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• Doctoral Programme in Governance

PhD research that shapes tomorrow.

Structured doctoral education

Doctoral education at the Hertie School is organised as a structured programme. During the first year, PhD researchers prepare for their research and thesis writing with dedicated methods, research design and skills seminars. During the following years an increasing amount of time is allocated to independent work on the thesis. Researchers regularly present their research findings at colloquia or international conferences. To connect with leading scholars in their field of studies they may undertake research stays abroad. Courses in the structured doctoral programme start in early September each year.

The Hertie School does not charge tuition fees for its doctoral programmes. Each year we offer eight competitive three-year stipends of 1450 euros per month plus a monthly health insurance contribution of up to 200 euros.

PhD workshops and support

Throughout the doctoral journey, we offer seminars and workshops to our PhD researchers to enhance their methodological skills, support their thesis writing, develop their publishing and professional skills and support their career planning. PhD researchers will find a well-functioning support structure at the Hertie School. Further, each candidate works with a doctoral committee which eventually comprises three dissertation advisors who provide intellectual guidance and monitor the candidate’s research progress.

PhD researchers working with data science methods have the opportunity to develop their methodological skills throughout the doctoral journey with a dedicated PhD workshop on data science . Further, PhD researchers are able to get  dedicated PhD trainings on methods and advanced theories and research  by our faculty in so-called PhD mini courses. Find out more about some of our current trainings and our support infrastructure here .

In addition, PhD researchers benefit from a wide array of doctoral trainings and workshops offered by our Berlin partner institutions and by the European network of leading universities in the social sciences within the  CIVICA network .

Cooperation and networks

The Hertie School is part of a vibrant research hub and cooperates with Berlin's world-class universities and research institutes. Our doctoral researchers benefit from a broad range of seminars and trainings offered by our partners and in our joint PhD programmes DYNAMICS ,  BGTS/ SCRIPTS  and BSE . The Hertie School further closely cooperates with top PhD programmes in the social sciences in Europe in the context of the EU-funded  CIVICA project : Bocconi University, Central European University (CEU), European University Institute (EUI), Sciences Po, Stockholm School of Economics, The London School of Economics (LSE) and National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA).

The Hertie School attracts international scholars and practitioners to its activities, providing our researchers with opportunities to meet experts in their field of research.

Graduate prospects

Many of our PhD Graduates move into academic careers at leading universities worldwide. Further, Hertie School PhD Graduates undertake careers in international organisations and public institutions, many in research positions. You may find out more about our PhD Graduates here .

As of year one a substantial amount of time is allocated to independent work on the dissertation project. By the end of the first year doctoral researchers will submit a dissertation prospectus to two PhD supervisors.

In their first year, PhD researchers attend research design and methods trainings that support their dissertation research. 

PhD researchers have the opportunity to receive  dedicated training on methods or advanced theories with our faculty in Hertie's PhD mini courses. Further, PhD researchers working with data science methods have the opportunity to get training and support in the PhD workshop on data science that runs throughout their doctoral journey.

In addition to the trainings offered at the Hertie School, doctoral researchers benefit from a broad range of specific methods trainings offered by our partner universities in Berlin and within the CIVICA network, a network of leading European universities offering doctoral education in the social sciences. Further, doctoral researchers attend Summer and Winter Schools abroad.

PhD researchers may choose from a wide range of skills workshops to support the planning of the doctoral journey and develop their academic and professional skills. More information on our PhD trainings and support is available here .

An increasing amount of time is allocated to independent work on the dissertation project. PhD candidates will find a unique support structure for their research.

In the second and third year of their studies, PhD researchers present their research in one of the Hertie School's research colloquia and at international conferences. They may undertake research stays at one of our partner universities:

Bocconi University (Italy), Central European University (Hungary), the European University Institute (Italy, European Intergovernmental Organization), Sciences Po (France), the Stockholm School of Economics (Sweden), London School of Economics (UK), National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (RO) or at other universities abroad.

