Pariser Platz Dialogue
December 2023
On 30 November and 1 December 2023, French and German participants met in Berlin for our annual Pariser Platz Dialogue to discuss joint challenges and opportunities for cooperation. The event consisted of two days of Chatham House discussions among prominent figures from both countries. This year’s event took place under the name “De-risk and Decarbonise – Carving a common path towards a green and resilient EU.” Topics included the future of the Single Market, a green industrial strategy for Europe, global decarbonisation efforts, achieving a just green transition, European defense procurement, EU institutional reforms, and the dynamics and priorities of the next EU Commission.
Photo: Maurice Weiss
December 2022
On 1 and 2 of December 2022 French and German participants met in Berlin to discuss joint challenges and opportunities for cooperation. The event was made up of two days of Chatham House discussions between prominent figures from both countries followed by a public event, in which our Director Johannes Lindner spoke with journalists on where we stand on crucial topics such as energy, security, economic prospects and the reform of European institutions. During the Chatham House portion, topics included inflation, European defence, energy policy and EU enlargement.
Photo: Maurice Weiss, Monique Ullrich
December 2021
With a new German government now in power, the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union starting on 1 January 2022, and the upcoming presidential and legislative elections in France, the Franco-German partnership has entered a period of major political upheaval. Europe standing currently at an historical crossroads, how can France and Germany prepare a joint action plan for the post-election period? On 13 and 14 December, more than 50 high-ranked decision-makers from both countries met at the Parisez Platz Dialogue 2021 to discuss various topics related to Franco-German cooperation.
Image: CC Maarten van Maanen, Source: Flickr
December 2020
Under the title “Time to act: A new strategic agenda for Franco-German cooperation in Europe“ the launch of our flagship event on 1 and 2 December 2020 brought together about 40 renowned German and French representatives from economy, politics, research and civil society for a two-day conference. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the event had to take place online. The Covid-19 pandemic continues to pose huge challenges for Europe and requires unprecedented transnational responses. We need intensive Franco-German cooperation as a driving force for ambitious European answers to the crisis now more than ever. How can Germany and France prepare their societies for the challenges of tomorrow? How can they develop a common approach?
Spotlight
September 2024
Strengthening European Defence in times of turmoil – What can France and Germany contribute?
During an engaging discussion with Sciences Po students, Minister of State Tobias Lindner stressed the vital role of Franco-German cooperation in strengthening European defence.
Europe’s support for Ukraine against Russia’s aggression is of crucial importance. As leading European member states in defence matters, France and Germany are particularly expected to coordinate and launch new initiatives. These assessments were made by Tobias Lindner, Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, at our Spotlight event on 17 September at Sciences Po in Paris.
He emphasised that leadership from France and Germany in defence initiatives, paired with an “open house policy” allowing other nations to join, is key to fostering deeper military integration and ensuring Europe is united in addressing evolving security threats.
In his keynote, Minister of State Lindner stressed three strategic priorities to secure Europe’s future in the face of persistent challenges:
Ongoing Support for Ukraine: First, he emphasised that continued support for Ukraine is vital, as it defends both its territory and security, as well as liberal values that underpin European peace and stability.
Enhanced European Military Cooperation and Deterrence: Second, he called for increased investment in European military cooperation, as well as in the credibility of European deterrence by strengthening European contributions to NATO and closing critical capability gaps, while boosting industrial production.
Expanding Europe’s Global Security Role: Third, he urged Europe to extend its security focus beyond its borders, increasing international cooperation to meet the rising demand for the EU to take on a more prominent role as a global security actor.
This Spotlight event, which is part of the Pariser Platz Dialogue series, featured an introduction by Johannes Lindner, Co-Director of the Jacques Delors Centre, and Anne-Célia Feutrie, Executive Director of the School of Public Affairs. Arancha González, Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs, moderated the discussion.
October 2023
Emmanuel Macron’s vision of European sovereignty emphasises a stronger, more united Europe that can assert its strategic autonomy. But what form should European sovereignty take? Does it mean less global trade and more protectionism? Will all member states agree? And what is the role of EU enlargement in all this?
On 20 October, Garance Pineau, Macron’s distinguished advisor on European affairs addressed these questions at the Hertie School, shedding light on the steps taken so far to achieve European sovereignty and Macron’s visions for the future. With an introduction by Marie Azuelos, Vice President for International Affairs at Sciences Po, and moderated by Dr. Johannes Lindner, Co-Director of the Jacques Delors Centre, Pineau discussed the implications of changing EU borders on the question of sovereignty. With the promise of European enlargement in the near future, she asked how the EU can reconcile its goal of an enlarged membership with its vision of a more unified and ambitious future.
This event was organised by the Jacques Delors Centre and co-hosted by Sciences Po.
March 2023
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to tectonic shifts in international relations. On 9 March 2023, Jörg Kukies, Secretary of State at the German Federal Chancellery discussed the effort to tackle the challenges raised or intensified by this war of aggression with us. The event was hosted by Sciences Po’s Paris School of International Affairs, with moderation by Arancha González Laya, Dean of Sciences Po PSIA and introduction by Johannes Lindner, Director of the Jacques Delors Centre.
Research Meets Politics
September 2023
On September 12, 2023, at the historic Paulskirche in Frankfurt, we commemorated the 175th anniversary of the 1848 revolutions with discussions on their legacy and implications for the European Union today. Featuring high-level speakers, the event included two main panels: “Between European Democracy and the Nation State: How Do We Move Forward?” with Dr. Katarina Barley, Pervenche Berès, Dr. Norbert Röttgen, and Charles Sitzenstuhl, moderated by Dr. Johannes Lindner, and “Before National Conceptions: How European Were the Revolutions of 1848?” with Dr. Alexandra Bleyer, Dr. Jörg Bong, and Prof. Dr. Quentin Deluermoz, moderated by Dr. Nils Minkmar.
Photo: CC lapping, Source: Pixabay
June 2022
On Monday, June 27th 2022, the Franco-German Dialogue annual summer event took place in a hybrid format for the first time. High-level guest speakers from the Political and Academic spheres came together to discuss the future of the European Union in the context of an energy crisis, but also at a time when the concept European Sovereignty is challenged. French and German high-ranking representatives exchanged views on matters of energy, sovereignty, cooperation and security within the EU.
Photo: Thomas Lobenwein
June 2021
The climate crisis is making its way into the political discourse, thereby sparing almost no field. In order to meet the challenges the climate crisis raises, innovative and transnational solutions are more than ever needed. In this regard, “Research meets Politics” provided a Franco-German platform to discuss the decarbonization of the economy, the growing security risks linked to climate change as well as topics regarding green finance. Which scientific proposals can address these issues, and how do policymakers respond to them? How will France and Germany meet these challenges? Finally, how can these two countries move forward and, together, contribute to a European model for a transition to climate neutrality?
Photo: Anders J, Source: Unsplash
June 2020
While European member states initial responses to the Corona crisis demonstrated a lack of exchange and solidarity, the Franco-German proposal for the economic recovery in Europe after the crisis marked a change of course. The exchange between politicians and academics at the conference “Rebuilding Europe after Corona: What can France and Germany do?” on the 26th June 2020 illustrated the importance of building bridges between research and decision-makers by showing which lessons and best practices can already be drawn from this crisis.
Image Source: Shutterstock
Franco-German Security Forum
February 2021
Our Franco-German Security Forum brought together experts to discuss the most pressing security and defence issues facing Europe today. The event was made up of two panels: “What is the next step for European sovereignty?” and “Should the EU readjust its strategic compass?” In the first panel, participants highlighted the importance of joint responses to security questions, emphasising that a common approach is possible. In the second panel, participants stressed that the Strategic Compass is only a starting point for European defence, and that both more depth and breadth are likely to develop overtime.
