Germany’s new foreign policy - What can we expect?

18 January 2021 - Policy Dialogue

Speakers: Anna Sauerbrey, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Tagesspiegel; Christian Mölling, Research Director and Head of Security and Defense Program, German Council on Foreign Relations; Hannah Neumann, Member of the European Parliament

Moderator: Ricardo Borges de Castro, Head of the Europe in the World Programme, European Policy Centre

Amidst the latest COVID-19 crisis, the new German government took office in December 2021. Chancellor Olaf Scholz now leads the first coalition of Social Democrats, Greens and Liberals, with Annalena Baerbock as the first-ever female foreign minister. All signs point to change: the coalition promised to tackle transformative challenges such as climate neutrality and adaptation, to define a new approach towards China and to pursue a rules-based foreign policy. Moreover, the new government has committed to increasing the EU’s strategic sovereignty and its capacity to act. It also wants to strengthen multilateral cooperation and revitalise Germany’s strategic partnerships, including with France and the United States.

This Policy Dialogue hed light on what can be expected from Germany’s new foreign policy in the short and medium term. The panelists outlined the current thinking in Berlin in terms of foreign policy priorities, reform initiatives and next steps, before discussing crucial windows of opportunities over the next four years, as well as lessons learned from foreign policy under the Merkel government.