Each candidate works with a doctoral committee which eventually comprises three dissertation advisors who provide intellectual guidance and monitor the candidate’s research progress.

PhD researchers may choose from a wide range of skills workshops to support the planning of the doctoral journey and develop their academic and professional skills. More information is available on our PhD trainings and support page .

PhD researchers may choose from a wide range of workshops to support the planning of their next career step.

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Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Department of Social Sciences - Berlin Graduate School of Social Science

Berlin graduate school of social sciences.

The graduate school´s mission is to train and promote doctoral researchers from Germany and abroad/the world for both scientific and professional careers. Doctoral researchers who participate in the training structure of the BGSS International Doctoral Program complete their doctoral degrees in either Sociology or Political Sciences. The degree is awarded by Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

BGSS has been funded by the Excellence Initiative of the German Federal and State Governments via the German Research Association from 2007 - 2014.

Starting from October 2020 applications for BGSS are seeked for on an ongoing basis .

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John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies

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Ph.D. Candidates

Jessica cheung.

PhD Candidate

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Lucas Hellemeier

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Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - DYNAMICS

Phd programme.

A comprehensive course programme provides the doctoral researchers with a unique combination of

• advanced theoretical courses in Demography, Democratic Processes and Public Policy,
• cutting-edge quantitative methods skills, and
• an interdisciplinary internal research seminar, as well as
• an interdisciplinary international lecture series.

The programme provides PhD students with a unique and internationally competitive curriculum taught and supervised by leading experts from Political Science, Demography and Public Policy . It fosters interdisciplinary exchange to enable PhD students to conduct innovative research that sheds much needed light on how demographic shifts affect and interact with democratic processes and public policy.

The theory course sequence will on the one hand provide our doctoral researchers with a solid understanding of the different concepts and theories in all three research areas through three core theory courses providing the PhD students with a solid understanding of the central concepts and theories in all three fields covered by DYNAMICS (Democratic Responsiveness, Central Concepts in Demographic Research and Advanced Theories of Policy-Making) which will constitute an important basis for interdisciplinary exchange within the RTG. On the other hand, doctoral researchers will obtain specialized theoretical knowledge regarding their own research area through a disciplinary elective theory course to ensure that they are also on a highly advanced theoretical level within their own discipline. Thus, the theory course sequence ensures that all PhD students will have an advanced understanding of the basic concepts and theories of all three research areas, but at the same time they will be enabled to integrate the three perspectives in a disciplinary course to understand how demographic change, democratic processes and public policies interact based on a concrete example in their own research area. 

The methods course sequence will provide our doctoral researchers with a highly advanced training in quantitative methods which is essential for cutting-edge research on questions related to demography, democratic processes and public policy. PhD students will be introduced to causal data analysis through the Foundations: Estimation and Identification course while they get an advanced understanding of longitudinal modelling through the Advanced Longitudinal and Event History Methods course. To cope with gathering, managing and analysing increasingly large datasets by for instance scraping information from the web, the doctoral researchers will take a Data Science class in which they learn how to deal with big data using advanced programming skills. In addition, the elective methods course allows PhD students to specialize in quantitative methods that are particularly important for their specific research projects.

Finally, the professional skills course sequence will prepare our doctoral candidates for the academic and the research-related job market. An important component of the course programme is furthermore the Research Seminar in which PhD students will present their on-going work and the Lecture Series in which internationally renowned scholars are invited to foster not only interdisciplinary, but also international exchange. The combination of interdisciplinary and disciplinary theory courses with advanced quantitative methods training as well as a research seminar and an international lecture series offers a unique research environment that will foster truly cross-cutting research on the highest level that will result in important advances in our understanding of how demography shapes democratic processes and public policy as well as how policy reforms affect demographic behaviour.

Workshops and Summer Schools

DYNAMICS will moreover regularly organize workshops with invited external experts to teach additional or more advanced courses in Berlin. The topics will be decided jointly by the Academic Board and the PhD students to ensure that course content suits both, students’ specific interest and profile formation of our institutions. Moreover, our doctoral researchers will receive funding to attend specialized methods or substantive courses at prestigous international summer schools in order to gather further knowledge in their respective research area, to develop their individual international network and to present their work to renowned international scholars. Summer School Courses and Workshops organized in Berlin can be accredited as an Elective Course.

