Kultur- und Kreativwirtschaft
The “creative economy” is an important economic factor in Germany, write former Deutsche Bank/AICGS Fellow Thomas Dapp and Philipp Ehmer, producing goods and services worth over 60 billion euros in 2009. The industry has significant growth potential for the future, but some changes within the sector are necessary – namely some changes to copyright and patent statutes – to achieve the maximum growth potential.
Messages From Hamburg’s Elections
In this week’s At Issue, Executive Director Dr. Jackson Janes looks at the opening round of Germany’s regional elections in 2011 and examines the potential pitfalls and possibilities for Chancellor Merkel during this unusual year of political barometers.
Germany in Europe: The Doors are Closing!
Chancellor Angela Merkel has some major challenges ahead regarding the future of the euro, writes Senior Non-Resident Fellow Dr. Ulrike Guérot of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). Dr. Guérot argues that Chancellor Merkel’s options regarding reform efforts in the euro zone have been severely limited by domestic issues, and that her ability to reach a compromise with other EU countries depends on the outcome of these domestic developments. This essay originally appeared in the ECFR’s blog on February 24, 2011.
The Hamburg Election Aftermath
The results are in from Hamburg: the SPD, as expected, dominated the Bürgerschaft election and finished with 48.3 percent of the vote, its strongest showing in a state election in thirteen years. The debate surrounding this specific election, however, is whether the results can be extrapolated to the federal level. Chancellor Merkel argued that local issues caused the results, but others argue that this is the beginning of the end for Merkel’s governing coalition. Which side is right? Senior Non-Resident Fellow Prof. Dr. Dr. Karl-Rudolf Korte gives his immediate take on the election in an essay below; additionally, AICGS has compiled essential links and media coverage surrounding the election in Hamburg, and will do so for each of the remaining Land elections throughout the year.
Run-up to the Hamburg Election
On February 20, Hamburg’s Bürgerschaft election marks the first of seven major Land elections to shape the political atmosphere in 2011. The SPD – with main candidate Olaf Scholz – looks to gain some momentum with a victory in Hamburg, a result that could send a message to voters in the other elections later in the year and have implications for Chancellor Merkel’s federal coalition. AICGS has compiled essential links and media coverage surrounding the upcoming election in Hamburg, and will do so for each of the remaining Land elections throughout the year.
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Support Our WorkAssisting and Insisting in Egypt
In this week’s At Issue, Executive Director Dr. Jackson Janes examines the political earthquake in Egypt and the challenges ahead post-Mubarak – not only for Egyptians but for Europe and the United States in assisting the transformations in a new era for Egypt and the Middle East.
Hungry for Climate Action? NATO and Energy Security
NATO has a legitimate role to play in energy security, writes Michael Rühle, Head of the Energy Security Section in NATO’s Emerging Security Challenges Division and a regular contributor to the Advisor, but it is not yet clear what this role should be. In his essay, Rühle outlines the reasons for NATO’s interest in energy security and suggests what difference the Alliance could make in the energy security debate moving forward.
The EU: Pretension Without Power
Little more than a year after the passage of the Lisbon Treaty, the E.U. faces a much dimmer future, writes Doug Bandow, Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute and a regular contributor to the Advisor. The EU’s objective of becoming the globe’s third “Weltmacht,” alongside America and China, looks ever more like a fantasy, Bandow argues, especially as the financial crisis threatens European unity. This essay originally appeared in the author’s blog on Forbes online on February 7, 2011.
The Euro: Halfway Full
In this week’s At Issue, Executive Director Dr. Jackson Janes examines the current concerns about the future of the euro and the challenges of securing both consensus among the euro zone members and domestic political support for the European single currency, especially in Germany.
Es fehlt der strategische Konsens
Nearly ten years after the first decision on a military commitment in Afghanistan, this week the Bundestag will again debate the renewal of the mandate for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Former DAAD/AICGS Fellow Dr. Markus Kaim examines the internal debate over whether or not a concrete withdrawal date should be included in the mandate and suggests some potential scenarios for the overall Afghanistan mission as the decision approaches. This essay originally appeared in the January 24, 2011, edition of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and is available in German only.
To Rule the Euro Zone
As euro zone governments quietly work on a proposal to relieve Greek bond debt, a much louder debate over the future of the euro zone has come about across Europe. The following several articles focus on the debate and show the range of opinions regarding the future of the euro zone.
Germany has become the object of Europe’s resentment, writes Stefan Theil, Newsweek correspondent and a regular contributor to the Advisor, mostly because the weak euro has meant a strong German. But at the same time, Theil argues, Germans are starting to feel some disillusionment with supporting some fellow euro zone members, a growing attitude that will eventually force action – action that Germany will likely lead. This essay originally appeared in the January 23, 2011, edition of Newsweek.
Ordnungsmacht Deutschland
Jochen Bittner, a regular contributor to the Advisor, argues that behind all of the euro zone debate lies a simple but unpleasant truth: The monetary union came too soon. Certainly it is difficult to shift strategies in the middle of a crisis, but Bittner contends that nothing less than a ‘reset’ will help the euro zone out of this mess, something the German government is eager to tackle, even if it won’t admit so publicly. This essay originally appeared in the January 18, 2011, edition of Die Zeit and is available in German only.
