After Sunday’s elections in the eastern German states of Saxony and Thuringia, the panel looks at the surge of two extremist parties: the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) and the newly founded Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW). Each stands for foreign policy approaches that are fundamentally different from those of Germany’s other political parties – especially when it comes to Ukraine and Russia. Our experts examine the role that foreign and security policy questions played in the campaigns of the AfD and BSW and assess the possible foreign policy repercussions of their strong showings in both state elections.
Speakers:
Stefan Meister, Head of the Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia, DGAP
Katrin Buchholz, Guest Lecturer, Akademie für Politische Bildung Tutzing; Career Diplomat (on sabbatical), Federal Foreign Office
Chair:
Henning Hoff, Executive Editor, Internationale Politik Quarterly, DGAP