Conferences 

Doctoral researchers will be encouraged and financially supported to present their research at high-ranking national and international academic conferences to disseminate their findings to the academic community, to receive valuable feedback on their work and to build an international research network. Presenting a research paper at APSA, ECPR, ECSR, EPC, EPSA or PAA meetings increases success in subsequent publication in highly ranked peer-reviewed journals. Getting accepted to these conferences is not easy. Therefore, each supervisor commits to guide our PhD students in their conference application and to discuss their conference proposal either in a colloquium or individually.   

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Cluster of Excellence "Contestations of the Liberal Script" (SCRIPTS)

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Berlin Graduate School for Global and Transregional Studies (BGTS)

Doctoral Researchers (2021): (left to right) M. Samaha, A. Miranda Avilés, R. Ollroge, A. Koh, G. Gross, A. Fastholm, M. Weckemann, J. Heß, S. Bergner, J. Veselinovic, C. Kasavan, M. Zabotkin, L. Antoine

The BGTS offers a structured 3-year doctoral programme and provides a curriculum with standardized elements for all doctoral researchers. The curriculum includes theory, research design, methods, transferable skills classes and workshops as well as university didactics and English academic writing seminars. Furthermore, rotating colloquium sessions give doctoral researchers the opportunity to present and discuss their projects with different Principal Investigators, postdoctoral researchers and fellows, and other doctoral researchers. The goal of the doctoral programme is to help doctoral researchers unravel the manifold contestations and transformations in economy, politics, and society, in national and international law, over the course of history and across various areas of the globe. SCRIPTS intends to equip them with the intellectual means to meet the normative and analytical challenges associated with these contestations and transformations. A rigorous academic training combined with training in practical and transferable skills embedded in an international network prepare the doctoral researchers for careers in a number of fields.

Course programme and specialisation

Doctoral researchers can pursue different specialisation tracks corresponding to the respective disciplinary and regional focus either at the BGTS itself, at partner institutions, such as the Hertie School, or at the respective cooperating graduate schools. They are able to participate in selected courses and workshops at the graduate school or programme, such as Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies (BGSMCS), the Berlin Graduate School of Social Sciences (BGSS), the Graduate School of East Asian Studies (GEAS), the Graduate School of North American Studies (GSNAS), and the doctoral programmes in Latin American Studies and Global Intellectual History.

Affiliation and institutional network

SCRIPTS constantly strives to provide doctoral researchers with a positive working environment to help them successfully pursue their research. To this end, a main priority is the further development of a strong network with our partner institutions. The BGTS has its headquarters at Freie Universität Berlin where the offices as well as the directors and the management are located. Doctoral researchers will be affiliated with their supervisory institution, but the courses forming the curriculum may also take place at partner institutions. Overall, each doctoral researcher should be integrated into the greater research community by close cooperation with partners like the Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, the WZB Social Science Center, the Hertie School and others. This provides doctoral researchers the unique opportunity to experience more than one of Berlin's excellent research institutions and to build a large network at an early stage of the academic career.

Career options

Many alumni of the predecessor school, the Berlin Graduate School for Transnational Studies (BTS), have successfully pursued careers in numerous prestigious universities, think tanks, political and governmental institutions, consulting and in civil society. Employers include Charles University Prague, Freie Universität Berlin, LMU Munich, Radboud University, University of Gothenburg, University of Oxford, and University of Zurich as well as organisations such as Oxfam America, the European Commission, and the KfW Development Bank.

Department of Political and Social Sciences

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PhD / Dr. Phil.

We welcome research projects from all over the world. However, the Institute for Media and Communication Studies does not have a structured doctoral education. Earning a doctoral degree from the Institute for Media and Communication Studies at the Department of Political and Social Sciences can be accomplished through the "apprentice model" (independent research under supervision). You must find a supervisor who is an expert on the topic of your future dissertation and willing to supervise you. Every doctoral candidate has to organize financing independently. Freie Universität Berlin provides further general information on earning a doctorate (doctoral studies portal) .

Please send your applications including your CV, degree certificates, an overview of your study accomplishments and a short exposé of your research project (ca. 5 pages) solely to [email protected] . On top of that it is extremely important that you name potential supervisor(s) , explain how your research interest is situated within the research area of the professor(s) and why you would find it important to be supervised by him/ her. If all this information is provided, your e-mail will be directed to the supervisor. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Detailed Information

How to get accepted as a doctoral student at the institute for media and communication studies at freie universität berlin:.

The basic requirement for getting approved as a doctoral student by the institute is an outstanding degree in a field corresponding to your future doctoral thesis and the institute’s research areas. Applications and proposals may be submitted at any time of the year to the Institute for Media and Communication Studies, but you should keep in mind that during the periods from mid-February to mid-April and from mid-July to mid-October when courses are not in session, relevant staff will not always be available. Course sessions start in mid-October (winter term) or mid-April (summer term). You may write your thesis in English language, if your supervisor agrees. If you decide to write your dissertation in German but do not hold a German academic degree you will have to pass the DSH (Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang) or the TestDaF (Test of German as a Foreign Language).

Admission procedures in line with the doctoral regulations of the Department of Political and Social Sciences include two steps. First of all, you must find a supervisor (in German “ Doktorvater ” or “ Doktormutter ”) who is an expert on the topic of your future dissertation and willing to supervise you. After having found a supervisor you have to formally apply at the Doctoral Studies Office of the Department of Political and Social Sciences.

Step 1: How to approach the supervisor

It is not possible to apply for a doctorate without specifying your research project and stating your future supervisor. When first contacting the Institute for Media and Communication Studies via [email protected], you have to name potential supervisor(s) and provide a short exposé of your research project (ca. 5 pages) and a short review of your experience in this field including detailed information on your academic qualifications and degree. It is especially important to explain how your research interest is situated within the research area of the professor(s) and why you would find it important to be supervised by him/ her. If all this information is provided, your e-mail will be directed to the supervisor.

It can be helpful to attach a letter of recommendation by a professor you have already worked with. If your academic degree and the research proposal are regarded sufficient and the professor has agreed to become your supervisor, you may send your formal application to the Doctoral Studies Office of the Department of Political and Social Sciences.

Step 2: How to finish your PhD application at Freie Universität formally:

The application to the Doctoral Studies Office of the Department of Political and Social Sciences must include:

1. Research proposal for your doctoral thesis ("Exposé" of 7 to max. 10 pages) including a short summary of the subject in question

2. Declaration of your supervisor, that he/ she has accepted you as a doctoral student

3. Completed form “Zulassung zum Promotionsverfahren“ (Admission to doctoral studies) and "Betreuungsvereinbarung" (Supervisory Agreement).

4. A CV in German or in English language

5. Certified copies of your exam and degree certificates

6. Proof of proficiency in German (for full enrolment without further tests, TestDaF level 4/4 or an equivalent is required) or in English language

» Further information on step 2

Please send your application by mail to

Early Career Support at the Department of Political and Social Sciences Contact: https://www.polsoz.fu-berlin.de/en/nachwuchsfoerderung/ansprechpartner_innen/index.html Ihnestraße 21 - Rooms 201 and 206 14195 Berlin

You can also arrange a personal appointment with the Early Career Support or write an e-mail regarding all formal aspects of the doctoral procedure to [email protected] .

Further information

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• The University of Bucharest
• PhD in International Relation & Cultural Diplomacy

The Programs are offered by:

The Center for Cultural Diplomacy Studies (CCDS)

Phd program with concentration on international relation & cultural diplomacy.

Dates of Next Program for 2022 »

Enrolment to the Program is possible at the start of the Fall semester each year.

