Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier – in cooperation with the Bertelsmann Foundation – issued an invitation to a further event in the series Forum Bellevue on the Future of Democracy at Schloss Bellevue on 24 November.

The tenth event in the series addressed the question From the crisis into the future – how can we work together to bring about transformation?. Along with his guests, the Federal President examined how we as a society can succeed in bringing about the fundamental changes needed for the future – sustainable transformation – democratically and through democratic cooperation.

The Federal President discussed this issue with Maja Göpel (political economist and Scientific Director of The New Institute), Udo Di Fabio (Professor of Public Law at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn and former judge at the Federal Constitutional Court), Thea Dorn (literary critic, author of fiction and non-fiction) and Wolfgang Merkel (political scientist and Director of the Research Unit for Democracy and Democratisation at the Social Science Research Center Berlin).

With his guests, the Federal President considered the fundamental issue of how to make our democracy fit for the future. How can we work together to bring about sustainable transformation without excluding any groups of society? How can transition opportunities be created and with them the chance for people to be part of the process and benefit from the prospects that the future offers? What democratic processes and institutions are necessary for successful transformation? Which stakeholders are crucial? What forms of European and international cooperation and coordination are necessary?

The event took place without an audience due to the current social distancing and hygiene rules. It could be followed via livestream on the day of the event.