The New Head of Germany’s Foreign Intelligence Agency BND: A Noticeable Shift in Germany’s Internal Security Policy
Quite surprisingly, last Wednesday the German Chancellery confirmed the removal of Gerhard Schindler as president of the German Foreign Intelligence Agency (Bundesnachrichtendienst, BND). Schindler will be officially replaced by Bruno …

Germany’s Grand Scheme of the Internet of Things: The Pursuit for Digitalization
“The very notion of a grand scheme of things is a nightmarish obscenity.” – Thomas Ligotti, author of Songs of a Dead Dreamer In the years since the Great Recession …
Europe’s New Political Engine: Germany’s role in the EU’s foreign and security policy
A new report from the Finnish Institute of International Affairs looks at Germany’s role in European foreign and security policy, asking how dominant Germany has become within the EU. It features analysis …
The Obama Security Strategy and Beyond: Implications for Germany and Europe
Barack Obama’s final year in office is one with the world in upheaval. It is also the year that will shape the security strategy for the next U.S. president. This …
German Domestic Relations a Roller Coaster for Migrants
Upon opening the high-level Geneva conference at the end of March, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated that the world must “address the biggest refugee crisis of our time.” …
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Support Our WorkObama’s Farewell Tour
Eight years ago, we watched an American rock star perform on a hot summer day in Berlin. That he was also a young, black politician seemed a revelation to the …
Scouting the Land for Opportunities: Issues and Challenges in Refugee Workforce Integration in Germany and the United States
March 13 saw strong voter support in three German state elections for the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) Party. Fueled by continuing waves of incoming refugees, anxiety is building in …
Privacy Shield for U.S. Data Transfers: Back to the Drawing Board
The European Commission may need to revise the draft proposal to meet the concerns expressed by the Article 29 Working Party. On 29 February 2016, the European Commission published a …

After the IMF Meetings, Will Germany Embrace Trudeaumania?
Trudeaumania 2.0—the sense of hope and optimism once again coming from a young, liberal prime minister north of the border—has so far found greatest resonance in concrete steps like an …
Stepping Over the Line: Schäuble Criticizes ECB
German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble was forced by Jens Weidmann, president of the powerful Bundesbank, to publicly state that he fully respects the independence of the European Central Bank (ECB) …
Transatlantic Traffic Jams
When the hundreds of government officials and international organization leaders make their way to Washington for the Spring Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group, an explosion of …

Chief Facilitator: The Legacy of Hans-Dietrich Genscher
The passing of Hans-Dietrich Genscher marks another milestone in the unique history of the leadership of the Federal Republic of Germany. His life and career embody the path of the …