German Election Series

On September 26, German voters went to the polls to elect a new parliament. Its members will in turn choose a successor for Angela Merkel, whose chancellorship ends after 16 years in power. The end of this era presents a unique opportunity to reset some of Germany’s political priorities and implement new policies aiming to boost Germany’s leadership on development issues. The country’s new leadership will also chair the G7 in 2022, a crucial moment to work towards resolving some of the most pressing global issues. CGD colleagues have worked with leading Germany-based researchers to develop specific policy proposals for the next German government across a wide range of topics vital for global development, outlined below.

More from the Series

Blog Post
Is the German Public’s Support for Development More Fragile than it Seems?
Jörg Faust
and
Martin Bruder
October 27, 2021
This blog is part of a series by CGD and partnering institutions from Germany focused on presenting specific policy proposals for the next German government’s leadership on global development issues. Many observers expect that Germany to now take a more proactive role in international development. B...
Blog Post
German Elections: Seizing the Moral and Economic Opportunity of Global Health Security
Amanda Glassman
and
Guntram Wolff
September 24, 2021
With the German elections at hand, we propose a high-level five-point agenda for the next Government to enhance global health security to respond to the current COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for future biosecurity risks.
Blog Post
Germany: Five Areas for COP and G7 Climate and Development Leadership
Jule Könneke
and
Ian Mitchell
September 21, 2021
Recent extreme weather events in the US, Canada, Europe and beyond have shown the high-income countries how vulnerable it is to climate change—a feeling that lower- and middle-income countries have known for years. Germany’s actions over the past decade on climate finance have established it as a le...
Blog Post
Why the New German Government Needs to Prioritize Gender Equality in International Development
Megan O'Donnell
and
Alisa Kaps
September 14, 2021
After 16 years under Angela Merkel, the German federal election is just around the corner, with the chancellorship up for grabs. But no matter which parties form the new government, who presides over it as chancellor, and what that person’s gender is, one thing seems certain: the issue of gende...
Blog Post
Germany’s Role in EU Development Policy: From Broker to Agenda-Setter
Mikaela Gavas
and
Svea Koch
September 09, 2021
With a new government taking over the helm of the country and building on its financial firepower, Germany now has the opportunity to fully embrace a leadership role in the EU as an agenda-setter in development, driving forward innovative ideas, rather than as a mere broker.
Blog Post
Change or Crumble! Germany Needs to Reposition its International Cooperation
Adolf Kloke-Lesch
September 08, 2021
As Angela Merkel’s 16 years at the helm of the German government come to a close, Germany’s international cooperation for sustainable development seems, at first sight, to be in good shape. During her tenure, German official development assistance (ODA) more than tripled, reaching $28 billion in 202...
Blog Post
Four Ways the German Government Can Improve Development Effectiveness
Rachael Calleja
and
Heiner Janus
September 02, 2021
Over the last decade, Germany emerged as a leading provider of development finance. Since 2016, Germany has consistently been the second largest bilateral provider of official development assistance (ODA), and in 2020, it was the only G7 member to meet the 0.7 percent ODA/GNI spending target due to ...