About the Degree

The PhD Program with concentration on Cultural Diplomacy & International Relations is offered by the University of Bucharest in partnership with the Academy for Cultural Diplomacy. The PhD Program is a three year program (6 semesters). Upon completion, students will receive the following degree: PhD in History / Sociology / Political Science , with specialization certificate on Cultural Diplomacy & International Relations

Program Concept

In our increasingly globalized world, knowledge and understanding of bilateral and multilateral relations now holds greater importance than at any time before. As a result, international cooperation and diplomacy are now imperative in maintaining and improving the economic, political and social environment in countries worldwide. The processes of international relations pervade almost all areas of human activity, and the issues that foreign policy makers address at the highest level increasingly affect the ordinary lives of people around the world. Nation states are no longer capable of resolving many of the most significant issues single-handedly, whether they be international terrorism, global (and often national) financial crises, or climate change. Moreover, the emergence of asymmetrical security threats and the international convergence of social, political and economic relations have underlined the need for a renewed focus on diplomatic relations and soft power, of which cultural diplomacy is a crucial component.

These developments have heightened interest in the study of International Relations and Cultural Diplomacy and, concurrently, have created a need for professionals who understand those subjects. University programs striving to provide students and young leaders with the fundamental understanding and practical skills necessary for careers in international affairs have had to adjust their programs accordingly to include commerce, development and culture as topics of study, as well as including multinational and supranational organizations as additional core subjects. Expertise in one field no longer guarantees professional success, and it is therefore vital that those aspiring to work in international relations and diplomacy have an advanced understanding of a number of relevant disciplines, including, but not limited to, international politics, international economics, diplomacy, culture, philosophy and history.

Operating under a joint partnership, Bucharest University and the Academy for Cultural Diplomacy are the first institutions to offer a PhD program that will educate students from around the world in several academic disciplines related to International Relations and Cultural Diplomacy.

Structure and Organization of the Program

The Doctoral courses represent the third cycle of studies offered (and awarded) by the University of Bucharest in partnership with the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy, with the purpose being to expand knowledge through original scientific research. Students will acquire a level 8 qualification according to both the European and National Qualification Frameworks. It consists mainly of research conducted under the direct supervision of a Ph.D. supervisor.

The duration of the program is three years; the first year  is composed of courses offered on Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin. In addition, students are welcome to undertake a professional development program. At the end of the first academic year, students will then be required to present the first research report on their specific chosen topic, allowing the commission of professors and, in particular, the student's individual supervisor to guide them in the development of their final thesis.

During the second and third years of the Ph.D program students are not obliged to reside in the doctoral school, but are required to stay in close and direct contact with the doctoral supervisor. A working schedule is established between the student and the PhD supervisor and will include at least two periods where the student must be present at the University of Bucharest each academic year.  When in Bucharest, further to meetings with the PhD supervisors and continuing work on the thesis, the PhD students will also interact with other doctoral students and members of the teaching staff with whom they share academic interests, whilst also participating in the activities of the doctoral school of the University.

During the second year, progress reports are to be submitted according to a time schedule, and a format established by the supervisor and the student in compliance with the requirements of each doctoral school.  Also within the second, and then the third year of the program, according to the rules of the doctoral school where they are enrolled, students will submit 2-3 research reports which they will be required to present to a committee according to a schedule agreed with the PhD supervisor.

During the second semester of the third year, students are required to complete the thesis. Once the thesis has obtained the approval of both the guiding commission and individual supervisor, it will then be submitted for public defense. This will take place 2-3 months after the thesis has received the approval of the PhD supervisor, and represents the final step of the program.

The final step of the Program is the public defense of the Thesis.

Key Objectives of the Program

• To provide students with an in depth understanding of the theory and practice of international relations within the contemporary interdependent world, placing a particular emphasis on cultural diplomacy within this framework
• To educate students about cultural diplomacy within the context of the political, economic and cultural pillars upon which sustainable international relations are based.
• To analyze soft power and hard power strategies within international relations discourse.
• To examine contemporary obstacles to peaceful international relations, using historical and modern case studies, while considering also how cultural diplomacy can be used to mitigate tension and conflict within the international community.
• To equip students with the relevant skill sets and knowledge required to embark on a career within the highly competitive international arena.
• To provoke individual thought and reflection on contemporary issues within the rapidly developing field of cultural diplomacy.

