Decisions concerning the strategic priorities of Ursula von der Leyen’s second mandate and the makeup of her team come at a challenging moment for Europe. International security concerns are high and trust in Europe’s defence and foreign action capacity is low. The transatlantic alliance is fragile and ceding territory to shifting coalitions of likeminded countries. Economically, Europe is grappling with inflation, post-pandemic recovery, and the need to transition to green energy while maintaining competitiveness in the global market. Domestically, the rise of populism and Euroscepticism is eroding political cohesion, with growing numbers of citizens questioning the EU’s role and effectiveness. Future enlargement is on the table, but largely undesirable without institutional reform that would make the EU more agile. What is more, the countries that have traditionally moved Europe forward – France and Germany – are bogged down by political deadlock.
The Hertie School is delighted to host Professor Renaud Dehousse, Rector of Johns Hopkins’ SAIS Europe, in Berlin for a conversation with Hertie School President Professor Cornelia Woll about the turning point the EU is facing and the road ahead. What can be done to best respond to these multiple challenges? The conversation with the two EU experts will be moderated by Professor Mark Dawson, Co-Director of the Hertie School Jacques Delors Centre.
Please note that the doors will open for all guests at 4:00 PM, and the event will begin at 4:30 PM. A reception will follow the event.
Speakers
Renaud Dehousse
Renaud Dehousse is the Inaugural Rector of SAIS Europe and Vice Dean of SAIS. He began his term at SAIS in January 2024, following the completion of his term as president of the European University Institute (EUI). Before becoming EUI president, Dehousse was a professor and holder of the Jean Monnet Chair of European Law and Policy Studies at Sciences Po Paris, where he founded and directed the Centre for European Studies. He chaired Sciences Po’s Board from 2013 to 2016. He also was a scientific advisor to the center for study and research founded by Jacques Delors, Notre Europe, and was a member of several working parties on the reform of European institutions established by the European institutions and national governments.
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. She has been a visiting professor at Goethe University Frankfurt and Harvard University. Woll holds a habilitation in political science from the University of Bremen (2013), a bi-national PhD from Sciences Po and the University of Cologne (2005), and an MA and a BA in international relations and political science from the University of Chicago.
Moderator: Mark Dawson
Mark Dawson is Professor of European Law and Governance at the Hertie School and the Co-Director of the Jacques Delors Centre. His research focuses on EU law and particularly on how EU law affects and is affected by European politics and policymaking. He recently co-wrote a textbook on this topic with Cambridge University Press and has published work in journals in law and political science (such as the Modern Law Review, the Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, the Common Market Law Review and the Journal of European Public Policy). His work has been cited by leading courts such as the European Court of Justice and German Constitutional Court.