Unabhängig von der aktuellen politischen Großwetterlage ist der Einsatz für belastbare und starke transatlantische Beziehungen ein Grundsatz unserer gesellschaftspolitischen Arbeit. Die liberalen Demokratien der westlichen Welt stehen vor großen Herausforderungen, die nur mit einer funktionierenden europäisch-amerikanischen Partnerschaft gemeistert werden können. Durch Veranstaltungen, informelle Austauschformate, Publikationen und Debattenimpulse leisten wir zusammen mit unseren amerikanischen Partnerorganisationen einen Beitrag für die Stärkung dieser Zusammenarbeit.
Current Issues

In his campaign Donald Trump promised economic policy that will return the power to “the people”. Meanwhile, his agenda includes massive tax cuts, support for economic nationalism on trade favouring exports over imports, financial deregulation and cuts to federal spending on public health care, housing, education, environmental protection. Nevertheless, populist arguments proved to be convincing to certain parts of American society. Could this scenario repeat in Europe? To tackle this question, Das Progressive Zentrum invited five American experts and political consultants to share their thoughts on the recent rise of populism in the U.S. and its possible development in Europe.

Expect German-American relations to cool over the coming months as September’s elections draw closer

Der neue US-Präsident wird nicht alle europäischen Interessen gegen Putin verteidigen. Ein Szenario zeigt, wieso Europa sich wieder um seine eigene Sicherheit kümmern muss und dabei neue Wege beschreiten sollte.

Die Ratlosigkeit der Linken ermöglicht den Triumph der Rechten. Fünf Thesen zur Wahl Donald Trumps

The unexpected happened and we are still searching for an answer why it happened and what might be the adequate response. This essay attempts to look for the reasons of the current success of populists on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and to face the challenge that is produced by this convergence.
On Thursday, November 17, 6.30-8.30 pm, Das Progressive Zentrum in cooperation with the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) from Washington D.C. and Heinrich Boell Stiftung hosted a roundtable analyzing the outcome of the U.S. election, discussing electoral shifts and drawing consequences for elections in Europe next year especially in terms of strategies against populism.

Resentment of workers from other nations has buoyed right-wing politics on both sides of the Atlantic. Both Trump’s and the Johnson-led Leave campaign in the UK exploited the economic pessimism of the working class.
Farai Chideya asks in her article on FiveThirtyEight: Do we now witness a trans-Atlantic nativist moment?
“If there has been a feedback loop between U.S. and European nativism, it has been in the impression nativists on both sides of the Atlantic got that it’s kicking off everywhere,” said our chair, Dr. Tobias Dürr.

On Friday, July 1, the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) and Das Progressive Zentrum hosted a roundtable discussion on the US American Presidential Elections. After introductions by Ernst Stetter (Secretary General, FEPS) and Dominic Schwickert (Director, Das Progressive Zentrum), we were delighted to engage in a discussion with Ken Gude (Senior Fellow with the National Security Team, Center for American Progress), Paul Nolte (Professor of Contemporary History, Free University of Berlin), and Barbara Junge (Deputy Editor, taz.die tageszeitung). The roundtable was chaired by Sudha David-Wilp (Deputy Director Berlin Office and Senior Transatlantic Fellow, The German Marshall Fund of the United States).