Benefits of the Program

• The program offers students a core curriculum of International Relations, which will prepare them for a vast array of career opportunities worldwide.
• Students will have access to an expert faculty with experience in international politics and diplomacy, and will acquire the knowledge and skills needed to work in a complex global environment.
• Students will obtain expertise in cultural diplomacy, as a rapidly increasing and important field relevant to the public and private sectors and civil society.
• Graduates will discover that the curriculum and faculty prepare them for evolving careers in academia and all public and private international sectors.
• Access to all ICD events and programs around the world, providing students with access to prominent experts in the field including various Heads of State, Ministers, and CEOs.

For further information on the PhD program with the concentration on Cultural Diplomacy and International Relations, please send an email to [email protected]

Our Partner Institutions:

• Furtwangen University (HFU), Germany
• The University Of Bucharest, Romania
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• Union University Belgrade (Serbia)

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• PhD Program

The Berlin School of Economics PhD Program provides outstanding doctoral students with a vibrant, intensively networked research community. The program develops the students’ talents in a unique combination of a high-level, academic research environment together with applied, policy-oriented research opportunities. Students receive state-of-the-art coursework training and can select from a wide array of specializations. For each specialization, a professional research environment is provided by Berlin’s universities and economic research institutes.

How to apply

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Program structure and curriculum

All PhD tracks offered in the PhD Program share the same structure and general curriculum. The program’s curriculum is divided into a qualification and a dissertation phase:

Qualification Phase

During the qualification phase (about three semesters), students acquire methodological and research-oriented training in mandatory course work in economic theory, applied economics, business studies, econometrics, and economic policy. Students define their research area and find supervisory support from two supervisors. They write research proposals that are discussed with faculty members individually and in seminars in order to provide early feedback on the scientific potential of research ideas. This is a central part of the PhD Program, in which the students have full flexibility in the choice of their research topics and of the supervisors. During this phase, students are funded through stipends that allow for this flexibility. In total, students have to complete a  minimum of 90 ECTS credits  in order to finish the qualification phase of the program.

Dissertation Phase

During the subsequent dissertation phase (about three years), students write a doctoral thesis while having the opportunity to apply their knowledge in the professional research environment that is provided at the Berlin universities and research institutes participating in the Berlin School of Economics. In this phase, students are typically employed at their supervisor’s chair or in research groups at research institutes.

The PhD will be awarded by one of the institutions in the Berlin School of Economics with the right to award doctoral degrees. In most cases, the PhD is awarded by the institution the student’s first supervisor is affiliated with.

The following chart gives an overview of the general structure of the PhD Program:

Researchers Guide

This guide includes academic advices from the researchers of the Berlin School of Economics.

Special thanks to the INSIGHTS Team, researchers of Berlin School of Economics, Agne Kajackaite, Aleks Zaklan, Alexander Kriwoluzky, Ally Xin Lin, Annekatrin Schrenker, C. Katharina Spieß, Christian Basteck, Ciril Bosch-Rosa, Dorothea Kübler, Francis de Véricourt, Georg Weizsäcker, Gyula Seres, Hande Erkut, Hannes Ullrich, Jana Hamdan, Levent Neyse, Lisa Bruttel, Lutz Weinke, Mira Fischer, Müge Süer, Nikolaus Wolf, Peter Haan, Robert Stüber, Sebastian Schweighofer-Kodritsch, Simone Maxand, Vincent Meisner, and Pablo Brañas-Garza.

You can download the web version

or print the printable version

Also note the compiled information on our website about support and resources, for example Mental Health.

