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British-German Alumni dialogues ‘Germany in a post-Merkel era’
Tuesday 16 March 2021, 1745-1915 GMT In association with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the British Embassy in Berlin.
Panellists Stefanie Bolzen UK and Ireland Correspondent, Die WELT Maurice Hirt President of the German Society at the London School of Economics Carolyn Rowe Co-Director, Aston Centre for Europe and Senior Lecturer in Politics, Aston University
Discussion When she stands down after the elections in September, Angela Merkel will have been Chancellor of Germany for 16 years. Recent German chancellors have served long in office - Konrad Adenauer ran West Germany for 14 years, Helmut Kohl for 16 – making a change of chancellor the opportunity for a reset in German politics. But what will a reset look like? Merkel’s departure makes an unpredictable election more so. The conservative Christian Democratic Union may still lead the next government (potentially in coalition with the Christian Social Union), but the political landscape in Germany will be characterized differently. What are the implications of German politics beyond Merkel? • What does a reset mean for Germany, Europe and the wider world? • What does it mean for the UK-Germany relationship? • What will Greens in government mean for the UK-Germany relationship and foreign policy? Format A highly interactive session, we will start with a short introduction by a panel of speakers then discuss the issues raised, together with the speakers, in smaller groups. If you can stay on afterwards there will be an opportunity for more informal networking. Do bring a drink along!
Participation This series of virtual dialogues provides an opportunity for those interested in British- German relations to connect virtually and share thoughts on the critical issues facing both countries in 2021. This follows on from the 2020 series: British German Alumni: Staying connected in 2020. Further information: https://www.wiltonpark.org.uk/events/british-german-forum/
Panellist Biographies Stefanie Bolzen UK and Ireland Correspondent, Die WELT Stefanie Bolzen is the UK and Ireland correspondent for German broadsheets Die WELT and WELT am Sonntag. Stefanie is a regular commentator for British media on Brexit and European politics. Prior to taking up her London role in 2013, Stefanie spent four years as Die WELT’s Europe Correspondent in Brussels, covering EU and NATO affairs. She started her journalistic career as a foreign news editor in Berlin while also reporting on EU enlargement, the Balkan conflicts and energy policy. Stefanie studied Modern History at the Universities of Cologne and Seville and trained at Axel Springer, Europe’s largest publishing house. She is alumna of the Milena Jesenská Fellowship and the Arthur F. Burns Fellowship. Maurice Hirt President of the German Society at the London School of Economics Maurice Hirt is President of the German Society at the London School of Economics and Political Science and chair of the LSE German Symposium. He also serves as a trustee and member of the Executive Committee of the British- German Association. Maurice studies Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the LSE. Carolyn Rowe Co-Director, Aston Centre for Europe and Senior Lecturer in Politics, Aston University Dr Carolyn Rowe is Co-Director of the Aston Centre for Europe (@Aston_ACE), an inter- disciplinary hub for policy-relevant research and knowledge transfer on Europe, based at Aston University in Birmingham. Carolyn has expertise in the analysis of German politics and federalism, and is currently completing a monograph on the decentralisation of policy responsibility and political authority in Germany. She has provided analysis on the role of the German Länder in the European Union to a number of EU bodies, the UK Shadow Europe team and the Scottish Parliament. She is also a Young Königswinter alumna.
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