Quadriga - 2015: A New Role for Germany?
Not everyone is demanding that Germany take on a bigger role in financial, diplomatic and military matters. Twenty-five years on from the fall of the Berlin Wall many citizens are sceptical about the growing demands on Germany and don't want the country to act as a mere deputy to the USA in its role as world policeman. Countries in southern Europe also increasingly feel bullied by their richer northern neighbor.
Despite the concerns of a section of society German President Joachim Gauck, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen continue to prepare the public for new military missions and greater international involvement. Meanwhile public debate tends to be dominated by issues such as the introduction of toll-charges on the autobahn, pensions for stay-at-home mothers and tax scales. For politicians of all persuasions foreign policy adventures are a risk. They fear they will pay the price at the ballot box when the next election comes. Chancellor Merkel prefers to play a background role. Behind the scenes she tries to balance the expectations and the concerns.
But can Germany continue to duck responsibilities in the long term? Germany is, in any case, already global leader in the shooting off of New Year's rockets and fireworks. Around 120 million euros will go up in smoke this year.
What do you think? Have your say: quadriga(at)dw.de
Our guests:
Leslie R. Colitt- the American journalist has lived and worked in Berlin since 1968, reporting on Germany for media outlets such as the British newspaper The Observer". He was a correspondent for the "Financial Times" until 1995. Now he works as a writer and as a freelance journalist for several publications.
Judy Dempsey - After training as a journalist in Ireland, Ms Dempsey embarked on an international career: From the 1980s to early 1990s she reported from eastern Europe. In 1996 she took over the Financial Times' bureau in Jerusalem where she remained until 2001. Judy Dempsey has won numerous awards for her work, including the Anglo-German Prize and the Foreign Press Association Award. She was a Columnist for the International Herald Tribune and works now as a Senior Associate at Carnegie Europe and editor-in-chief of Strategic Europe.
Christiane Meier - began her career in journalism in northern Germany working for several local broadcasters. She later made the move to Bonn before crossing the Atlantic in 2000 to take up a post with the German public channel "ARD", at its Washington bureau. Ms Meier returned to Germany in 2007 and is still working for "ARD". She is now based in Berlin where she is responsible for foreign affairs, the chancellor, the Greens as well as environmental issues.