2024 Thomas Mann Fellow & Political Scientist Andrea Römmele & Professor of Political Science Bruce Bimber (UC Santa Barbara) will give insights into the upcoming German state elections in 2024 from a transatlantic perspective!

Fall 2023 marks the midterm of the German "traffic light“ coalition, named after the parties' traditional colors: the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and Alliance 90/The Greens. After presenting a progressive reform agenda in December of 2021, the Russian attack on the Ukraine has challenged the German government, among others, resulting in a so-called Zeitenwende, a historic turning point, that is supposed to unify the country. However, transformation is not progressing. Internal struggles characterize the administration of chancellor Olaf Scholz. The support of the far right-party (AfD) is rising to record highs. The state elections in the fall of 2024 in the federal states of the former East will serve as a critical bench mark for future developments in Germay’s political landscape.

In her presentation, Andrea Römmele will evaluate the government’s performance and discuss potential future scenarios for Germany and beyond. Afterwards, Andrea Römmele will engage in a conversation about the topic with Bruce Bimber, Distinguished Professor of Political Science at UC Santa Barbara, who will be comparing populist trends in campaigns in the U.S and Germany from a transatlantic perspective.

During her time at the Thomas Mann House, Andrea Römmele explores the impact that major societal megatrends – such as technology and AI, urbanization, demographic and social change, climate change and resource scarcity, or global growth markets – have on democracies. How do different systemic and societal structures in Germany and the U.S. affect these developments?

The event will take place at the Thomas Mann House (1550 N San Remo Drive, Pacific Palisades) on Thursday, January 25 at 7 pm.

Attendance information

Attendance to this event is by invitation only.

Participants

Andrea Römmele is Professor of Political Communication and Dean and Vice President at the Hertie School in Berlin. She holds a master’s degree from San Francisco State University, a doctorate from the University of Heidelberg, and a habilitation from Freie Universität Berlin. Römmele’s research interests include digital democracy, elections, and electoral campaigns and parties. For Römmele, a central issue is mediating between science and practice. One of her current projects is the “Democracy Report,” developed jointly with ARD, which she moderates herself.

Bruce Bimber is Professor of Political Science. He works closely with the Center for Information Technology and Society, which he founded in 1999. He is also affiliated with the Department of Communication. He studies political communication, with a focus on the relationship between digital media and patterns in human behavior, especially in the domains of political organization and collective action. Professor Bimber s a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a Fellow of the International Communication Association, and a past Fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences.