Sebastian Schäffer on FO Talks: Will Historic AfD Victory Now Sink German Chancellor Friedrich Merz?

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IDM Director Sebastian Schäffer spoke with Fair Observer about the AfD’s strong performance in Saxony-Anhalt, the challenges facing Friedrich Merz’s government and the broader political dissatisfaction shaping Germany. 

Schäffer argued that the result should not be understood solely as an expansion of support for the AfD, but also in the context of declining confidence in established political parties. Economic concerns, dissatisfaction with the political status quo and perceptions that established parties are failing to address major challenges are important parts of the current political environment. 

The discussion also addressed Germany’s economic transformation. Schäffer pointed to the pressure on the country’s industrial model, particularly the automotive sector, and argued that the structural challenges facing Germany cannot be resolved by attempting to restore previous economic conditions. 

A central theme of the interview was the growing political importance of nostalgia. Schäffer questioned the idea that Germany or Europe can return to an earlier period of prosperity or political stability. He stressed that the past is often remembered selectively and that political promises of restoring a supposedly better earlier period do not provide solutions to the challenges ahead. 

At the same time, Schäffer emphasised that acknowledging current problems should not mean denying the achievements of the past decades. German reunification and European integration have brought substantial changes, including the removal of borders and deeper European cooperation, while economic and social shortcomings remain to be addressed. 

The interview also covered migration and integration, Germany’s political system and coalition governments, and the challenge of developing policies capable of responding to economic, demographic and security pressures without reducing political debate to a choice between left and right. 

The full interview is available from Fair Observer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhguD5XWI04 

Sophia Beiter as speaker at „How Europe Works“

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From 13 to 17 September, the Campus Tivoli of the Austrian People’s Party, in cooperation with the Robert Schuman Institute and the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, hosted the yearly seminar “How Europe Works”. IDM Research Associate Sophia Beiter gave a presentation titled “CitizEn: Building Societal Readiness for EU Enlargement.” She gave insights into the current IDM project CitizEn and shared results of the research project, implemented in 2024/25 during her fellowship as Charlemagne Prize Academy Fellow. 

Copyright pictures: Campus Tivoli 

CitizEn Micro-Grants – Support for local engagement on EU enlargement

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The Citizens for EU Enlargement (CitizEn) project is launching a call for up to 15 micro-grants of 500 € to 750 € to support local initiatives that engage citizens in discussions about the future of EU enlargement. 

We are looking for creative and locally relevant initiatives – from public discussions and workshops to cultural events, youth activities or communication campaigns – that create opportunities for dialogue and participation, and address questions, concerns and expectations surrounding a future enlarged European Union.  

Applications are open to organisations in 11 EU member states and three candidate countries. The deadline to apply is 25 October 2026. 

Who can apply? 

Think tanks, NGOs, educational institutions, youth organisations, cultural organisations, local media initiatives, as well as other local multipliers or organisations with an established connection to their community. 

Applicants must be based in one of the following EU Member States: France, Czechia, Austria, Germany, Estonia, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Belgium, Slovakia or Portugal; or in one of the following candidate countries: Albania, Moldova or Montenegro. 

What do the micro-grants support? 

The grants are intended to support concrete meaningful opportunities for citizens to learn about, discuss or participate in debates on EU enlargement. The format is open and should be chosen based on what applicants consider most effective for reaching and engaging their target audience. This could be an event, a communication campaign or another innovative format. 

The proposed activity should go beyond simply disseminating information and should include active participation and exchange. Applicants are encouraged to address concrete, locally relevant issues that shape public attitudes towards enlargement. Initiatives that reach groups traditionally less engaged in discussions about European affairs are particularly welcome.  

Grant and duration 

Each selected initiative will receive a micro-grant of 500 € up to 750 €. 

The grants should be used to implement activities between 1 January and 31 May 2027. 

