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 United States president, Joe Biden, has made restoring alliances and partnerships a central feature of his foreign-policy agenda. As he arrives in Europe for the first overseas trip of his presidency, the time is ripe for the transatlantic relationship to advance an agenda of democratic resilience.

Strengthening policy co-ordination on Russia and China will be central to this agenda—although transatlantic partners are not expected to be in lockstep with him on every issue. Instead of lamenting where our approaches toward Moscow and Beijing may diverge, however, the US and its European partners should take advantage of renewed diplomatic engagement to make progress on defending democratic values at home and abroad.

Strengthening transatlantic democracies requires even more focus and attention today because of the complex interdependence that exists between our countries and China, not in spite of it. Recognizing that we must safeguard liberal democracy from authoritarian influence is not a retroactive worldview, nor is it the basis of an anti-China agenda. Rather, a shared commitment to renewing our democracies is an enduring feature of the transatlantic relationship and should remain so in the years ahead. 

On March 10, 2021, Ambassador Paula J. Dobriansky testified before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee during the Hearing on the State of Democracy Around the World. Read her full testimony here.

Donald Trump’s second impeachment proceedings have begun. What is the future of the Republican Party now? Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook with first analysis [interview in German].

Hate speech, racism, and a divided society. Former US President Donald Trump left behind many problems that a new human rights policy has to face. A conversation with the German-American political scientist Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook. [translated from German; interview in German]

Whoever speaks out against Trump is at risk of losing their job, and that is exactly what the ex-President has previously threatened. Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook discusses how Trump has been able to maintain power [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]

Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States on Wednesday. He inherits a deeply divided country where one in ten people is starving. How can he get America back on its feet? Christian Wildt talks about this with the German-American political scientist Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook. [translated from German; in German]

Joe Biden wants to overcome the division of the country as the new US president. "Biden will not win certain groups. But he has to be able to live with that. He has to make politics for the winnable middle," says political scientist Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook. [translated from German; in German]