Reopening Germany’s Surrogacy Debate
A recent public revelation about a member of the Christian Democratic Party’s (CDU) leadership having a child through surrogacy unleashed a political storm in the party and has dramatically illuminated …
Looking for Germany’s Future in the Former East
A Week in Saxony On a warm Friday evening in late June, nearly 140 people gathered inside the former synagogue in Görlitz, Germany’s easternmost city. They had come from the …
Militant Democracy
The Party Banning Process in Germany The prospect of banning Germany’s premier right-wing populist party, the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), now classified as a suspected extremist party, is a topic …
Germany’s Changed View of Ukraine Driving Closer Military Cooperation
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine’s ability to defend itself and innovate on the battlefield, and U.S. unreliability if not outright hostility toward Germany have transformed Berlin’s view of Ukraine …
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Building LGBTQ+ Communities in Germany and the United States: Past, Present, and Future
A Three-Year AGI Project – Final Conference Summary The American-German Institute held a final conference in Washington, DC, for the three-year project, “Building LGBTQ+ Communities in Germany and the United …
The Effects of Majoritarian vs. Non-Majoritarian Political Systems on the Queer Community
The United States and Germany have constructed their democratic political systems in distinct ways. These frameworks can pose particular challenges to achieving progress in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. In …
The Fight over the Next EU Budget
Negotiations over the next European budget, known as the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), have exposed deep divisions among member states. So-called ‘frugal countries,’ led by Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands, …
Heated Relations
The Past, Present, and Future of the LGBTQ+ Community in Germany and the United States For over a century, LGBTQ+ communities in Germany and the United States have fought for …
The Macroeconomy Strikes Back at France’s G7 Summit
The mantra of “manufacturing overcapacity”—in other words, China’s unfair competitive advantage in world markets owing to heavy state and provincial subsidies—has dominated the geoeconomic narrative on either side of the …
Activism and Storytelling in Germany’s Capital
From Weimar Berlin’s queer nightlife and groundbreaking research, to Cold War activism on both sides of the Berlin Wall, to today’s institutions and activists, Berlin has long been a center …
The AfD’s New Transatlantic Network
Tracking the AfD’s Engagement with the United States As the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has gained support domestically—exemplified by 20.8 percent of the vote in the 2025 Bundestag election—they have …
