Analysis
Politics
European Commission Report Highlights Ukraine’s Gains in Governance, Reform and Resilience
7 November 2024
Stability in Central and Eastern Europe is one of Germany’s core interests – which is a card the countries of the region need to play. To become a guarantor of stability and security for the region Germany has not only to define its economic interests but also its security and ideological interests.
Not everybody outside of Germany remembers Horst Köhler today. Of course, the German chancellor always plays the most visible role – being the head of government. But one shall not underestimate the significance of the office of the president.
Next to ceremonial obligations, German presidents were always initiating important policy debates, influencing German public discourse – so was the aforementioned Horst Köhler.
He was a remarkably popular president, no doubt about that. But Köhler is remembered these days, out of all things, because he shaped German security debates to an extent he himself did not foresee.