AGI

August, 2012

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The Week in Europe

The last week of August has opened with the usual salvo of news about the debt crisis in Europe. Of course, American public opinion will turn its attention towards the …

The Political Party Puzzle: A German-American Dilemma

As the Republicans gavel their convention in Tampa to start the coronation of Mitt Romney as their presidential candidate – and with the Democratic party convention following in North Carolina …

Waiting on Karlsruhe

As the month of August inexorably ticks away, investors and policymakers are getting ready for a hot September. In the coming weeks, Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet with the French …

The End of Angela’s Summer Break

Angela Merkel’s summer break is over. Upon her return to Berlin, the German Chancellor will find an atmosphere that by now is all too familiar — frantic, heated headline-grabbing public discussions about a possible Greek exit, and the likelihood of a full-scale breakup of the euro zone.

The Most Powerful Woman in the World

AICGS Senior Fellow Alexander Privitera takes a look at the underlying priorities for Germany and its chancellor, Angela Merkel. Many Germans might think that a partial breakup of the monetary union may be needed, but Merkel is not one of them. The essay is adapted from a speech that Mr. Privitera gave at the World Affairs Council of Houston, TX on Aug. 22nd.

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The German Model

In this Handelsblatt report, Peter Ross Range takes an in-depth look at the so called “German Model” of economic and political success. Why, amidst all of the negative issues currently …

The Consequences of the Financial Crisis for Europe’s Security

First published in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, this article from Karl-Heinz Kamp discusses the effects of four recent economic and geostrategic trends and emphasizes three necessities as NATO moves forward. …

Islam to be Added to German Public School Curriculum in North Rhine-Westphalia

While the prospect of religious education in public schools may confound or upset Americans, it is a common aspect of the German education system. In addition to many other major …

Electoral Law Blues

With the next scheduled federal election about 14 months away, Germany has a problem. On July 25, 2012 the Federal Constitutional Court ruled that most, if not all, of the electoral law passed in late 2011 is unconstitutional. In fact it is so unconstitutional that the Court refused to allow any “temporary,” stop-gap version of the old law for 2013. What happens if the Merkel government falls before then (unlikely, but always a possibility in a parliamentary system)? No one knows.

Deutsche Bank Layoffs Amid Economic Uncertainty

On July 31, Deutsche Bank announced that it would cut 1,500 jobs from its investment banking branch. In the weeks leading up to the announcement, the bank found itself confronting …

Seeking Solutions in Syria

While the media in the U.S. and in Europe spent the last two weeks largely focused on the final Olympic medals count in London, reports on the rising body count …