Bertelsmann Foundation

In Episode 20 of The Transponder, host Samuel George speaks with Duncan Wood about his new study, “Chokepoints and the New Geography of Power”. Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/0M4R...

After parliamentary elections earlier this year, Bulgaria is heading back to the polls to choose its next president. Our #TransatlanticPeriscope Deep Dive covers key developments in the campaign heading into the runoff. Click here to see the Deep Dive: transatlanticperiscope.org/deep-dives/d...

Transatlantic countries are deepening ties with ASEAN as they seek new trade partnerships and more resilient supply chains. Our latest #TransatlanticBarometer explores this growing engagement, while our infographic compares trade balances with ASEAN members.

BFNA staff had a great time forecasting the future of EU enlargement at American University with students from Professor Michelle Egan's European Union class. To add your own voice to questions from the sessions, check out two new RANGE forecasting questions: www.rangeforecasting.org/challenges/3...

Trust in the U.S. has fallen among Europeans, yet support for transatlantic cooperation remains strong on both sides of the Atlantic. A new joint study with @bertelsmannst.bsky.social explores these shifting dynamics. eupinions.eu/de/policy-br...

The #TransatlanticBarometer zooms in on #ASEAN in our newest thematic indicator. Check out key statistics and diplomatic engagement for each of our 30 featured countries and the European Union here: www.transatlanticbarometer.org/topic/engage...

How can the EU and India work together to turn their technology autonomy agendas into stronger and more resilient supply chains? Read the latest article from Murali Nair: www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/eu-...

The 2026 U.S. midterm elections are just around the corner! What do you think will happen? Test your forecasting abilities by weighing in on our new RANGE midterm questions www.rangeforecasting.org/challenges/3...

From the Strait of Hormuz to the Taiwan Strait, maritime chokepoints are more vital than ever, particularly in the Indo-Pacific. Check out our new interactive infographic tracking real-time shipping data across the Indo-Pacific's most important chokepoints. www.indo-pacificnexus.org/infographics

Both Donald Trump and Xi Jinping entered their September summit with lofty goals. But as the dust has settled and details have emerged, the results of the meeting have raised more questions than answers. Check out our new B|Brief from Marshall Reid: www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/us-...

As the new Saeima takes shape, we are launching a special #TransatlanticPeriscope Deep Dive on the Latvian parliamentary election. Check out the Deep Dive for more information on the election results and its consequences: transatlanticperiscope.org/deep-dives/d...

Many Indo-Pacific countries are reckoning with a wide variety of security challenges. For a great discussion of these challenges & their implications for European security, check out the latest episode of the Indo-Pacific In Focus, featuring Maša Ocvirk & Shin-ae Lee open.spotify.com/episode/75c0...

Can Canada become an EU associate member? In her latest B|Brief, Masa Ocvirk argues the future of the Canada-EU partnership will be shaped by concrete action, not creative labels. Read more:https://www.bfna.org/politics-society/substance-not-semantics-1otkgbjdmm/

The #TransatlanticBarometer shines a spotlight on #MediaFreedom in our newest thematic indicator. Check out key statistics and legislation for each of our 30 featured countries and the European Union here: www.transatlanticbarometer.org/topic/media-...

As countries grapple with growing geopolitical uncertainty, Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy stands out as a practical blueprint for action. Bertelsmann Foundation Fellow Matt Jeneroux explains why. Read more www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/can...

On September 6, the Alternative for Germany netted 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, raising the possibility of Germany’s first postwar far-right government. Check out the latest B|Brief from cflynnmartino@bsky.social for impressions from Magdeburg on election night: www.bfna.org/politics-soc...

What can Canada teach us about democratic resilience? In the latest How to Fix Democracy episode, Canadian essayist John Ralston Saul talks about dialogue, compromise and why the “boring” work of democracy may be what keeps it together.🎧https://open.spotify.com/episode/5zP1dgFKXQrp4cQndyDoiZ

How is the era of weaponized interdependence reshaping regulatory competition in the Indo-Pacific and what should the US and the EU do to regain strategic advantage in the region? Read the latest article from 2026 BFNA Fellow Koen Berden to learn more: www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/ind...

