Publication

This paper traces the growing leadership role Germany is playing in EU foreign policy and how long this state of affairs might last. In particular, the text examines 1) Germany’s concept of leadership; 2) how Berlin’s policymakers currently view the EU, Europe’s neighborhood, and the world at large; 3) the cases in which Germany has been instrumental in shaping a European foreign policy response, such as the 2014/2015 conflict in Ukraine, the euro crisis in Greece, and the refugee crisis; and 4) the extent to which German leadership in these cases have been in sync with overall European interests. Finally, the text’s authors recommend ways for Berlin to strengthen the EU as a whole.