On September 26, 2021, Germany will elect a new parliament. Angela Merkel, chancellor for the past 16 years, will leave office once a new government is formed. The post-Merkel era will require a resetting of Germany's European and foreign policy, which will need to adapt to new realities. On this page, INTERNATIONALE POLITIK QUARTERLY hosts an international debate on Germany's future course in foreign affairs.
No matter who succeeds Angela Merkel in the chancellery, Germany will need to focus on building stronger European strategic autonomy in order to be a strong and valued partner to the United States—and to other liberal democracies around the world.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a wake-up call that it is time to finally forge a more united policy on how the EU approaches the outside world. Achieving this should be Germany’s core focus.
To create a transatlantic partnership amongst equals, Germany and the EU need to take on more responsibility in their immediate neighborhood.
Germany, together with its European partners, needs to forge a new transatlantic consensus with the United States.
Most politicians likely to form the post-Merkel government haven’t grasped the magnitude of the tasks ahead when it comes to rethinking Germany’s foreign policy.
The United States is withdrawing from the world, Russia and China are moving into vacuums, and new power centers around the globe are emerging. In response, Germany and Europe need to become truly global players.
Germany’s relationship with the United States needs a reset. US President-elect Joe Biden’s initiatives on climate protection and democracy promotion are good starting points. Berlin, meanwhile, should think about reforming its defense ministry and cancel Nord Stream 2.
Germany’s recent achievements in taking the EU forward are considerable and laudable, but insufficient. Berlin must now put as much effort into making Europe count on the world stage.
The end of the Cold War could have made possible a new global system of collective security, but the West rejected Russia’s outstretched hand. Today, Germany’s interest should lie in seeking solutions to the problems caused by neoliberalism worldwide, not by further militarizing its foreign policy.
Germany should stop worrying about becoming a “normal country.” Rather, it should learn to address the new forms of geopolitics with the best version of Germany’s post-war incarnation—for the benefit of Europe.
Germany is facing a perfect geopolitical storm. It needs to respond by further strengthening multilateralism, building up European sovereignty as well as solidarity, and reviving the transatlantic alliance with a new US administration.
Germany needs to improve its capacity to act in the realm of foreign and security policy. This includes reaching the NATO 2-percent goal more quickly. There are also structural changes required, including the setting up of a National Security Council.
