American-German Institute

AGI Profiles: Katherina Reiche Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy On April 28, chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz unveiled his cabinet. Alongside some unexpected nominations—such as Johann Wadephul as Foreign…

After ten years in the private sector, Katherina Reiche has returned to politics as Germany's Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy. Halle Foundation/AGI Intern Frederik Fink examines her vision to revitalize Germany's economy:

Episode 130: Germany’s Transatlantic Coordinator on U.S.-German Relations Germany’s defense commitments are beginning to match the ambitions of the Zeitenwende, and Germany’s increased investments in European security are being noted in Washington. In his first visit to…

Germany has amended its constitution in order to invest in its defense. On the latest episode of #TheZeitgeist, @metinhakverdi.bsky.social discussed how Germany's new approach to leadership and burden-sharing have impacted Berlin's relationship with Washington:

The State of AI in Germany Germany was an early adopter of AI and among the first nations to create a national AI strategy in 2018. At the time, Europe was the global leader in artificial …

Despite being one of the first countries to adopt an AI strategy, Germany has lagged in AI growth and deployment. Halle Foundation/AGI Intern Zane Davis examines Germany's current challenges and how those challenges can be overcome:

Now online: our podcast with @metinhakverdi.bsky.social covers Germany’s new approach to burden-sharing, seeing the U.S. beyond the coasts, and how, despite differences, the U.S. and German governments are working to find common ground: americangerman.institute/podcast/epis...

AGI Profiles: Karsten Wildberger Federal Minister for Digital and State Modernization Karsten Wildberger is a newcomer in more ways than one. His appointment as Germany’s first-ever Minister for Digital and State Modernization…

Germany's government has big ambitions for its digital policy. Halle Foundation/AGI Intern Katharina Schindel profiles the business leader leading the new digital ministry:

Turning Climate Protection into an Economic Success Story Foreign policy challenges and opportunities for Germany and the EU The Draghi Report of 2024 put the competitiveness of European industries high on the political agenda of European climate and …

"Germany can play an important role in enhancing the foreign policy dimension of the Clean Industrial Deal beyond the Climate Club through its own green industrial foreign policy and by building coalitions with other member states at the EU level."

Thanks to @metinhakverdi.bsky.social for taking part in a discussion at AGI during his first visit to Washington in his role as transatlantic coordinator. You can hear more about his role and views of the US-German relationship in an upcoming episode of #TheZeitgeist podcast.

U.S.-EU Trade: To Deal or Not to Deal? In a July 11 letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would raise tariffs on imports from the European Union to 30 …

To reach a trade deal by August 1, the extent of transatlantic interdependence will need to be brought to center stage, both commercially and strategically. More from Peter Rashish's latest Wider Atlantic blog: americangerman.institute/2025/07/u-s-...

Strobe Talbott and the Rise of the Liberal Post-Cold War Order Currently, we are witnessing enormous stress on the institutions established in the post-Cold War era. A new era of great power competition and a revival of authoritarianism threaten to undermine …

After the Cold War, the United States used its power and influence to expand the global liberal order. Stephan Kieninger examines one of the architects of the post-Cold War order and his commitment to European peace:

Episode 129: German Constitutional Law and Banning Extremist Political Parties Even though it came in second place in the 2025 German federal election, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) was subsequently classified as an extremist party by the Office for the …

How could a party be banned in Germany, and what impact would it have? Listen to the latest episode of #thezeitgeist podcast for more on Germany's "militant democracy":

DAAD/AGI Research Fellowship Program The DAAD/AGI Research Fellowship Program, funded by a generous grant from the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD), is designed to bring scholars and specialists working on key issues of…

Research transatlantic issues in 2026 at AGI. DAAD/AGI Research Fellowships support junior and senior scholars working on issues important to the German-American partnership. Apply by September 5, 2025:

Turning Climate Protection into an Economic Success Story Foreign policy challenges and opportunities for Germany and the EU The Draghi Report of 2024 put the competitiveness of European industries high on the political agenda of European climate and …

Germany's climate policy will not be economically successful by itself; it must be supported by robust domestic and foreign policy. Sonja Thielges explains how Germany can elevate green industry in its foreign policy:

Episode 129: German Constitutional Law and Banning Extremist Political Parties Even though it came in second place in the 2025 German federal election, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) was subsequently classified as an extremist party by the Office for the …

The AfD has been classified as extremist in Germany, and calls are growing for the party to be banned. Our latest podcast episode examines previous attempts to ban parties in Germany and the procedures involved in a potential AfD ban. Listen now: americangerman.institute/podcast/epis...

AGI Profiles: Dorothee Bär Federal Minister for Research, Technology, and Space In May 2025, Dorothee Bär took office as Germany’s first Federal Minister for Research, Technology, and Space. As the former Parliamentary State…

Throughout over 20 years in government, Dorothee Bär has focused on digital issues. Now, she is leading the Ministry for Research, Technology, and Space. Halle Foundation/AGI Intern Zane Davis profiles Germany's "Future Minister":

What is in store for U.S. trade policy and the U.S.-EU trading relationship after tomorrow's deadline for a deal? Peter Rashish joined Bergos's podcast to discuss the future of trade and the global economic order: www.bergos.ch/vol-253-us-t...

Halle Foundation/AGI Internships Halle Foundation/AGI internships aim to: Introduce interns to all aspects (administrative, programming, development, research) of an American nonprofit public policy institute. Provide opportunities f...

Spend this fall researching with fellows, supporting projects and events, and engaging with top issues in the transatlantic relationship. Fall internship applications are due this Friday, July 11: americangerman.institute/job/internsh...