The grant can cover reasonable costs directly related to the implementation of the activity (e.g. venue costs, communication materials, travel and accommodation for speakers or participants, translation, refreshments etc.). 

In addition to financial support, grantees will receive access to the CitizEn communication toolkit, including practical guidance and communication materials on EU enlargement, which they are welcome to use in their activities. 

Grantees will also be connected to the wider CitizEn network of think tanks and civil society organisations across Europe. Where appropriate, selected initiatives may be showcased as examples of good practice through CitizEn communication channels. 

Application process 

Applicants should complete the following application form and send it to s.beiter@idm.at: Document for application

The deadline for applications is 25 October 2026. 

Selected applicants will be informed by the end of November 2026. The selected activities will be presented at the IDM Conference on 3 December 2026. 

Sebastian Schäffer on the elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern for TVP World

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IDM Director Sebastian Schäffer spoke with TVP World about the state elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the continued strength of the AfD in eastern Germany and the wider political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz. 

Schäffer stressed that the two elections should not be treated as part of a single political pattern. While housing affordability is a central issue in Berlin, the campaign in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is shaped more strongly by dissatisfaction with established parties, economic concerns and perceptions of political and social disadvantage in eastern Germany. 

The discussion also addressed the persistence of the East-West divide in German political debate. Schäffer argued that the challenge is no longer primarily one of remembering the division of Germany, but of overcoming what he described as a “wall in the head” between eastern and western Germany. He pointed to the disappearance of borders within the EU as one of the major achievements of German reunification and European integration, noting that this achievement is often insufficiently appreciated. 

The interview further highlighted the complexity of the AfD’s electoral support. Schäffer noted that immigration from outside Germany is comparatively limited in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, despite migration being one of the issues heavily emphasised by the AfD. He therefore argued that the party’s strength cannot be explained by migration alone, but must also be understood in the context of dissatisfaction with established political parties and economic concerns. 

Finally, Schäffer discussed the potential federal consequences of poor election results for the governing parties. He noted that particularly severe losses could increase pressure within the CDU on the Chancellor, while also stressing that the decisive political test would come with the next major state elections rather than necessarily with these votes alone. 

The full interview is available from TVP World and was aired before the ballots closed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0ZU7kavVo4 

IDM Director Schäffer on QNews In-depth about the Graham Act and its implications for European security

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IDM Director Sebastian Schäffer spoke with QNews about the signing of the Graham Act by Donald Trump, possible peace talks, Ukraine’s strikes on Russian energy infrastructure and the wider implications for European security. 

Schäffer urged caution regarding signals from Moscow about possible negotiations. While dialogue remains necessary, he noted that political signalling should not be confused with a substantive peace process. Russia’s ongoing actions, including the organisation of parliamentary elections in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, further complicate the prospects for meaningful negotiations. 

The discussion also focused on the new US sanctions framework and its potential consequences for Europe. Schäffer stressed that the legislation gives Washington additional possibilities to exert pressure through secondary sanctions and tariffs, but that its actual application and timing remain uncertain. He also pointed to the continued dependence of some European countries on Russian energy, despite the fifth year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 

A central point of the discussion was the tension between asking Ukraine to halt strikes against Russian energy infrastructure and simultaneously seeking to restrict Russia’s ability to export energy. Schäffer argued that Ukraine would be giving up a tangible military instrument while the effectiveness of the sanctions remains uncertain. 

The interview also addressed Ukraine’s rapidly expanding drone production and its implications for European security. Schäffer noted that the increasing use of drones creates a growing risk of incursions into EU and NATO airspace, particularly along the eastern flank, placing additional demands on European air defence and transatlantic security cooperation. 

The full interview is available from QNews: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LAbdus_ecI 

IDM Director on Trump signing the Grahams’s Bill for TVP World

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IDM Director Sebastian Schäffer appeared on TVP World in a report on the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act and its implications for Russia’s war against Ukraine. 

