12.00 p.m. (PT) | Webinar

Ronen Steinke, a distinguished German journalist and author specializing in political affairs, will examine the implications of the recent German elections and their impact on transatlantic relations between the United States and Germany. The discussion will be moderated by Consul General Dr. Michael Postl of the Austrian Consulate in Los Angeles.

Join us for a free webinar to discuss Germany's recent elections, which saw the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party become the second-most popular political force as well as the growing American retreat from Europe. This political shift has raised concerns about Germany's future direction and its impact on NATO, especially as the U.S. under President Trump signals a retreat from European engagements. Chancellor-elect Friedrich Merz has advocated for increased European defense capabilities, including discussions on sharing nuclear weapons among Germany, France, and Britain, to bolster deterrence.

Attendance

Register for free here.

Participants

Ronen Steinke, born in Erlangen, grew up in the small Jewish community of Nuremberg. As a political editor at Süddeutsche Zeitung, he focuses on civil and human rights in his commentaries, essays, and columns. His legal dissertation on war crimes tribunals (2011) was praised as a “masterpiece” by FAZ. His publications, including the 2022 bestseller Vor dem Gesetz sind nicht alle gleich, have sparked significant political discourse. His biography of Fritz Bauer, prosecutor of the Frankfurt Auschwitz trials (2013), was adapted into an award-winning film and translated into multiple languages. Since 2023, he has been a lecturer at the Institute for Criminal Science and Philosophy of Law at Goethe University Frankfurt and is currently an Honorary Fellow at the Thomas Mann House.

Michael Postl has served as Consul General of Austria in Los Angeles since August 2021. With three decades in diplomacy, international relations, and public international law, he previously held key roles such as Austria’s Ambassador to Malaysia and Brunei (2017-21), Armenia, Georgia, and Uzbekistan (2010-12), and Iran (2006-09). He also led Austria’s Department for Multilateral Economic Relations and was National Coordinator at the Central European Initiative. Additionally, Postl has been a lecturer in public international law at the University of Innsbruck since 2004.

This event is organized by the Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall.