Progressive Governance: Germany's Political Turning Point

Talking Progress

Just change or also progress? Ricarda Lang, Tobias Dürr & Jeremy Cliffe discuss the 2021 German Election

As the dust settles, it is clear that Germany has voted for change. But will the result from the 2021 German Election also deliver progress? Together with the newly elected Green Member of Parliament Ricarda Lang, International Editor at the New Statesman Jeremy Cliffe, and Tobias Dürr, a founding member of Das Progressive Zentrum, we dissected the election results, explored the different coalition options, and what it all means for progressives in Germany, Europe, and North America. At the end of the discussion, Josef Lentsch, co-founder of the Austrian party NEOS, added a liberal perspective on the political developments in Germany.

This episode is the fourth part of our Progressive Governance podcast series. We recorded this discussion one week after the 2021 German Election, at an event associated with the Progressive Governance series, a yearly summit that brings together progressive leaders and movements from across Europe and North America.

The episode was produced by Bear Radio. The session was designed in cooperation with the Foundation For European Progressive Studies.

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1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. Welcome by Jeremy Cliffe and introduction of the speakers (00:01:40)

3. Did the German Election result in a mandate for change? (00:02:53)

4. Is there enough common ground for a "traffic light" coalition? (00:09:58)

5. The similarities and conflicts between the Greens and the FDP (00:12:53)

6. The need for a common vision (00:15:54)

7. The Social Democrats' winning strategy and their role in a "traffic light" coalition (00:17:33)

8. Can the parties agree on a way to finance public investment? (00:20:32)

9. What are the lessons for the Greens from their results? (00:24:00)

10. Is there a zeitgeist shift towards the center-left? (00:27:49)

11. A reaction by Josef Lentsch, founder of the Austrian NEOS party (00:33:25)

12. A wrap-up by Jeremy Cliffe (00:36:34)

13. Outro (00:38:12)