Talking Progress

This episode was produced and first released by the Progressive Policy Institute, post-production and additional recordings done by Das Progressive Zentrum.

New Urban Progress is the joint metro initiative of Das Progressive Zentrum, the Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft and the Progressive Policy Institute. The project is supported by the Transatlantic Program of the Federal Republic of Germany and funded by the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi).

You will hear about:

The episode is part of Europe takes part!, a project that sheds light on the role of arts and culture in Europe and empowers its actors through digital tools. It is organised and executed by Das Progressive Zentrum in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut, supported by the German Federal Foreign Office. Check out more on our website: progressives-zentrum.org/europe-takes-part/.

This episode is moderated by Raphaela Hobbach. It was produced by Nicki Hoffmann for Das Progressive Zentrum and supported by Sophie Borkel.

The urban transformation is not going to be cheap. According to a recent study by the KfW Group, Germany needs five trillion euros in order to become climate neutral by 2050. Instruments both old and new are on the table: From raising taxes to putting a price on carbon to issuing green bonds. The discussants weigh their pros and cons – while making clear: The costliest option would be to continue business as usual.

The city as a challenge and opportunity

"It's the city, stupid" says Oliver Weigel, raising the point that cities are where we meet the challenges and profit from the opportunities offered by every transformation. Cities thus have the potential to serve as a blueprint for a sustainable future. But this requires bringing in civil society and renegotiating the use of public space, among other things. The transition to climate neutrality is feasible, Fritzi Köhler-Geib emphasizes. The necessary technologies exist. What now needs to be done is to set the right incentives, so that companies will choose climate-neutral technologies over conventional ones.

Find out more:

This episode was produced and first released by the Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft, post-production and additional recordings done by Das Progressive Zentrum. It is part of New Urban Progress, a joint metro initiative on the future of work, democracy, and well-being launched by Das Progressive Zentrum, the Progressive Policy Institute and the Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft.

As the dust settles, it is clear that Germany has voted for change. But will the result from the 2021 German Election also deliver progress? Together with the newly elected Green Member of Parliament Ricarda Lang, International Editor at the New Statesman Jeremy Cliffe, and Tobias Dürr, a founding member of Das Progressive Zentrum, we dissected the election results, explored the different coalition options, and what it all means for progressives in Germany, Europe, and North America. At the end of the discussion, Josef Lentsch, co-founder of the Austrian party NEOS, added a liberal perspective on the political developments in Germany.

This episode is the fourth part of our Progressive Governance podcast series. We recorded this discussion one week after the 2021 German Election, at an event associated with the Progressive Governance series, a yearly summit that brings together progressive leaders and movements from across Europe and North America.

The episode was produced by Bear Radio. The session was designed in cooperation with the Foundation For European Progressive Studies.

In this episode, Robert Habeck and Margrethe Vestager discuss if it is possible for the European Union to keep pace in the digital race with the United States and China.

By examining historical relationships between the European Union and its member states, the two guests diagnose how likely it is for the European Union to come out on top and how democratic institutions can stay intact.

From private companies such as Facebook and Google, which create highly influential digital spheres, to leading states like China, the USA or the European Union, there are competing and contrasting visions and values for the digital age.

And a lot is at stake, including data privacy, local and national economies, as well as democracy as we know it. Our two guests discuss how underlying these tensions is the attempt to balance democratic principles with efficiency and pluralism.

This episode is the third part of our Progressive Governance podcast series. We recorded this conversation as part of the Progressive Governance Digital Summit which took place from June 9th to 11th 2021.

Post-production and additional recordings done by Annika Hoffmann and Das Progressive Zentrum. This session was designed in cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Stiftung.

Traditional large tent parties have begun to struggle. In response, there is a temptation to appeal to certain segments of society. Our guests Tim Bale and André Krouwel advise that social democratic parties do not narrow their messaging and instead find ways to communicate in overarching narratives.

The time of catch-all politics is over

Bale and Krouwel discuss the challenges to social democracy and to understanding the current electorate. Against common misconceptions, Krouwel states that the majority of voters are not leaving social democratic parties for far-right parties. Instead, they vote green, liberal or centre-right.

Developing a right-wing agenda or imitating certain aspects of other moderate and centre-left parties is not a path forward, according to Krouwel: social democratic parties should focus on their traditional strength as a big-tent movement unified around social justice and progress.

"Did voters leave the party or did the party leave the voters?" (André Krouwel)

How can social democrats revive themselves?

Regaining trust by constantly demonstrating a visible moral compass is a good place to start. Bale and Krouwel debate exactly how much policy details parties should communicate, but both argue strong and personable leadership should have a higher premium. Relatable leadership can help communicate several signature policies that accurately represent the underlying morality of the party.

"People need to see themselves reflected in the leadership"

Find out more about the Progressive Governance Summit or visit our Website!

This session was designed in cooperation with the Foundation For European Progressive Studies.

How has the pandemic year influenced the politics of right-wing populists and nationalists? Is their goal of a world defined by closed and exclusive communities any closer or has the year 2020 and 2021 demonstrated the need for regional and international cooperation? This episode will debate the short and long term effects of the pandemic on right-wing populism and offer suggestions on how progressives can win elections during the 2020s.

This episode is the first part of our Progressive Governance series. We recorded this session as part of the Progressive Governance Digital Summit that took place from June 9th to 11th 2021. Post-production and additional recordings were done by Annika Hoffmann and Das Progressive Zentrum.

