The state of public finances in France and Germany is often compared. Germany is considered a model of rigor, through its ability to contain its deficits and generate surpluses, particularly between 2012 and 2019, thanks to the introduction into its constitution of a debt brake mechanism. ...

Germany on the world stage

In a changing world, Germany is more than ever seen as a factor of stability in the face of increasingly numerous and frequent crises. The longevity of its political staff, the power of its economic model and the appeal of its code of values and principles are certainly not unrelated. It embodies stability but can it also serve as a bulwark against the phenomenon of deconstruction of the multipolar order from 1945? The Islamist terrorist threat, the war in the Middle East, Russian expansionism, the unpredictability of the Trump administration, the rise of populism, the question of opening markets and the uncertainty about the future of the European Union constitute the various elements of a poly-crisis which undermines the foundations of German foreign policy. None of these challenges can be met alone or independently of others. Not to mention the dangers that lie ahead in the longer term.
In 2017, the Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) published the collective work " Germany on the International Stage - In Search of Stability in a Changing World " (available in French), edited by Barbara Kunz, Hans Stark and Stephan Martens.
Secretary General of the Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa)
...Research Fellow, Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa)
...Research Fellow, Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa)
...Counselor on Franco-German relations at Ifri
...With its new Skilled Immigration Act (Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz) of 23 June 2023, Germany aims to become the country with "the most modern immigration law in Europe". A new points system and new entry rules for experienced workers having a degree from their home country...
During the economic and financial crisis in 2008, during which the West was severely weakened, the ties between the Western Balkans and China were particularly close. For these countries, turning to China meant to secure new destination markets for their exports and to guarantee new...
The Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) looks back with pride on the history of its Ostpolitik, which it sees as having paved the way for German reunification. With the firm will to continue this Ostpolitik after the end of the Cold War, SPD politicians of the last 20 years have...
In response to Russia's illegal attack on Ukraine, EU member states have issued a series of economic sanctions against Russia. This also includes moratoria on certain products, e.g., in the energy sector.
The EU’s basic assumptions, on which it grounds its economic and trade power, are being steadily cast into doubt. The EU’s main trade partners, the US and China, increasingly set their sights on securing their supply chains, which may further a potential decoupling.
Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, the Bundeswehr has been led to refocus on territorial defense and collective security, which constituted the core of its activity for decades. This evolution break with the long period of efforts during which the Bundeswehr painfully tried to...
Germany, despite the reluctance of its public opinion, is committed to supporting security in the Sahel, notably through its participation in the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM) and recently in Niger, and in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in...
The German government has long hesitated to take a position on the crisis between Russia and Ukraine. It has refused to question the planned commissioning of Nord Stream 2 and to supply Ukraine with weapons.
Reconciling the Green Deal with Europe’s Competitiveness – What Industrial Policy is needed? Videoconferences
Europe has embarked upon a vast process of decarbonizing its economy by 2050. The EU approach to guide this collective transformation within only 30 years is marked – as currently designed – by means of regulatory pressure and a myriad of legislative pieces.
The Aftermath of the 2021 German Federal Election - Analysis of the Results and Implications for Europe Webinar, Heinrich Böll Stiftung Brussels - European Unionsucc
On September 26, 2021, German Federal Elections will be held, and mark the end of the Merkel era. The political equation is likely to be complicated because of the possible combinations and the difficulty for political parties to achieve a stable majority. Important choices are at stake for...
The Africa policies of France and Germany
As demonstrated by the current negotiations over the new European Africa strategy, 2020 is a milestone for the relationship between the two continents.
Is it Time to Reassess EU-China Relations with Covid 19? Closed-door Seminar Series - German Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Before the Covid 19 crisis, the German presidency had set an ambitious agenda for EU-China relations, in particular with the prospect of an EU-China summit in Leipzig in September.
Coronavirus crisis - What approach for a Europe of solidarity? Webinar, French Institute of Germany, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
Discussion with Birgit Sippel, MEP, and Éric-André Martin, Secretary General of the Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) at the French Institute of International...
French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Prime Minister Mark Rutte in The Hague on Monday evening. He mainly hopes for Rutte's support for a European rebuttal to Biden's protectionist green industrial policy.
As France and Germany celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Elysee Treaty, there's mounting pressure for the two countries to revamp their cooperation and leadership within the EU.
From the cupola of the great amphitheater of the Sorbonne, the five large medallions in monochrome representing the sciences, letters, law, medicine and theology will judge the event. Sunday January 22, in the morning, in one of the oldest universities on the continent (founded in 1253), the...
Two leaders under pressure to repair relations after rifts over defence, energy and China. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, hosted the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, for lunch on Wednesday as they sought to iron out significant differences on energy and defence that have weakened...
Germany wants to upgrade its military with the world's most modern fighter jet. The order is worth billions. But is it a good fit?
The coalition deal struck between three parties that will form Germany’s next government is very much in line with France’s own ambitions and priorities, including its vision of a more federal EU.
After 16 years of Angela Merkel, Germany’s federal election will not only pave the way for a new government but also for a brand-new foreign policy. At least potentially.
German Chancellor Merkel has met with French President Macron in what could be her final working visit to France. Some analysts say their cooperation should have produced more results.
"Thirty years of infidelity" is how France's current affairs magazine Marianne describes Germany's relationship with France. An issue this month was devoted to how Germany has been "fleecing France" for years.