent Europe
Friedrich Merz is on the precipice of becoming Germany’s next chancellor. If successful, his conservatism and quest for new allies to secure Europe’s nuclear deterrent could create a “two-speed Europe”
Friedrich Merz is likely to be the next chancellor of Germany. But the CDU leader will usher in a generational shift, moving the country away from its Europe-first approach and towards new intergovernmental alliances
Germany’s likely next chancellor shares his party’s pro-EU and Atlanticist instincts, but also the country’s wider reluctance to play an exceptional international role
Germany’s political chaos is giving populist fringe parties unprecedented influence over policymaking. As internal divisions deepen within the governing coalition, these parties are shaping the political discourse and threatening the country’s – and the EU’s – stability
The final episode of Searching for Deutschland—a special crossover with the World in 30 Minutes—sees experts from Berlin, London, Paris and Warsaw break down the…
On the morning after Germany’s election, Searching for Deutschland hosts Jeremy Cliffe and Jana Puglierin were joined for a live webinar by ECFR colleagues Timo Lochocki and…
In Searching for Deutschland’s last pre-election episode, hosts Jeremy Cliffe and Jana Puglierin review the Munich Security Conference, the US-Russia talks on Ukraine, and what the new era…
Ahead of the Munich Security Conference, hosts Jeremy Cliffe and Jana Puglierin talk German defence and the future of the country’s armed forces. They review the first…
This week, hosts Jeremy Cliffe and Jana Puglierin discuss German election campaign frontrunner Friedrich Merz’s bid to win Bundestag votes on migration with support from…
Germany’s industrial model thrived for years thanks to soaring Chinese demand. But the relationship has recently become more contentious. This week, hosts Jeremy Cliffe and Jana…
With President Donald Trump and his threat of sweeping tariffs looming large over the German election campaign, co-hosts Jeremy Cliffe and Jana Puglierin discuss the…
Welcome to the inaugural episode of Searching for Deutschland, a new podcast by ECFR exploring the European and foreign policy dimensions of the German election…
Germany has gone missing at a crucial juncture for Europe. In the lead up its federal election on February 23rd, ECFR has launched “Searching for Deutschland”, a new podcast which aims to discuss the domestic fault-lines behind Germany’s foreign policy disorientation
Germany’s election results are in—now what? Join the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) for a timely post-election analysis in the early morning after results…
Jana Puglierin on whether the German election will bring about a turning point
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