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Wortkrieg um das europäische Selbstverständnis : eine Vergleichsanalyse der Türkei-Debatte in Deutschland und Frankreich

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Debate on European identity : French-German analysis of Turkish membership issue

Since a few years not only a handful of experts or politicians have serious discussions about the Turkish membership issue, in fact it has become a topical subject of public debates in Europe. The French electoral campaign for elections in the EU in 2004 and the German one for presidency in 2005 are evidence of the presence the Turkish membership issue faces likewise on the level of the political agenda of both countries. Not only the attitude towards Christianity and Islam is questioned but even more the political values, the principales of the EU as well as the ongoing European integration and the gurantee of security at European borders.With the help of these four essential topics, the following article wishes to examine in detail the public debate (especially among politicians, Fellows and essayists) on the Turkish accession to EU from a German and French point of view. It is not by a coincidence that exactly these two countries had been chosen. Thus it is because they are having passionate debates and also their way of discussing is very dissimilar which highlights remarkable historical and cultural-political differences. The study was carried out between autumn 2003 and October 2005 beginning with the declaration of the former French president Giscard and the German historian Wehler and the opening of the negotiations between Turkey and the EU.

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The Pariser Platz (Paris Square) on the east side of the Brandenburg Gate at Berlin, Germany
The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa)
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The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) was created in 1954 by an inter-governmental agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and France, in order to raise awareness of Germany in France and analyze Franco-German relations, including in their European and international dimensions. In its conferences and seminars, which bring together experts, political leaders, senior decision-makers and representatives of civil society from both countries, Cerfa develops the Franco-German debate and stimulates political proposals. It regularly publishes studies through two collections: Cerfa notes and studies as well as Franco-German visions.

 

Cerfa maintains close relations with the network of German foundations and think tanks. In addition to its research and debate activities, Cerfa promotes the emergence of a new Franco-German generation through original cooperation programs. This is how in 2021-2022, Cerfa led a program on multilateralism with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Paris. This program is aimed at young professionals from both countries interested in the issues of multilateralism in the context of their activities. It covered a wide range of themes relating to multilateralism, such as international trade, health, human rights and migration, non-proliferation and disarmament. Previously, Cerfa had participated in the Franco-German future dialogue, co-led with the DGAP from 2007 to 2020, and supported by the Robert Bosch Foundation and the Daniel Vernet group (formerly the Franco-German Reflection Group) which was founded in 2014 upon the initiative of the Genshagen Foundation.

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Friedrich Merz and the Zeitenwende 2.0. A “New Era” for Transatlantic Relations?

Date de publication
07 March 2025
Accroche

On February 23, 2025, almost 60 million voters were called upon to elect a new Bundestag. These elections will also give rise to a new government in Europe's largest economy.

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After the Elections: Germany in Search of Shaken Stability?

Date de publication
05 March 2025
Accroche

With a voter turnout of 82.5%, Germany recorded its highest participation since 1987—an increase of 6.1 percentage points compared to 2021. As in the previous election, the high turnout particularly benefited the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which was able to mobilize many former non-voters. Many voters sought to punish the outgoing government with their ballots, as its approval rating had dropped to just 14% before the coalition broke apart in November 2024. Germany is now very likely heading toward a grand coalition between the CDU/CSU and the SPD, with exploratory talks having begun on February 28.

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The German Greens as an Alliance Party: The End of an Illusion?

Date de publication
13 February 2025
Accroche

At the Wiesbaden Congress in November 2024, Robert Habeck, currently Minister for the Economy and Climate, was nominated as the Green Party’s candidate for the Chancellorship in the early parliamentary elections on February 23, 2025. The party, founded 45 years ago, is now firmly established in the German political landscape. Wishing to turn the page on an unloved ‘‘traffic light’’ coalition, the party is banking on a personal campaign and an optimistic discourse based on the energy transition and social justice.

Annette LENSING
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The rise of the AfD and the choice of radicalism

Date de publication
12 February 2025
Accroche

Founded in 2013, the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) has become increasingly radical as crises have unfolded. Since 2015-2016 and the massive influx of immigrants into Germany, it has positioned itself as a virulently anti-migrant party and continues to consolidate its foothold in the German political system, particularly in parliaments. While its roots are very strong in the eastern regions, where its main strongholds are located, it is also attracting more and more voters in the west, against an overall backdrop of normalization of the far right and a national context marked by strong economic and political destabilization.

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Wortkrieg um das europäische Selbstverständnis : eine Vergleichsanalyse der Türkei-Debatte in Deutschland und Frankreich, from Ifri by
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