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• Dahlem Research School

Dahlem Research School (DRS) is the central contact point for current and prospective doctoral researchers. DRS offers individual advice, an extensive qualification program and information on all general aspects of doctoral research. Special consideration is given to the needs of international researchers.

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Macron makes rare state visit to Germany to boost ties, defend democracy

For the first time in nearly a quarter of a century, a French president visits Berlin to warm frosty ties.

Emmanuel Macron has begun the first state visit to Germany by a French president in 24 years, to boost ties between the two countries and to emphasise the importance of defending democracy against nationalism in upcoming European elections.

“Franco-German relations are indispensable and important for Europe,” said Macron at the start of his three-day state visit to Germany on Sunday. He rebuffed the suggestion that the relationship, often described as the engine of Europe, has begun to stutter.

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“That is not true. We are moving forward,” Macron said through a translator.

Upon landing in Berlin, Macron immediately travelled to the German capital’s government quarter to meet with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and attend a democracy-themed festival.

Steinmeier greeted Macron and called his visit “proof of the depth of the Franco-German friendship”. He said that despite sometimes differing on individual policy points, Berlin and Paris always “come to an agreement in the end”.

The French president also emphasised the importance of the European elections in June and called the European Union a defender of democracy and common values. He warned of a “form of fascination for authoritarianism which is growing” in the two EU nations. “We forget too often that it’s a fight” to protect democracy, Macron said.

If the nationalists had been in power in Europe in the last years, “history would not have been the same”, he said, pointing to decisions on the coronavirus pandemic or Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The German president too noted how rights “did not fall from the sky”, saying they need to be fought for.

“There is much from both presidents the stress from them about the need for European citizens to think very carefully when they cast their vote in the EU elections in a few weeks,” said Al Jazeera’s Dominic Kane.

Polls show that the European elections could turn into a major potential embarrassment for Macron as his coalition is trailing well behind the far right and may struggle to even reach third place. In Germany too, all three parties in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition are polling behind the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in surveys, despite a series of scandals embroiling the anti-immigration party.

After the talks with Steinmeier, Macron is due to bring his message to Dresden in the former East German Saxony state, where the AfD has a strong supporter base.

Tuesday sees Macron in the western German city of Munster and later in Meseberg, outside Berlin, for talks with Scholz and a Franco-German joint cabinet meeting.

Beyond making joint calls for the European elections, the three-day visit will seek to emphasise the historic importance of the post-war relationship between the two key EU states, as France next month commemorates 80 years since the D-Day landings that marked the beginning of the end of German World War II occupation.

In a question-and-answer session on social media with young people this month, Macron enlisted help from Scholz when asked if the Franco-German “couple” was still working.

“Hello dear friends, long live French-German friendship!” Scholz said in French in a video on Macron’s X feed. “Thank you Olaf! I very much agree with you,” Macron replied in heavily accented German.

Officials from both sides stressed that while there are periodic tensions on specific issues, the fundamental basis of the relationship remains sound.

But Macron’s refusal to rule out sending troops to Ukraine sparked an unusually acidic response from Scholz that Germany had no such plans. Germany also does not share Macron’s enthusiasm for a European strategic autonomy less dependent on the United States.

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German police clear pro-Palestinian protesters from Berlin university

Pro-Palestinians demonstrators who show the victory sign are escorted by police as they leave a building of the Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, May 23, 2024. Pro-Palestinian activists had occupied rooms at the Humboldt University in central Berlin. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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BERLIN (AP) —

German police cleared about 150 pro-Palestinian demonstrators from a Berlin university faculty on Thursday, ending one of a wave of student-led protests across Europe over Israel’s conduct in its war against Hamas.

Activists had occupied several rooms of the Humboldt University’s Institute for Social Sciences in downtown Berlin on Wednesday.

Student Coalition Berlin, the group which organized the protest, called in a statement posted on social media for the university to “take an active role in ending the genocide against the people of Palestine and their decades-long suffering.”

University administrators agreed after talks with protest leaders to let them stay until Thursday evening. But they called in the police when some of them refused to leave, German news agency dpa reported.