The next gold rush may not happen on Earth. A growing number of companies is betting that resources in space could power a future, off-planet economy while also supporting industries back on Earth. How to ensure that a single actor cannot control access? Read: www.astro-politics.org/articles/spa...

The U.S. midterms are fast approaching, and Congress hangs in the balance. Can Democrats retake the House and Senate? Add your voice to the conversation by forecasting on our new RANGE questions. Submit your forecast here: www.rangeforecasting.org/challenges/3...

With the final votes being counted, our #TransatlanticPeriscope Deep Dive on the Swedish parliamentary election has launched! Check out the Deep Dive for more information on the election and its consequences: transatlanticperiscope.org/deep-dives/d...

Radio frequency spectrum is the invisible infrastructure of the space age. It’s finite, increasingly crowded, and essential to everything from satellite communications to navigation. Our new infographic explains how spectrum is allocated and why effective governance matters for the future of space.

Defense-industrial cooperation is emerging as a key pillar of the Japan-NATO relationship. In her new article BFNA Fellow Asako Takashima identifies 3 key areas where both sides can realistically advance cooperation & deliver results. Read here:https://www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/japan-nato

2026 has been a year of rapid change for tech in the Indo-Pacific. In Season 2 of Indo-Pacific In Focus, BFNA Fellows Koen Berden & Michael McKeon explore what these shifts mean for the region’s future. 🎧https://open.spotify.com/episode/0cQAidnsMzvCZdLX9S10m1?si=inPoGF3DSvi_A0hQItAc0g

Why the China shock is a security policy risk In her latest article @corajungbluth.bsky.social argues that the “China shock” is putting pressure on European industry in ways that could ultimately undermine its ability to defend itself. www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/risk

Blame Canada? In Episode 18 of The Transponder, we speak with Christopher Sands, Director of the Center for U.S.-Canada Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS, about how US-Canada relations went sideways, and what happens if neither country backs down. 🎧https://open.spotify.com/episode/1qqV1iCXx7PyUgswLftHXp

From just 3 objects in low Earth orbit in 1957 to around 34,000 today, technological advances have transformed our use of space. But a more accessible space is also a more crowded one, with growing amounts of debris creating new risks for the satellites and infrastructure we increasingly depend on.

The EU’s Global Gateway has significant potential in the Indo-Pacific, but can Brussels turn regional trust into lasting strategic relevance? Georgia Krüger explores what’s needed to make Global Gateway work. www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/gat...

What makes democracy resilient? Former Minneapolis mayor and Minneapolis Foundation CEO R.T. Rybak argues it starts locally, with civic participation, strong communities, and local leadership. 🎧 Listen to our latest How to Fix Democracy episode: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...

One year on from the U.S.-EU joint statement on the Turnberry trade agreement, we are launching a #TransatlanticPeriscope Deep Dive on Transatlantic Trade and Tariffs: transatlanticperiscope.org/deep-dives/d...

The AfD uses symbols & rhetoric from East Germany’s democratic revolution while borrowing governing instincts from the authoritarian state it condemned. A recent rally exposed that contradiction as the party pushes for power in the East. By @cflynnmartino.bsky.social. www.bfna.org/politics-soc...

For the U.S. and Europe, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has been a headache. For much of Asia, it has been a disaster. In the aftermath, however, a growing number of states across the region are doubling down on renewable energy infrastructure. Read: www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/chain

Season Two of the Indo-Pacific In Focus has arrived! To kick off the new season, we sit down with Bertelsmann Foundation Fellows Ann Kowalewski and Randolf Carr to discuss the state of U.S. and EU policy in the Indo-Pacific halfway through 2026 🎧 open.spotify.com/episode/6Of4...

Now streaming on BFNA Docs: American Lithium: The Divide at Thacker Pass. As the U.S. races to secure critical minerals for the clean energy transition, one proposed lithium mine in Nevada has divided the local Paiute and Shoshone community. watch here: www.bfnadocs.org/american-lit...

