France
The Franco-German Elysée Treaty at Fifty: A Model for Others?
The fiftieth anniversary of the 1963 Elysée Treaty provides occasion for reflection on the larger meaning of this landmark for Franco-German relations, but also raises the question of whether its benefits might help other pairs of countries struggling with issues of reconciliation. The Franco-German treaty was viewed subsequently by the German government… Read more >
At Issue Interview: Dr. Michael Inacker
In this latest installment of the AICGS At Issue Interview Series, AICGS President Jack Janes sat down with Dr. Michael Inacker, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Handelsblatt, to discuss the electoral landscape in Germany with national elections on the horizon. Mr. Inacker also sheds some light on the current state of the euro crisis,… Read more >
The Legacy of the Elysee Treaty
In a conversation with his ambassador to France, Chancellor Konrad Adenauer once impatiently remarked that Germans needed to be more closely bound to France for a very simple reason: to prevent them from drifting towards Russia or starting “to dance” between blocks (Western and Soviet). The old chancellor then proceeded to describe… Read more >
Europe’s Pivotal Week
This was truly a remarkable week for Europe. It opened with Franco-German festivities in Berlin celebrating fifty years of the Elysee treaty. It continued with UK Prime Minister David Cameron pitching his vision for the continent and the need to allow Britons to have a referendum on EU membership in 2017. Finally,… Read more >
The Growing French-German Rift
Martin Schulz, the President of the European Parliament, does not mince words. Speaking before a German audience in Berlin, the German politician says that it is time to wake up and face reality: “It has become acceptable to accuse all Southern Europeans of being lazy, it has become acceptable to show German… Read more >
2012
Germany’s Foreign Policy of Reconciliation: From Enmity to Amity
Oct 25AICGS and BakerHostetler LLP are pleased to host a reception celebrating Lily Gardner Feldman’s recently published book, “Germany’s Foreign Policy of Reconciliation: From Enmity to Amity” on October 25, 2012. The Honorable Thomas Matussek, Former German Ambassador to the United Nations and current Head of Public Affairs for Deutsche Bank AG, will the guest speaker, along with Rabbi Andrew Baker of the American Jewish Committee and Professor Gunther Hellmann of Goethe University in Frankfurt.
A Trying Transformation
Watching the celebration of Franco-German friendship this past week in Ludwigsburg should give anyone a reason to believe in the power of reconciliation in international affairs. Both Chancellor Merkel and President Hollande testified to the singular importance of this particular bilateral relationship as both a symbol and an example of overcoming the… Read more >
A Discussion with Lothar Binding, Member of the SPD
AICGS Senior Fellow Alexander Privitera sits down with Lothar Binding, member of the Bundestag’s Finance Committee for the SPD, to discuss the current state of the euro zone crisis and what the next steps must be to help contain the recent surge in uncertainty. Furthermore, Mr. Binding provides his take on the… Read more >
NATO’s Future: Reconnecting Means with Ends
In this week’s At Issue, Executive Director Jack Janes examines the windy atmosphere of debates surrounding the recent NATO summit in Chicago. As the 28 member states look to find common answers to a long list of security issues, they must also reassess and redefine the ends of means that NATO stands for.
European Elections
There is much to digest after elections in a number of European countries this past weekend. Much has been written about the potential impact of the French vote on the current European austerity programs, Germany’s predominance on the continent and the future of the euro. Over the next few weeks, we will… Read more >
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