Joint conference of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) with the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation
On March 4, Italians are going to the polls to elect a new government and a new prime minister. On the same day, Germans will find out whether Social Democrat party members have voted in favor of a coalition deal with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives. Both outcomes are going to have a significant impact on the relationship between the two countries and the EU ahead of important talks about the future of European governance. The stakes are high: The surge of anti-establishment parties in Italy could put the country on a collision course with those countries in Europe favoring a more integrated EU. Merkel’s prospective coalition has also put European reform at the top of its agenda and set out ambitious goals.
We will be discussing the events in Italy and Germany in light of their implications for the European reform process. We will also be looking at the populist challenge in both countries and explore ways in which the two countries could cooperate more closely in order to make the EU a true player on the global stage. The event will be held in English. Please find the conference agenda attached.