Police spokeswoman Beate Ostertag said that, while some of the demonstrators left voluntarily, police officers had to lead others from the building. Police said about 130 people were briefly detained during the operation, in which officers broke through several barricaded doors.

Student protests over the war in Gaza that began in the United States have spread to university campuses in many European countries. In Germany, protests have taken place this week at universities in cities including Munich and Leipzig.

Berlin authorities have taken a tough line against anti-Israeli demonstrations, urging police to step in if demonstrators use slogans that could incite hatred against Jews – taboo in a country marked by the memory of the Holocaust.

“There is no place for hate and anti-Semitism in Berlin and at our universities,” said Burkard Dregger, a lawmaker for the Christian Democratic Union, which leads the Berlin state government.

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Germany: Uproar over racist video from island of Sylt

V ideo from a nightclub on the North Sea island of Sylt showing young people chanting right-wing extremist slogans has caused uproar. Politicians have reacted with dismay and a criminal investigation has been opened.The video, which is now causing a stir in Berlin's political circles, is just 15 seconds long. It shows young people on the terrace of an expensive restaurant on Sylt, the North Sea island much frequented by wealthy German holidaymakers.

The short sequence was recorded on what appears to be a mild early summer evening, with the first glow of sunset in the background. The young people are wearing smart-casual clothes and dancing. Five of them are chanting: "Germany for the Germans, foreigners out."

And at least one of the participants appears to be giving the Hitler salute, holding two fingers between his upper lip and nose, as if to imitate a Hitler mustache.

Nightclub owner: 'Everyone is welcome here!'

On Thursday, the Pony nightclub in the posh town of Kampen on the island distanced itself from the video on Instagram. The video was made outside the nightclub, apparently without the proprietors' knowledge.

"We are deeply shocked," owner Tim Becker said in a statement. "Every guest is welcome here, regardless of ethnicity." The club now knows the names of the people in the video. "We will report this disgusting behavior and make use of all available means under criminal law."

On Thursday evening, police in Flensburg on the German-Danish border became aware of the video, which was probably recorded during the bank holiday weekend a week ago.

Flensburg police spokesperson Arne Hennig told DW: "The charges are incitement to hatred and the use of symbols of unconstitutional organizations. The video shows a person raising their right arm." An investigation is already underway.

Faeser: A 'disgrace for Germany'

By Friday, the scandal had reached politicians in Berlin. "Anyone who shouts Nazi slogans like 'Germany for the Germans, foreigners out' is a disgrace to Germany." Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, told the Funke media group.

"The question arises as to whether we are dealing with people here who live in a parallel society neglected because of their wealth and trampling on the values of our constitution," she added.

And, on behalf of Berlin's governing neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP), Secretary General Bijan Djir-Sarai said: "It's shocking to see something like this." This is especially true in view of the current debate on how to better protect democracy in Germany.

Island idyll for the rich and powerful

Strong stuff. One reason why the uproar is so great is because the bars and nightclubs on Sylt have been a meeting place for the rich and powerful since the 1960s. Numerous business leaders, politicians, film and television stars have homes here. The young people in the video also appear to be well-heeled.

Does this demographic have a problem with right-wing extremist and xenophobic attitudes? That conclusion could be drawn from the statements made by state politicians from Schleswig-Holstein who have commented on the video.

The state's Education Minister Karim Priem spoke of a "sign of having been neglected on account of their wealth," while the Integration Minister Aminata Touré told the RND news network: "This is not a stupid boy's prank, but the worst kind of Nazi ranting by adults on an open stage. Disgusting. They should be ashamed of themselves! Criminal investigations must now follow."

Tim Becker now fears that the incident will now be associated with his club, and the island as a whole. He told the dpa agency that in future guests would be encouraged to report racist incidents to security staff.

The incident has affected the whole island. "Everyone is sad that this happened," said Becker. He is convinced that the five people involved will not only be banned from the Pony for life. "We don't want to see them on Sylt anymore. We have lots of friendly restaurateurs."

This article was originally written in German.

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