In 2016, policymakers and the public in Germany and Britain would probably have agreed that global opportunities were shifting eastward to Asia and that European integration brought liabilities. But the Brexit vote showed that they reached very different conclusions about how to respond to these challenges. The coronavirus crisis, however, has given both sides the opportunity to better assess the need for a strong Europe and the risks in the East. It has not only provided them with much on which to cooperate, but also institutionalized opportunities to do so – their G7 presidencies, the COP26 summit, and the NATO 2030 review initiative. There is a risk, however, that local tensions surrounding Brexit will rob them of their sense of perspective. We ask:
- Does Brexit represent a fundamental difference in outlook between Berlin and London or a clearing of the air?
- Where are the easy opportunities to strengthen cooperation and the clusters of issues on which to work together?
- How can Britain and Germany desist from using their global engagement at the expense of one another?
We discussed the prospects for British-German relations with:
Dr. Nicolai von Ondarza, Head of Research Division EU/Europe, SWP
Dr. Franziska Brantner MP, Member of the Bundestag for the Greens
Hans Kundnani, Head of the Europe Program, Chatham House
Moderator: Dr. Henning Hoff, Executive Editor, Internationale Politik Quarterly
Welcome: Dr. Roderick Parkes, Research Director, DGAP
Watch the recording: