• Germany's new foreign policy

Germany's new foreign policy

What does global responsibility in the 21st century mean?

Does the new German government need to formulate a new foreign policy? President Gauck, Foreign Minister Steinmeier and Defence Minister von der Leyen have initiated a debate on Germany taking on more international responsibility. The German media has focussed primarily on the question of the potential involvement of the Bundeswehr in Africa. But the military question, taken in isolation, is misleading. Germany’s foreign policy challenges are much broader than that. What will it take to shape the 21st century international order? What non-military contributions must Germany make? With regard to Africa, what tasks are the most pressing? And how does all of this fit with the perspective of a common European foreign policy? What do the citizens of Europe think about promoting democracy in other countries? What do they think of using military means? How can democracy and peace be promoted in "weak" states?

In this special, the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) presents its latest work on the role of Germany and Europe in dealing with global challenges that must be overcome in the coming decades.

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