The Zeitgeist

The Zeitgeist


Episode 42: A New Direction for Germany?

April 29, 2021

The German federal election campaign is heating up after Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) and the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) finally chose Armin Laschet as the bloc’s chancellor candidate and the Greens rally behind Annalena Baerbock. While Laschet stands for continuity in a country that has been led by Angela Merkel for 16 years, Baerbock advocates changes in German policy and a new direction. Recent public opinion polls provide a dim outlook for the conservatives and suggest that it could be impossible to form a coalition government without the Greens after the September election.
On this episode, Julian Mueller-Kaler, resident fellow at the Atlantic Council and an AICGS non-resident fellow, again joins AICGS president Jeff Rathke and AICGS senior fellow and director for society, culture & politics program Eric Langenbacher to discuss the latest developments in Germany’s electoral politics. What are the strengths and weaknesses of leading chancellor candidates? What are some potential options for a coalition government? Will the Covid-19 pandemic have a lasting effect on voter perception? Can other parties such as the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the left party make gains in the election?

Host
Jeff Rathke, President, AICGS
Guests
Julian Mueller-Kaler, Resident Fellow, Atlantic Council and Non-Resident Fellow, AICGS
Eric Langenbacher, Senior Fellow and Director, Society, Culture & Politics Program