Diplomacy and International Politics

The House Democracy Partnership Commission held a hearing on the role of independent and constituent-driven legislatures and the importance of legislative strengthening efforts. Parliaments have a key role to play in promoting and advancing good governance, the sharing of best practices, and collaborating with their peers. Bodies such as the House Democracy Partnership can be formidable tools for parliaments to engage with one other and become valuable fora for strengthening democratic institutions and deepening bilateral relations.

The 2020 US presidential elections deepened the political divide between Republicans and Democrats. Joe Biden has now been President for 100 days and the debates seem to have calmed down. Can he really bring people closer together again? How does his ambitious investment program work? And what role does social media play now? [translated from German; interview in German]

A committed climate policy, billions of dollars for infrastructure, extensive social spending, condemnation of racism and predictable foreign policy — Joe Biden's agenda is clearly  different from that of his predecessor. The question is: what can he actually implement? [translated from German; interview in German]

The UK's vaccination program is a rare pandemic success story for Boris Johnson. It's a different story on the other side of the Channel, where Europe is still struggling to get rollout programs off the ground.

The secretary of state has postponed diplomatic travel during the coronavirus pandemic, which experts say is a challenge at a moment of flux in the world.

The Coronavirus and its variants know no borders. Despite falling numbers in Germany, the virus continues to have a firm grip on Europe. The reason? Vaccine procurement is worse in Europe than anywhere else in the world. Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook discusses the current state of the pandemic in the EU. [partially translated from German; interview in German]

The inauguration of Joe Biden was marked by strict security requirements and COVID-19 protocols, but it still proceeded smoothly. Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook sums up the most important challenges now awaiting the 46th U.S. president.  [translated from German; interview in German]

After Joe Biden is sworn in as the next President, he wants to reverse a number of measures taken by his predecessor Donald Trump. Will Biden manage to bring the country back to normal? Alexander Kähler discusses with Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson (KCRW Berlin), Christoph von Marschall (Der Tagesspiegel), Majid Sattar (FAZ Washington) and Cathryn Clüver-Ashbrook (political scientist Harvard Kennedy School). [translated from German; interview in German]

On Wednesday, Joe Biden will be sworn in as the President of a nation at a pivotal moment, and the world will be watching because all democracies are in this moment together.

The view from Biden's podium at the United States Capitol, looking down over Washington DC's National Mall, will not be pretty.

Storming the Capitol, shaking democracy - how dangerous are the days ahead of the transition of power for the United States? And even if Trump leaves the Oval Office, will he remain an eternal divider? Does the poison of his lies continue to have an effect in America, and does it perhaps continue to serve as a model for populists abroad? [translated from German, interview in German]