- May 23, 2024
- , 17:00
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- May 23, 2024
- , 18:15
On May 23, 2024, the Aspen Institute Germany and the American Council on Germany hosted the twelfth discussion in the virtual event series State-to-State: German-American State Legislator Dialogue with German and U.S. state legislators. While global challenges are traditionally addressed by national governments, increasingly subnational actors such as states, communities, and cities have stepped up to take action when nation-states have been unable to make progress due to political polarization and partisan gridlock. This trend has also characterized transatlantic relations and the German-American partnership.
Trust in government is an essential element of a functioning democracy. In both the United States and Germany, governments face declining trust in political institutions that have been influenced by perceived corruption, lack of transparency, ineffective governance, partisan polarization, media, dis- and misinformation, and overall feelings of voter disenfranchisement. Systemic inequalities can further contribute to widespread mistrust among marginalized communities or regions and economic instability can exacerbate doubts in the government’s ability to adequately address citizen’s needs. Moreover, responses to recent crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can either bolster or diminish trust, depending on the perceived effectiveness and transparency of governmental actions. A climate of distrust in institutions can also lead to radicalization and the proliferation of conspiracy beliefs. With important elections on the horizon on both sides of the Atlantic, these issues are of particular interest during this “Super Election Year.” How can legislators at the state level contribute to building trust in government?
We discussed these issues with Marion Schiefer, Member of the Parliament of Schleswig-Holstein (CDU), Senator Cindy Winckler, Member of the Iowa Senate (Democrat) and Senator Roger Nielo, Member of the California Senate (Republican).
This event is part of the State-to-State: German-American State Legislator Dialogue which the Aspen Institute Germany and the American Council on Germany have launched to provide a platform for subnational exchange amongst German and American state legislators and a broader audience on common transatlantic challenges. The project builds on Aspen Germany’s Laboratories of Democracy Initiative, a transatlantic exchange program for German and American state legislators.