Johannes Hillje, a policy fellow at Das Progressive Zentrum, moderated this conversation between Catherine de Vries, Dean of Diversity and Inclusion and Professor of Political Science at the Bocconi University and Cas Mudde, Professor of International Affairs at the University of Georgia.

The 2021 German Elections and 2022 French Elections

With both Germany and France gearing up for national elections, the political impact of the pandemic will undergo major tests. Catherine De Vries and Cas Mudde discuss how progressives in these countries should campaign within the context of pandemic, focusing on how to communicate policies and coalition expectations.

Policy analysis: Austerity measures have benefited the far-right

Which conditions and policy decisions have empowered right-wing populist parties in the past decade? Catherine de Vries points to empirical evidence suggesting that austerity measures have been a big driver for far-right parties. Using the 2010 financial crisis as a comparison point, both guests analyse lessons learned and the pros and cons of the EU's response this time around.

The importance of setting the progressive agenda

Taking a broad look at Europe, Catherine de Vries and Cas Mudde provide examples of how the far-right has adapted and responded to changing political situations. The experts advocate for progressive leaders and parties to take positions entrenched in liberal values and to set the agenda with their own visions of society. Winning elections, progressive administrations, and democratic institutions are at stake.

How to make the 2020s a decade of progress?!

De Vries: "Take a position and keep that position as much as you can, and choose your battles and that battle needs to be for liberal rights and liberal democracy."

Cas Mudde: "We have to re-politicize politics, it has to be ideological again - we have to recapture the agenda on the basis of our own ideology, so we should focus on key policies; the environment, housing, public health and also reimagine Europe."

Find out more about the Progressive Governance Summit!

From damaged livelihoods to a lack of hospitals, the Covid-19 pandemic has drastically affected cities across the United States. As the pandemic exacerbated inequalities present in urban areas and drained local budgets, metropolitan areas have required support.

Building Back Better - What is Infrastructure?

The episode takes a closer look at the core slogan from Biden’s presidential campaign and if the American Rescue Plan is able to fulfill the promise of building back better by providing funding to cities. The two guests Sly James and Rep. Strickland discuss what infrastructure is in the 2020s and how the American Rescue Plan can help cities modernize their infrastructure to make their communities more equitable.

A Window of Opportunity for an Equitable Society

With historic funding reaching cities and metropolitan areas during extremely trying times, Sly James and Rep. Strickland converse about the importance of recognizing the sexism and racism that have been present in modern US cities. As infrastructure, ranging from roads to broadband, is rebuilt and strengthened, there is the opportunity for society to be built more fairly and accessible for everyone, regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity.

Find out more!

Read up on the American Rescue Plan Act and Covid-19 relief and recovery goals at the White House.

This episode was first released by the Progressive Policy Institute, post-production and additional recordings were done by Annika Hoffmann and Das Progressive Zentrum. It is part of New Urban Progress, a joint metro initiative on the future of work, democracy, and well-being launched by Das Progressive Zentrum, the Progressive Policy Institute and the Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft.

The project is supported by the Transatlantic Program of the Federal Republic of Germany and funded by the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi).

Susanne Zels is Co-Founder and Manager at Values Unite. She was Programme Director, Board Member, and Co-President at Polis180, a grassroots think tank for foreign and European policy in Berlin. Dr Jana Puglierin is Head of the Berlin Office of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) as well as Senior Policy Fellow for the ECFR since January 2020.

Susanne pitches Values Unite, an initiative that advocates for establishing a European Agency for Citizenship Education to nourish and safeguard European values such as democracy, rule of law and equality in all member states. Through increased EU investments in citizenship education, it seeks to counter political and religious extremism, disinformation campaigns and the growing polarisation of society in Europe. Susanne claims that many Europeans are willing to engage but the EU needs to provide them with the tools to enable them.

Jana shares data on the reality of practised European values. A recent poll by the ECFR, the "European Solidarity Tracker", reveals how the European Union plays an important role in the pandemic’s crisis management. Moreover, the poll shows that European solidarity is soaring which indicates a major difference between this crisis compared to the past ones. Jana urges the EU to engage more Europeans in debates on “European values”, e.g., where freedom begins or where it should be limited, to gain a broader understanding on how all Europeans feel about fundamental values.

Recommendations:

Anna Krenz is an artist, editor, and activist. She is the founder of the Berlin-based initiative Dziewuchy Dziewuchom that is advocating for women’s rights and solidarity with women in Poland. She is also a freelance creative member of the Folkecenter for Renewable Energy in Denmark and participates in numerous international solo and group exhibitions.

Terry Reintke is a German politician campaigning for a more progressive anti-discrimination policy and for policies advancing gender equality, LGBTQIA+, and women’s rights. She has been a member of the European Parliament in The Greens-European Free Alliance group since 2014 and one of their seven Vice-Presidents since 2019.

Anna pitches Dziewuchy Berlin, an informal organisation advocating for democracy, women’s rights utilizing street protests, actions, art and performance, discussion, media coverage, and political lobbying. Dziewuchy Berlin focuses on solidarity with women in Poland. Thus, Anna presents answers to the question how we can support each other and our fight for human rights from abroad. It represents a new form of bottom-up Polish-German feminist friendship and cooperation, “across borders and beyond borders”.

Terry explains how the European Parliament supports European civil society movements and where more institutional support is needed, for example when it comes to the protection of EU citizens’ rights in the member states and the funding of NGOs.

Recommendations: