German-British Parliamentary Dialogue 2025

Our first day of discussion, held with SPD colleagues at the Brandenburg Landtag in Potsdam, focused on a range of topics and issues with a distinct regional focus. Day Two then saw the delegation move to the Bundestag for a discussion of important bilateral and international topics.. 

Many of the discussions at the Landtag Brandenburg in Potsdam gave delegates the opportunity to reflect on the similar challenges faced by the SPD and Labour in counteracting the rise of radical parties within the political spectrum. Participants noted that voter frustration and distrust often stem from a perceived decline in living standards which evades measurement in objective data. Therefore, social democrats in government must go beyond the effective ‘delivery’ of policies, especially in housing and infrastructure, to serve both social and economic goals. Rebuilding voter trust will require reforms that strengthen the roots of social cohesion, resilience and democratic participation.

On Day Two at the Bundestag, parliamentarians from the UK and Germany welcomed the Kensington Treaty, signed by both countries in June, as a milestone for bilateral cooperation. Both groups expressed a strong interest in exploring how members of both legislatures can oversee the implementation of the various ‘lighthouse projects’ while also supporting crucial personal links. In discussions of wider international topics, participants voiced concern over growing international instability - from shifting US policies to China’s expanding influence - and called for stronger cooperation among “like-minded partners” such as Canada and Japan. Finally, there was consensus on the need for a more balanced, partnership-based approach to Europe’s engagement with the Global South.

FES London looks forward to supporting the closer cooperation of parliamentarians to ‘bring life’ to the exciting possibilities offered by the Kensington Treaty at this crucial juncture for UK-German and UK-European relations.