The United Nations (UN) is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Two-thirds of Germans have a positive view of the UN. But the overwhelming majority also see an urgent need for action. They demand international cooperation in solving global problems.

Taiwan’s first Digital Minister Audrey Tang has made Taiwan—with the help of the tech community and civil society—a world leader in innovative citizen participation. Europe can certainly learn a lot from Taiwan and Audrey Tang. We spoke to her.

In the year before the 2021 federal elections in Germany, fewer and fewer people are populist, especially in the political center. The decline of populism is putting populists on the defensive. At the same time, the dangers of further radicalization on the right are increasing.

Technologies such as contact-tracing apps and facial recognition software are raising hopes for improved containment of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, several algorithmic decision-making systems (ADM) have been rapidly implemented throughout Europe. In this special issue of the Automating Society Report, the Bertelsmann Stiftung and AlgorithmWatch provide an overview of European ADM systems designed to combat the pandemic as well as a classification of the various digital tools in use and the consequences they have for society.

Especially in times of a global recession, the EU should prioritize spending where it provides the most benefit to citizens and Member States in the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework. In their paper, Michael Thöne and Helena Kreuter show how the concept of European public goods allows such a prioritization of EU politics and provides a compelling narrative for a reorganization of EU politics towards more sovereign decision-making – but only where it is truly needed.

The European Union likes to see itself as a “Europe of the Citizens”. But for many it remains remote, elitist or even undemocratic. In a time when the EU needs the support of its citizens more than ever, it is vital to develop new ideas and strategies for participation. A conversation with our experts Dominik Hierlemann and Anna Renkamp.

French Citizens’ Convention on Climate

Based on questions posed by the audience during the inaugural edition of Conference Conversations, the second edition of this interactive online talk show discussed the underlying process behind the Conference.

"Digital sovereignty" is a declared goal of the German EU Council Presidency. However, for a term that is so central to the current political debate, it is very vague. What exactly can digital sovereignty mean? What are the necessary framework conditions to enable the EU to assert its values and legal concepts in the digital space?

Action on climate change was long slated as a priority for Germany’s six-month presidency of the European Union which starts in July. As European nations struggle to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, is Germany really going to maintain momentum on climate?