The Swinging States of America

Over the past four years, longstanding norms and values of liberal democracies have been called into question in the United States. International treaties and commitments have come under harsh review with some of them having been discarded. Moreover, the very legitimacy of democratic elections has been put under doubt – a fact that the elections of 2020 have also shown to us. The future of the transatlantic partnership can no longer be taken for granted. And yet it is difficult to imagine a strong international alliance of defenders of liberal democracy without a robust working transatlantic relationship.

We were happy that Peter Beyer, coordinator of transatlantic cooperation at the ministry of foreign affairs and member of the German Bundestag, agreed to talk to us about the current state of American politics and the transatlantic relations. After finishing his higher education entrance qualification, Peter Beyer completed his military service as a conscript. He then studied law at the universities of Düsseldorf and Bonn. Beyer began his legal career in America and worked in Chicago and Los Angeles. In 2000, he enrolled in a postgraduate legal studies program at the University of Virginia School of Law in Charlottesville and received a Master of Laws degree.

A committed Atlanticist for many years, Beyer stands out among Members of the German Bundestag and his party (CDU) as one of the most committed advocates of a strong transatlantic relationship with the United States and Canada. He serves as parliamentary Special Rapporteur on Transatlantic Relations in the Committee on Foreign Affairs. He is an active member of Atlantik-Brücke, the Aspen Institute and United Europe in addition to numerous organizations in his district. Peter Beyer, MP, is also Executive Vice-President of the Southeast Europe Association. In April 2018, Beyer was appointed Coordinator of Transatlantic Cooperation.

This was a cooperation between the Bonn Chapter of the German Atlantic Association and Jagello 2000 in Prague. We cordially invite you to take part in this one-hour Zoom event, which will be held in English and will be followed by an open Q&A.