The on-site event is fully booked. You can still join on Zoom via the link below. For Hertie students: the keynote will be streamed in the Henrik Enderlein Forum (1st floor)!
Finance Minister and Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil will outline how Germany’s fiscal and investment policy will strengthen its own economy but also contribute to the EU’s future.
Europe is watching Berlin closely: After years of fiscal restraint, the new German government has made it a top priority to put the country back on a path to growth. In a time of geoeconomic shifts, billions are set to be invested in modernising Germany’s infrastructure and strengthening its defense capabilities. But what does this mean for the European Union?
In his speech and the subsequent discussion, Finance Minister and Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil will outline how Germany’s fiscal and investment policy is not only intended to strengthen its own economy but also contribute to the EU’s future.
The event will be opened by Cornelia Woll, President of the Hertie School. After the speech, Johannes Lindner, Co-Director of the Jacques Delors Centre, will moderate a conversation with Lars Klingbeil, including an audience Q&A.
The event will be held in German, with simultaneous interpretation in English provided, and will be livestreamed.
You can join via the following link: https://hertie-school-org.zoom-x.de/j/63480814768?pwd=jE4XyuTRbwmBq2B17b3JJMvaXTA8Ij.1
Webinar ID: 634 8081 4768, Passcode: EXSS6nNr
Speakers
Keynote by Lars Klingbeil
Lars Klingbeil is a German politician who serves as Vice Chancellor of Germany and Federal Minister of Finance since 6 May 2025. A member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), he has been one of the party’s Co-Leaders since 2021—first alongside Saskia Esken (2021–2025), and currently with Bärbel Bas (since 2025). From 2017 to 2021, Klingbeil was General Secretary of the SPD. He has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2009, representing a constituency in Lower Saxony, and is known for his strong advocacy of digital policy, defense reform, and European cooperation.
Welcome by Cornelia Woll
Cornelia Woll is President of the Hertie School and Professor of International Political Economy. Woll came to the Hertie School in 2022 from Sciences Po in Paris, where she had served in many roles since 2006, including President of the Academic Board, Professor of Political Science, Co-Director of the Max Planck Sciences Po Center. Her research focuses on the international political economy and economic sociology, in particular regulatory issues in the European Union and the United States.
Moderation by Johannes Lindner
Johannes Lindner is Co-Director of the Jacques Delors Centre where he leads the Think Tank and works on economic and financial policy topics. From 2012-2022 he was Head of the EU Institutions and Fora Division, coordinating the relations of the ECB with EU institutions, in particular the Council and the European Parliament. Previously, he worked in several policy areas of the European Central Bank (since 2003) – including as Counsellor to one of the Executive Board Members and as Advisor in the area of Market Infrastructure and Payments.