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Bertelsmann Foundation

The Bertelsmann Foundation, established in 2008, is an independent, nonpartisan and nonprofit think tank in Washington, D.C.

with a transatlantic perspective on global challenges.

08/28/2026

Indo-Pacific Nexus | Myanmar 🇲🇲

ASEAN has become the world’s fifth‑largest economy, with a combined GDP of about US$3.9 trillion in 2024. But who are its 11 member states, and what determines their economic growth?

This week, we take a closer look at Myanmar:
Bordering China, India, and Thailand, Myanmar sits at the crossroads of South and Southeast Asia, making it geopolitically significant for regional connectivity and energy routes. Yet ongoing political instability since the 2021 military coup has strained its development and complicated its relations with ASEAN and external partners.

Check out the BTI Transformation Index here: https://bit.ly/3UB2Yjp

08/27/2026

The European Union's Global Gateway strategy carries significant potential for the Indo-Pacific, but its rollout raises the question: can the EU convert regional trust into lasting strategic relevance?

Since 2021, the EU has mobilized over €300 billion globally for the Global Gateway, with €10 billion of this allocated to ASEAN. Yet that commitment has proven far harder to translate into visibility and impact than expected, raising questions about branding and competing priorities. Confronted with Russia's growing outreach to the region, the EU needs to act now.

In her latest analysis, Georgia Krüger examines the opportunities and shortcomings of the EU's Global Gateway strategy in the Indo-Pacific.

The funding may be substantial. The bigger question is whether Brussels can provide the focus, coherent branding, and partner-defined priorities needed to make the strategy work.

Read full article: https://bit.ly/4gUNgZ5

08/26/2026

How to Fix Democracy | Season 7 – Episode 9: R.T. Rybak | Standing Up for Democracy

What makes democracy resilient?

For R.T. Rybak, former Mayor of Minneapolis and President & CEO of The Minneapolis Foundation, the answer starts close to home: strong communities, engaged citizens, and local leadership willing to step forward.

We discuss the power of local action, why civic participation must extend beyond election day, and how communities can create the conditions for democracy to endure.

One message comes through clearly: democracy is never finished. It is something we build together, every day.

Listen here: https://bit.ly/3UeCUdX

08/21/2026

The anniversary of the U.S. and EU's joint statement on the Turnberry agreement marks a milestone in a period of both tumultuous and resilient transatlantic trade relations. To catalogue the latest developments, we are launching a Transatlantic Periscope Deep Dive on trade and tariffs.

This Deep Dive draws from media articles, expert analysis, opinion pieces, statistical reports and multimedia resources to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of U.S.-EU commercial relations.

Check the Deep Dive out here: https://bit.ly/3UeqjY2

08/17/2026

Transponder Podcast Ep. 17 - The Race for Energy
Artificial intelligence is creating an extraordinary new demand for power. But where will all that energy come from?

Samuel George speaks with former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman about what it will take to power the AI revolution.

From nuclear power and natural gas to critical minerals and competition with China, Poneman explains why energy could become one of the defining constraints of the AI era.

🎧 Listen here: https://bit.ly/4wt1RzL

08/11/2026

With the impending retirement of the International Space Station, commercial space stations have become central to the future of human activity in low Earth orbit.

NASA’s transition toward commercial destinations represents a shift from a government-operated model toward a new ecosystem where private companies provide space infrastructure, services, and access.

But building a sustainable commercial market in orbit will require more than new technology. Funding stability, reliable partnerships, and a viable business case will shape whether commercial stations can succeed.

Our latest Astropolitics article explores the challenges and opportunities shaping the transition from the ISS to the next era of commercial space stations.

Full Article: https://bit.ly/3RG0QGg

08/06/2026

A Red Line for the Blue Wave: The Paradox of the AfD's Ostalgie

The AfD uses symbols and rhetoric to lay claim to East Germany’s democratic revolution while borrowing governing instincts from the authoritarian state it condemned. A recent rally exposed that contradiction—and the limits of “Ostalgie” as the party pushes for power in the East. With elections in Saxony-Anhalt just a month away, read the full article to learn more about this pivotal moment for Germany:

https://bit.ly/4ql2HND

07/30/2026

Indo-Pacific Nexus | Malaysia 🇲🇾

The Indo-Pacific is of growing interest — more and more European countries are turning their focus to the region. ASEAN has become the region's most important multilateral institution. Today, we introduce one of the region's most dynamic and rapidly developing economies: Malaysia.

To learn more about ASEAN's strategic relevance, read Georgia Krüger's latest article on data centers in the region and how Singapore and Malaysia are responding to growing technological needs here: https://bit.ly/4yBxo4O

07/29/2026

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.

Listen here: https://bit.ly/44TQGER

07/28/2026

What can Hungary teach the rest of the world about democratic resilience?

In the latest episode of How to Fix Democracy, Andrew Keen speaks with cultural anthropologist Marc Roscoe Loustau about Hungary's political trajectory after more than a decade of Viktor Orbán's rule. Together, they examine how Orbán built an illiberal state, why his political project ultimately faltered, and what Hungary's experience can teach democracies around the world about resisting authoritarianism. They also discuss the role of the European Union in holding Orbán accountable and why broad democratic coalitions are essential to defending democratic institutions.

This episode is part of the seventh season of How to Fix Democracy, which explores democratic resilience through conversations with leading thinkers and practitioners from around the world.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: https://apple.co/3TH9uEO

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