This sober pragmatism is driven by security and economic resilience concerns. It will be interesting to see how Germany develops its “soft power” in a more conflictual world while Germany’s image as Europe’s economic powerhouse is showing serious cracks.

German foreign policy-making will rely more heavily on strengthened intergovernmental diplomacy.

This includes partnerships with countries that “hold different opinions and whose positions may sometimes seem strange to us,” says Wadephul. 4/

While the DG for International Order will stay and absorb teams working on stabilisation, prevention etc.

But funds for crisis regions and large humanitarian budgets for external cultural and educational policy will be administered directly by the regional desks. 3/

Goals 1 and 3 will be supported by strong departments for security policy and for EU policy and geoeconomics.

The department for stabilisation created 20y ago will be dissolved, as will the department for foreign cultural and educational policy. Staff numbers at the Berlin HQ will go down 2/

🌍Geoeconomic Interconnectivity Index (GEOII)

How connected is Europe to its neighbourhood, and how about the US, China & Russia?

Explore the GEOII here: geoii.eu/start

And read @dschwarzer.bsky.social's piece on how Europe must wield its economic weight here: www.handelsblatt.com/meinung/kolu...

On France’s Political Crisis

@dschwarzer.bsky.social contributes to @carnegieeurope.bsky.social "Taking the Pulse", writing how turmoil in Paris undermines Europe’s geopolitical hand from defence unity to fiscal credibility.

carnegieendowment.org/europe/strat...

Same here!

Michael Leigh, EU Enlargement: Exporting Stability or Importing Instability?

@stevenblockmans.bsky.social, Gradual EU integration: limits to an à la carte approach

@dschwarzer.bsky.social, Enlargement will only succeed if the EU embraces more flexibility

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