In his contribution, Schäffer pointed to the broad discretion given to the U.S. president under the legislation. He noted that measures could ultimately depend on what Donald Trump considers to be in the “national interest” — a concept that, in practice, could also be interpreted in line with his own political interests. 

The segment was broadcast as part of TVP World’s World News Tonight. 

Péter Techet für die Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung über die Korruptionsbekämpfung und die neuen Verfassungsrichter in Ungarn

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In der Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung wurde Péter Techet zu den neuen ungarischen Verfassungsrichtern befragt. Besonders umstritten ist die Nominierung des Antikorruptionskämpfers Miklós Ligeti: Er hatte sich zuvor um den Vorsitz einer neu geschaffenen Antikorruptionsbehörde beworben, war von der Regierung jedoch abgelehnt worden. Mit seiner Nominierung zum Verfassungsrichter entsteht nun der Eindruck, dass Magyar Ligeti aus dem Weg räumen, „wegloben“ wollte.

Statt Ligeti wurde schließlich eine Politologin, Anna Unger, mit dem Vorsitz der Antikorruptionsbehörde betraut. Von ihr sei, so Techet in der FAZ, weniger eine juristische Aufarbeitung der Korruption der vergangenen Jahre zu erwarten als vielmehr eine rein politische Untermauerung der Anti-Orbán-Rhetorik der neuen Regierung. In diesem Sinne bestehe die Gefahr, dass die Behörde nicht der Korruptionsbekämpfung, sondern den parteipolitischen Interessen von Magyar dienen wird.

Der Artikel kann hier gelesen werden: Die Methode Magyar: Wie Ungarns Ministerpräsident den Rechtsstaat umbaut | FAZ

Péter Techet für die Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung über die Parallelen zwischen Tusks Polen und Magyars Ungarn

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In einem Interview mit der deutschen Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung spricht Péter Techet über die Gründe für Péter Magyars Wahlerfolg und seine bislang eher theatralische Anti-Orbán-Politik. Statt auf die strafrechtliche Aufarbeitung des früheren Systems oder die Stärkung des parteipolitischen Pluralismus zu setzen, biete Magyar, so Techet, eher nur „politische Show“.

Im Interview geht es außerdem um die Frage, inwiefern Donald Tusk in Polen und Péter Magyar in Ungarn als Hoffnungsträger für Europa gelten können. Techet erläutert, warum Tusk mit einer deutlich schwierigeren verfassungsrechtlichen Ausgangslage konfrontiert sei als Magyar, zugleich aber bereits wesentlich mehr politischen Pluralismus ermöglicht habe.

Das vollständige Interview kann man hier lesen: Nach dem Machtwechsel: Magyar muss Ungarns politisches System neu ordnen und öffnen – Hintergrund Po…

Peter Techet als Speaker beim Jubiläumsfest der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Wien

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Zum 10-jährigen Jubiläum des Wiener Büros der Friedrich Ebert Stiftung sprach Péter Techet – zusammen mit Christos Katsioulis (FES) und Sthepanie Fenkart (IIP) – über Sicherheit und Demokratie im Kontext einer sozialdemokratischen Politik in Europa.

Dabei betonten sie, dass Sicherheit nicht nur polizeilich und militärisch, sondern auch sozial (im Sinne einer Daseinsvorsorge) zu verstehen sei.

Rebecca Thorne for the IRMO Brief: Is the UK stronger or weaker since Brexit?

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Rebecca Thorne wrote a policy paper entitled ‘The United Kingdom: Stronger or Weaker Since Brexit?’ for the IRMO Brief, published by the Institute for Development and International Relations, a research institute based in Zagreb, Croatia. The paper examines the situation at home as well as the country’s relations with the EU, its role in supporting Ukraine and the balancing act of managing conflicting interests with China and the US while maintaining national integrity.

The United Kingdom: Stronger or Weaker Since Brexit? – Institut za razvoj i međunarodne odnose