
The Post-Merkel CDU
Five “C”s why Germany’s Christian Democrats are in better shape than we might think The transition away from Angela Merkel, first as party leader and, in September 2021, as chancellor, …

Armin Laschet, CDU Chairman
First Victory Opens Steeplechase to Federal Election Under normal circumstances, the election of a CDU chairman shortly before a federal election would be like the sounding of a starting gun …
Episode 36: The Politics of Drones and the Future of Germany’s Defense Policy
Germany has dramatically increased its defense spending since the wake-up call of Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and intervention in eastern Ukraine – the 2020 defense budget is 40% greater …

The CDU – Finally! – Will Choose Its New Leader
But Will the Winner Make Way for Markus Söder as Chancellor Candidate? The slow-motion departure of German Chancellor Angela Merkel enters a new phase this weekend, as her Christian Democratic …

Germany: A Different Kind of Democratic Dysfunctionality
Much recent discussion of the crisis of liberal democracy has focused on polarization. Polarization is widely – and rightly – seen as a threat to democracy. “If one thing is …
Recent Authors
AGI provides knowledge, insights, and networks as tools to solve the challenges ahead.
Support Our Work
The 2021 Bundestag Election Year
One of the most consequential German elections in memory will take place on September 26, 2021, when a new Bundestag, a new coalition government, and a new chancellor will be …

Trump, Merkel, and Putin
Lessons and Legacies for Transatlantic Cooperation toward Russia Following Russia’s actions against Ukraine in 2014, Germany and the United States cooperated extensively to put into place an effective transatlantic response …

AGI Chairman Martin Richenhagen Interviewed by Deutschlandfunk
Martin Richenhagen, AGI Chairman, was recently interviewed by the Deutschlandfunk Kultur show, “Im Gespräch.” The wide-ranging interview (in German), accompanied by an article, “From Religion Teacher to CEO,” (also in …

Spatial Inequality and Populist Voting in Germany and the United States
Although having lost the U.S. presidential election, the number of votes won by populist president Donald J. Trump still exceeded many expectations. Similarly, the populist German party Alternative für Deutschland …

Europe’s Digital Autonomy and Potentials of a U.S.-German Alignment toward China
Download Publication A concerted response to China’s growing digital power is one of the most critical policy issues requiring U.S.-German coordination during the Biden administration. While approaches to cybersecurity are …

The Albrecht Brothers and the Rise of a Global Retail Behemoth
Few supermarket chains are as ubiquitous or as popular as Aldi with 2,031 stores in the United States and over 11,000 stores worldwide. The store’s founders, the brothers Karl and …