AGI

Foreign & Security Policy

The AGI Foreign & Security Policy Program addresses German security policy, the foreign policy cooperation between the U.S. and Germany, and the transatlantic defense relationship.
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Negative Campaigning in the U.S Midterm Elections and Implications for Germany

As a DAAD/AGI Research Fellow in November and December 2018, Susanne Thelen examined the differences between German and American campaign strategies, asking: Can U.S. campaign strategies serve as a role …

Industry and Government Leaders Call for New Election Standards to Protect Democracy

Meeting for a third German-American Cybersecurity Roundtable in Brussels on November 16, industry leaders joined government officials in calling for a more coordinated effort to secure election infrastructure and to …

A European Army: The Wrong Choice for Germany Among Greater Defense Woes

French president Emmanuel Macron’s call for a European army at the beginning of November was met with some justified eye-rolling on both sides of the Atlantic.  Chancellor Merkel and defense …

Germany’s Road Ahead: Four Years into the Munich Consensus

It seems that Germany has come a long way since February 2014 when decision-makers proclaimed the “Munich consensus.” In it, then-federal president Joachim Gauck, then-foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (who has …

The CDU Faces Pressure to Move Right—That Could Backfire

Today, Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is meeting in Hamburg to choose a new leader—a decision with massive ramifications for national and European politics. This moment represents the first opportunity …

Will Merkel’s Retreat Spark German Foreign Policy Renewal?

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has ruled Germany since 2005 and for 49 of the past 69 years—its election of a new party leader December 7 will have far-reaching impact …

Negative Campaigning in the U.S. Midterm Elections

Role Model or Warning for German Campaign Strategies? Negativity has long been a part of American election campaigns, and the 2018 midterm campaign was no exception. In the lead-up to …

Europe Faces Open Doors but Uphill Battles with New Congress

“The U.S. is bigger than the White House,” declared German foreign minister Heiko Maas in a recent interview. In response to President Trump’s well-documented ambivalence toward alliances, German leaders are …

Remembering George H. W. Bush and Germany: A True Partner in Leadership

The death of former president George H. W. Bush will be mourned in Germany as well as in his home country.  He was, along with Harry Truman, the most consequential …

Report and Executive Summary: Bonn International Security Forum

From November 18-20, 2018, the Center for International Security and Governance (CISG) of Bonn University and the American-German Institute (AGI) of Johns Hopkins University hosted the third Bonn International Security …

Episode 03: Burdensharing within NATO: Do more, spend more?

No relationship is without its difficulties and disagreements, not even between societies as close as the U.S. and Europe.  For almost as long as NATO has existed, Washington has wanted …

The 2018 Midterm Elections: The Transatlantic Alliance Outside the DC Beltway

As a DAAD/AGI Research Fellow from October to November 2018, Dr. Niklas Helwig analyzed U.S. domestic perception of the transatlantic alliance during the 2018 midterm elections. Lately, the U.S. administration has …