Progressive Governance: Rise or Demise – How Democracies Can Withstand Authoritarian Attacks

Summary

How can Germany live up to its security policy responsibilities in the Zeitenwende? Tune in to hear German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s pledge to continue helping Ukraine and journalist Anne Applebaum and Head of the German Federal Chancellery Wolfgang Schmidt discuss the fundamental ways in which we now have to rethink foreign, security and economic policy.

Russia’s attack on Ukraine has been nothing short of a turning point for Europe and the world. An authoritarian attack with the goal of dismantling democracy in Europe, progressive administrations are now tasked with supporting democratic allies at the global level while delivering on climate and justice domestically.

“Ukraine represents that aspiration for democracy and for open society that some Russians would like and that Putin feels the need to crush.”

Anne Applebaum, Staff Writer at The Atlantic

Now led by a progressive coalition of Social Democrats, Greens, and Liberals, Germany is redefining its global role in light of the attacks on democracy in Ukraine, Europe and beyond. The Scholz administration is now taking generation-defining decisions on energy partners, defense spending, trade, and its role as the de facto leader of Europe. What is clear: How Germany supports democratic allies in need and how it allies with value-aligned democracies globally will ultimately play a determining role if democratic projects around the world rise or demise.

This episode is a conversation between Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anne Applebaum and Head of the German Federal Chancellery and Federal Minister for Special Tasks Wolfgang Schmidt, moderated by the Editor-in-Chief of the Guardian Katharine Viner on Germany’s role in preserving democracy in Europe and beyond. With an address by Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The discussion is the fifth part of our Progressive Governance podcast series. We recorded this conversation as part of the Progressive Governance Summit, which took place on October 13th 2022.

Post-production and additional recordings done by Emma Gasster and Das Progressive Zentrum. This session was designed in cooperation with the Foundation for European Progressive Studies and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.

Autor:innen

Florian Ranft

Member of the Management Board and Head of Green New Deal

Florian Ranft is a member of the Executive Board and is responsible for "Green New Deal" at Das Progressive Zentrum.

Diego Rivas

Project Manager

At Das Progressive Zentrum, Diego was a Project Manager and primarily coordinated the annual Progressive Governance Summit and the New Urban Progress transatlantic dialogue. Diego is also currently the Get-Out-the-Vote Coordinator for Europe, Middle East, and Africa for Democrats Abroad. Before that role he was Chair of Democrats Abroad Berlin and also a Bernie Sanders Delegate to the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

Emma Gasster

Junior Communication Manager

Emma started as an intern with the communications team of Das Progressive Zentrum in April 2022. She graduated from the University of Bremen with a BA in political science and law and is currently studying to attain her master’s degree in social policy.

Inhalt

Zusammenfassung
Autor:innen

Florian Ranft

Member of the Management Board and Head of Green New Deal

Diego Rivas

Project Manager

Emma Gasster

Junior Communication Manager