Newsroom

Germany is at the centre of a maelstrom of global crises and conflicts. Right-wing populists are enjoying growing popularity. And many solutions are expected from the new federal government. And quickly! A conversation between sociologist Steffen Mau and Georg Schütte, CEO of the Volkswagen Foundation, about the end of the 'fair-weather democracy' (Mau) and the journey into the unknown.

From 11 to 13 June 2025, around 150 participants from over 30 countries are meeting in Hanover for the first of two foundation-funded theme weeks on '(Tackling) Loneliness'.

The Volkswagen Foundation has been experimenting with "Distributed Peer Review" since 2024. The RoRI is evaluating the experiment, in which applicants review each other's applications. One result of the collaboration is a DPR guideline, which the RoRI has now presented.

To be made sustainably fit for the future, public administrations must undergo a challenging digital transformation. But the AI required for this also harbours risks. A research project is developing a roadmap to greater transparency – with the help of a register.

Hostility towards democracy is on the rise in Germany. Yet politicians and academics pay little attention to the attitudes of a particularly important group: young voters. An interdisciplinary project in eastern Germany is determined to change that.

A small, rich minority is becoming increasingly wealthy. Eva Wegner and Miquel Pellicer ask: How does politics contribute to growing economic inequality – and whose interests do MPs actually represent?