The leadership transition in Germany after Angela Merkel’s long tenure as chancellor is an opportunity to assess where Germany is today and where it may be headed in the future.  This talk presents an overview of Germany’s politics, society and economy.  It explores the question of how Germany arrived at its current situation of comparatively stable democracy, economic prosperity, and social peace.  It reviews the evolution of Germany’s system in the postwar period, including the strains it has faced from unification, immigration, and right-wing populist authoritarian movements.  It asks how well Germany’s system will be able to meet the challenges of the coming decades.

Thomas F. Remington is a Visiting Professor at Harvard University, a Senior Research Associate at the Higher School of Economics, in Moscow, Russia, and Professor (Emeritus) of Political Science, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.  He is the author of many books and articles focusing on Russian and Chinese political institutions and social policy.