Democracy

Dossiers

rural road with mailbox and sign that says "say no! to wind turbines"

Articles

statue of children and grandparents playing in front of a large building

Trump's Budget: Climate Losses, Welfare Cuts, and More Deportations

Published: 7 July 2025

Analysis

The Trump Administration’s new budget law is a back door to implementing major portions of the MAGA agenda. It could become one of the most destructive, anti-climate, anti-poor, and anti-working class pieces of legislation in US history and risks the country’s long-term economic stability.

By Teresa Eder, Drew Mitnick, Katharina Obser, Brendan O'Donnell, Carl Roberts and Hannah Winnick

five draq queens hold the Kenyan and Namibian flags in front of the US Capitol

"Drag Nights Aren’t Just Parties, They Are Acts of Survival"

Published: 27 June 2025

Interview

At WorldPride in DC, Namibian activist Omar van Reenen shares how drag, defiance, and solidarity fuel queer resistance—and why global support must move from charity to solidarity to confront rising anti-LGBTQIA+ backlash.

By Omar van Reenen

a straight road and a wall in the middle of a desert head towards a mountain far away

The Assault on Immigrant Communities is a Litmus Test for American Democracy

Published: 20 June 2025

Analysis

On World Refugee Day, the US stands at a crossroads: once a global leader in refugee protection, it now faces rising rights violations, legal erosion, and harsh immigration policies that threaten both vulnerable communities and democratic principles.

By Katharina Obser

hands, bubbles, and pride flags waving in the air at a parade

This Pride Month, Defending Democracy Means Defending Trans Rights

Published: 13 June 2025

Analysis

This Pride Month, defending democracy means defending trans rights. As anti-trans laws surge and political attacks escalate, the rollback of LGBTQIA+ freedoms is becoming a core strategy of authoritarianism both in the US and abroad.

By Hannah Winnick

headshots of the 2025 transatlantic media fellows in a grid with different sized images

2025 Cohort of Transatlantic Media Fellows

Published: 22 May 2025

Announcement

We are excited to announce our selection of Transatlantic Media Fellows for 2025!

The Greens after Germany’s election: Seize the opportunity for a new start!

Published: 27 February 2025

Commentary

Despite the more difficult majorities in society and parliaments, the Greens should not spend too much time licking their wounds. Instead: open the gates and invite people everywhere to get involved in forward-looking politics.

By Jan Philipp Albrecht

Four key economic policy issues for the next German government

Published: 26 February 2025

Analysis

The list of economic policy homework for the new German government is long and urgent. The possibility to form a two-party government of the Christian conservative CDU/CSU and social democratic SPD now needs to be translated into political action – in both Germany and the EU.

By Phillip Käding and Anton Möller

After the 2025 German Federal election: maintaining the ability to compromise among democrats

Published: 25 February 2025

Commentary

The Greens emerge from the election relatively stable despite losses. Formation of the political will within and outside of parties must reorganise itself. Democratic parties must remain able to compromise among themselves in order to fulfil their responsibility for the political order in Germany and beyond.

By Dr. Dietrich Herrmann

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Publications

Democratic Corrosion at the Heart of Europe

Published: 23 January 2024

Study

Protests against Covid-19 policies and conspiracy theories about Russia's war in Ukraine, and how the two are linked and spread, provide insight into anti-democratic sentiment in German society - and how it threatens both domestic and foreign policy.

By Sam Denney

Analysis of the German Federal Elections 2021

Published: 21 October 2021

böll.brief

The analysis after the vote takes four structural dimensions into consideration, which are worthy of increased attention: (1) generations and their different voting patterns, (2) regional differences, (3) women and their political representation, and (4) changes in the Bundestag.

By Stefanie John

The state of content moderation for the LGBTIQA+ community and the role of the EU Digital Services Act

Published: 21 June 2021

E-paper

Platforms can empower groups that have previously been silenced. However, platforms also host hateful and illegal content, often targeted at minorities, and content is prone to being unfairly censored by algorithmically biased moderation systems. This report analyzes the current environment of content moderation, particularly bringing to light negative effects for the LGBTIQA+ community, and provides policy recommendations for the forthcoming negotiations on the EU Digital Services Act.

By Christina Dinar

Algorithmic misogynoir in content moderation practice

Published: 21 June 2021

E-paper

Existing content moderation practices, both algorithmically-driven and people-determined, are rooted in white colonialist culture. Black women’s opinions, experiences, and expertise are suppressed and their online communication streams are removed abruptly, silently, and quickly. This paper explores algorithmic misogynoir in content moderation and makes the case for the regular examination of the impact of content moderation tactics on Black women and other minoritized communities.

By Brandeis Marshall

"Get Lost!": European Return Policies in Practice

Published: 25 September 2020

Study

Current EU migration policies' increased focus on returns raises concerns on the adequacy of such measures with EU standards and fundamental rights. This publication highlights the problems and difficulties returnees face in Afghanistan, Syria, Tunisia, Senegal and Kosovo.

By Kirsten Krampe

Governing Ecologically

Published: 4 July 2019

In voter surveys, the German Greens regularly come out as the party deemed to have by far the greatest competency in this area and in energy policy as well. This study by Arne Jungjohann tries to answer if this image is justified, as it looks at the subnational level of the federal states.

Money against Migration: The EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa

Published: 18 March 2019

Study

The EU-Africa migration summit in Valletta in November 2015 gave birth to a new European funding instrument: the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF). This study comes to the conclusion that the implementation of migration policy projects supported by EUTF funding primarily benefits the (wealthier) member states of the EU.

People on the Move in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2018: Stuck in the corridors to the EU

Published: 21 February 2019

Migrants

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has been part of the “Balkan route” for smuggling people, arms and drugs for decades, but also a migrant route for people who have been trying to reach Western Europe and the countries of the EU in order to save their lives and secure a future for themselves. This report offers insight into the situation on the field: is there a system responsible for protection, security, and upholding fundamental human rights? What has the state response been like? What is the role of the international community?

By Dr. Nidžara Ahmetašević and Gorana Mlinarević

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