The Social Democrats Give Their Leader a Yellow Card, Green Light for Stronger Defense Chancellor Friedrich Merz has devoted significant energy in his first two months in office to restoring Germany’s international partnerships, strengthening the Bundeswehr and hardening the country’s…

Dissent within the SPD was evident ahead of the party congress. Despite internal divisions and a weak endorsement of party co-leader Lars Klingbeil, @jeffrathke.bsky.social notes that leadership successfully handled difficult issues on the party’s agenda:

The Nord Stream 2 Debate and Russia’s Gas Weapon “Nord Stream 2 was a mistake,” Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently said during his first official visit to the White House. President Donald Trump appreciated these remarks, reminding reporters that...

As investors seek to restart Nord Stream pipelines, Stephan Kieninger looks at Russia's history of weaponizing gas supplies:

Germany is Back Chancellor Merz, Defense Investment, and the NATO Summit Since Russia’s first invasion of Ukraine more than eleven years ago, German leaders have struggled to find a fitting response to the …

"Through a combination of policy clarity and resource commitments, Germany is on a path to make Berlin the key actor in European security, with long-lasting consequences." @jeffrathke.bsky.social on a new era in German foreign policy:

Chancellor Merz and Germany’s ‘New Determination’ In a June 24 address to the German parliament, Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered a Regierungserklärung (government declaration) that highlighted a profound shift in Germany’s strategic outlook, char...

This week, Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered a speech on the government's foreign policy priorities. Zane Davis, Frederik Fink, and Katharina Schindel examine how Merz intends to "return Germany to the world stage":
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Merz Bridges G7 Disputes, Eyes NATO The 2025 G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada, opened under the weight of low expectations and closed under the shadow of deepening transatlantic fault lines. The headlines surrounding the summit were …

European leaders at the G7 highlighted transatlantic unity, despite ongoing trade disputes and lagging support for Ukraine. Will they adopt the same strategy at this week's NATO summit?

Halle Foundation/AGI Internships Halle Foundation/AGI internships aim to: Introduce interns to all aspects (administrative, programming, development, research) of an American nonprofit public policy institute. Provide opportunities f...

AGI is accepting applications for fall 2025 internships! Halle Foundation/AGI Interns participate in and support our events, work with visiting scholars and staff to research transatlantic issues, and publish their work on AGI's website. Apply by July 11: americangerman.institute/job/internsh...

The G7 Summit, Plus or Minus While the G7 economies today account for only 30 percent of global GDP, they remain a decent proxy for what can still be called the “West” in geopolitical terms. Or …

The G7 demonstrates that it is still possible to find common ground and build coalitions, even as the world grows more disorderly. Read more from Peter Rashish:

U.S. pushing allies to limit focus on Ukraine in NATO summit communique Trump administration officials have pushed NATO allies to limit mentions of Ukraine in the final statement that comes out of the NATO summit next week.

How will the U.S. and its NATO allies address Ukraine, which is bearing the brunt of the biggest challenge to European security in a generation? Was glad to talk with Daniel Bush @newsweek.com about the negative signal silence would send. @amgerinst.bsky.social

www.newsweek.com/us-pushing-a...

The rise of Germany’s right wing Grace Snell | As voters shift allegiances, a population grapples with a troubled national identity

What is contributing to the AfD's success? Eric Langenbacher spoke to The World about the rise of the AfD and their ideological partners in the MAGA movement: wng.org/articles/fou...

Episode 128: Queer Economies: Solidarity, Sustainability, and the Struggle for Space Third spaces where people can gather, organize, and provide support have been critical for LGBTQ+ communities in Germany and the United States. “Building LGBTQ+ Communities in Germany and the United …

How have LGBTQ+ communities have built, protected, and funded their own spaces and systems of care—and how can they sustain those spaces and systems in the future? Listen to the latest Zeitgeist podcast with #agiLGBTQexchange participant Baylen Campbell: americangerman.institute/podcast/epis...

More Growth Through Less Red Tape The United States of America is in a much better economic position than the countries of the European Union. This is not only reflected in the corporate structure, with the …

Can Europe boost economic growth by cutting bureaucratic costs? Joern Quitzau argues that through better coordination, Germany can make regulations more efficient: americangerman.institute/2025/06/more...

Role Reversal The Trump Geoeconomic Approach Imitates Merkel The first three months of the Trump administration have seen what could be called the Germanization of U.S. foreign policy. Trump has taken on …

President Trump's pursuit of economic deals where human rights and strategic concerns are secondary is reminiscent of Angela Merkel's approach to geoeconomics, writes AGI Senior Fellow Stephen Szabo: americangerman.institute/2025/06/role...

Friedrich Merz, Germany’s European Vision, and the Constraints of German Coalition Politics German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has been having quite a run. His chancellorship stumbled briefly out of the gate, with a second round of voting necessary in the Bundestag on May …

Friedrich Merz has ambitions for Germany as a strong actor in Europe, which have been helped by productive diplomacy in the first weeks of his chancellorship. But dissent from within the coalition could derail those ambitions, writes @jeffrathke.bsky.social: americangerman.institute/2025/06/frie...

Divided We Fall Discrimination within the LGBTQIA+ Community The LGBTQ+ community has always experienced discrimination and persecution. Even if the narrative prevails in some circles that equality has been achieved,...

Discrimination exists even within the queer community. #agiLGBTQexchange participants examine what form this discrimination can take and how communities can build solidarity: americangerman.institute/2025/06/divi...