Chinese overcapacity is at the forefront of policy debates from Berlin to Brussels. It was therefore pleasure to host former MEP Reinhard Bütikofer for a roundtable discussion on how Germany and the EU are responding to the China Shock 2.0. Thanks to everyone who joined.

9 in 10 Germans backed the nuclear phase-out after Fukushima. Today a majority supports a return to nuclear. Every party has adjusted, except the one defined by its opposition to it. New B|Brief from Iulia Sava on the Green Party’s bind: www.bfna.org/politics-soc...

BFNA’s documentary Astropolitics is now available to stream on WETA, PBS.org, and the PBS App. Explore the evolution of great power competition in space and how this new frontier is reshaping global security, technology, and geopolitics. watch.weta.org/show/astropo...

AI is driving one of the biggest infrastructure booms in modern history, but at what cost? In Ep. 16 of The Transponder Virginia State Delegate John McAuliff talks about why N. Virginia became the world's data center capital & it means for the communities. open.spotify.com/episode/69XO...

We are excited to kick off the first annual Young Professionals in Foreign Policy Rising Expert RANGE Tournament! Over the next six months, teams of fellows from YPFP's Rising Expert program will compete to forecast the future of some of the world's most pressing geopolitical questions!

In our latest B|Brief in the Astropolitics series, Charles A. Smith offers a unique glimpse into a corner of the space commercial sector that has the potential to unlock new opportunities: space insurance. www.astro-politics.org/articles/fro...

From semiconductors to AI, many of the world's most vital technologies originate in the Indo-Pacific. But which countries are leading the charge, and how are supply chains shifting amid geopolitical uncertainty? 🎧 The Indo-Pacific In Focus.https://open.spotify.com/episode/2MlLfYHwyiLTZyT5fwDxjo

The European Democracy Shield aims to protect EU democracy from foreign meddling. In their new B|Brief, Maša Ocvirk and Zachary Stoor examine how the EU should reinforce the Shield against the interference challenges seen in this year’s Hungarian & Slovenian elections: www.bfna.org/politics-soc...

Can democracy become more resilient by being bolder? In the latest #HowToFixDemocracy podcast, Andrew Keen speaks with John Kampfner about why resilience, imagination & political courage are essential to renewing democracy.🎧https://open.spotify.com/episode/3fRsEaQulEWLGrkpMLed90

AI isn't just about algorithms, it's about the infrastructure behind them. In her latest article, Georgia Kruger explores how Southeast Asia is emerging as a major hub for AI-ready data centers. A timely look at one of the key frontiers of the AI race. www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/fro...

As Ireland begins its presidency of the Council of the EU, our #TransatlanticPeriscope Deep Dive takes a closer look at Dublin’s vision for the Union over the next six months. Check it out here: transatlanticperiscope.org/deep-dives/d...

As NATO leaders prepare to meet in Türkiye this July, defense spending will again dominate the agenda. New RANGE Forecast: Will 8 or more EU Member States spend 3%+ of GDP on defense by Dec. 31, 2027? Make your forecast and compare it with the crowd!

The #TransatlanticBarometer digs deep into #CriticalMinerals in our newest thematic indicator. Check out key regulations, projects and production data for each of our 30 featured countries and the European Union here: www.transatlanticbarometer.org/topic/critic...

For the 10 year anniversary of #Brexit, our colleagues at @bertelsmannst.bsky.social have released a new #eupinions report. See how Britons would vote today, and where the EU and UK remain aligned here: shorturl.at/r07cZ

As the CDU in Saxony-Anhalt seeks to best the far-right AfD in the state’s September elections, the roadmap may be found in neighboring Thuringia. Read the latest B|Brief from @cflynnmartino.bsky.social to learn more about the upcoming CDU-AfD showdown: bit.ly/4ef0opr

Gerrymandering is no longer just a once-a-decade process—it's become a year-round political battle. In Ep. 15 of The Transponder election law expert Nate Persily explains how redistricting wars are reshaping American democracy. 🎧https://open.spotify.com/episode/2fTW3YYVR8QaRvrOBMvwhN