Lecture & Discussion

Münster: "America before a difficult choice: U.S. citizens and political parties in the election year 2012"

With Dr. Christoph von Marschall, White House Correspondent for the Tagesspiegel, Washington, D.C. and Ruprecht Polenz, Member of the Bundestag and Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

An exciting election year 2012 has started. The mood at the start of the election year 2012 is quite different than in 2008. Two wars and a continuing economic and financial crisis have weakened the country. This crisis has also affected the mood of American citizens and the state of American political parties: A strong ideological polarization and no large majority for the President are the result.

The election year of 2012 is not a normal election year. This time America has to choose the lesser evil. The voters are not only angry at Obama but also at the Republicans. They use their power mainly to block policies and within their party they are occupied with the choice of a candidate. But also the Republican search for a candidate causes more rejection than enthusiasm among voters.

How will the different moods in the election year 2012 play out? How sustainable are the political movements outside the two major parties? What does this mean for the Republican primary campaign and for President Barack Obama?

Dr. Christoph von Marschall, the German biographer of President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama is a regular guest at the White House and has closely watched the development in his role of a correspondent for the Tagesspiegel.

This lecture was followed by a discussion with Mr. Ruprecht Polenz.
Ruprecht Polenz is a member of the German Bundestag since 1994 and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Bundestag.

Welcome Words: Mayor Holger Wigger

With kind support of:




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