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Publications by Thorsten Benner
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Commentary 27 Sep 2016
Germany’s Right-Wing Challenge
In recent years, Germany has emerged as Europe’s preeminent power not only because of the strength of its economy but also because of the extraordinary stability of its political system. Chancellor Angela Merkel is the embodiment of this stability: for most of the past decade, she has been able to… -
Commentary 17 Sep 2016
The End of German Populist Exceptionalism
With this Sunday’s elections in Berlin, the right-wing populist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is expected to enter the tenth regional parliament in Germany. While the AfD is drawing voters from all mainstream parties, the bleeding from Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is the… -
Commentary 12 Jul 2016
Merkels China-Illusion
China beschäftigt die Europäer. An diesem Mittwoch empfängt Premier Li in Peking EU-Ratspräsident Donald Tusk und Kommissionspräsident Jean-Claude Juncker zum jährlichen EU-China-Gipfel. Bereits im Juni war Kanzlerin Angela Merkel mit fünf Ministern und zahlreichen Firmenchefs nach Peking gereist… -
Commentary 01 Jul 2016
Angela Merkel Needs China Reality Check
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has often called the German-China relationship a win-win for both countries. During a recent visit to Beijing last month – Merkel’s ninth – German ministers and CEOs publicly signed €2.7 billion worth of agreements. But business rewards are no longer sufficient to… -
Commentary 22 Jun 2016
Brexit: Ein Störmanöver ohne Wirkung
In den Phantasien vieler heißblütiger Brexit-Unterstützer steht die EU-Armee kurz vor der Tür. Für Penny Mordaunt, Staatssekretärin im britischen Verteidigungsministerium, gibt es für das Vereinigte Königreich nur einen Weg, der Zwangsmitgliedschaft in der EU-Armee zu entgehen: der Austritt aus der… -
Commentary 21 Jun 2016
Brexit Is Not Brexit When It Comes to Security
If you believe ardent Brexit supporters, the EU is close to establishing a joint army that Britain would be forced to join. For UK Armed Forces Minister Penny Mordaunt the only way to escape this certain fate is to vote “Leave.” This is of course rather fanciful scaremongering. But while Mordaunt's… -
Commentary 19 May 2016
The Encryption Debate We Need
In late March, the FBI announced that it would drop its lawsuit against Apple because it was able to unlock the iPhone of Syed Rizwan Farook, a gunman in the December shooting in San Bernardino, California, without the tech giant’s help and using an undisclosed vulnerability. Apple remains alarmed –… -
Commentary 19 May 2016
In der Kryptofalle
Während in den USA heftige Auseinandersetzungen um Verschlüsselungsmethoden und die daraus resultierenden Herausforderungen für Sicherheitsdienste toben, herrscht in Deutschland Ruhe. Offiziell gilt das Regierungsmantra der "Digitalen Agenda": "Wir unterstützen mehr und bessere Verschlüsselung",… -
Commentary 10 May 2016
Precarious Union: Why Europeans Need to Fight for Their Project
June 23, 2016 might very well be a watershed moment for the European project. Depending on the results of the British referendum scheduled that day, it may mark the first time that a country leaves the European Union. This will come as a shock to those who still view the EU as a supranational… -
Commentary 13 Apr 2016
How Europe Can Get Encryption Right
While Europe has taken a great interest in the “crypto war” between the US government and Apple as well as other Silicon Valley behemoths, it has yet to wake up to the gathering storm of encryption policy within its own borders. Various EU governments have proposed unilateral measures on how to deal… -
Commentary 09 Mar 2016
Populists Don’t Need to Run Europe to Ruin It
Contrary to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s boldest dreams, illiberal national populists will not run Europe anytime soon. In many countries, the shrinking center still just about holds. But this should provide little comfort. Populists don’t need to run Europe to ruin it. Of course, the… -
Commentary 08 Feb 2016
Europas einsamer Hegemon
Für den Oxford-Wirtschaftswissenschaftler Paul Collier liegen die Dinge klar. Angela Merkel ist verantwortlich für die Flüchtlingskrise. „Wer sonst?“. Er weiß auch ganz genau, warum Deutschland so gehandelt hat: „Deutschland gefällt sich offensichtlich in der Retterrolle“. Es wäre leicht, dies als… -
Commentary 03 Feb 2016
Europe’s Lonely Liberal Hegemon
For Oxford economics professor Paul Collier things are crystal clear: “Angela Merkel is responsible for the refugee crisis. Who else?” It would be easy to dismiss Collier if he were not part of a growing chorus that sees Germany’s refugee policy as a morality play — with Merkel in the lead, chasing… -
Commentary 27 Nov 2015
Europe Needs to Step Up its Anti-Terror Cooperation
In the aftermath of the Paris attacks, German President Joachim Gauck has been making loose talk about “a new kind of war,” which, some say, would require the creation of a new anti-terror unit for the European Union. But this misses the whole point. Europe does not have any shortage of special… -
Commentary 27 Nov 2015
Es fehlen nicht SEKs, es fehlt Wissen
Europa braucht eine neue Form der Anti-Terror-Kooperation Der Bundespräsident orakelt von einer „neuen Art von Krieg“. Da liegt für einige der Gedanke einer neuen EU-weiten Truppe von Anti-Terrorspezialkräften nah, sozusagen einer schnellen Eingreiftruppe. Doch solche Gedanken gehen am wahren… -
Commentary 02 Nov 2015
Geschichtspolitik: Towards a Responsible Politics of the Past
In July, during a press conference following an all-night negotiation in Brussels on the Greece bailout, German Chancellor Angela Merkel was asked to comment on the French minister of the economy’s comparison of the harsh conditionality of the Greece deal with the Versailles Treaty. Merkel’s answer… -
Commentary 28 Oct 2015
Die naive China-Politik beenden
Vor zehn Jahren forderte Robert Zoellick, damals stellvertretender amerikanischer Außenminister, China auf, zu einem „verantwortlichen Teilhaber“ („responsible stakeholder“) zu werden: Denn Chinas Führer hätten entschieden, dass ihr Erfolg davon abhängt, mit der modernen Welt vernetzt zu sein. Über… -
Commentary 22 Sep 2015
Beyond the “Responsible Stakeholder” Illusion
Exactly 10 years ago today, Robert Zoellick, US Deputy Secretary of State at the time, urged China to become a “responsible stakeholder.” He argued that “China has a responsibility to strengthen the international system that has enabled its success.” From Zoellick’s perspective, China’s “national… -
Commentary 21 Jul 2015
German Diplomacy Without Diplomats
Last Friday, the German parliament overwhelmingly voted in favor of opening negotiations with Greece over a third bailout package. Once concluded, it will bring German guarantees for Greece to more than 100 billion euros. Rather than getting minimum credit for this, Germany’s image across Europe and… -
Commentary 21 Jul 2015
Deutsche Diplomatie ohne Diplomaten
Letzten Freitag stimmte der Bundestag mit klarer Mehrheit für die Aufnahme von Verhandlungen mit Griechenland über ein neues Rettungspaket. Dieses würde die deutschen Garantien auf mehr als 100 Milliarden Euro bringen. Doch anstatt minimale Anerkennung dafür zu finden, befindet sich das…