German political foundations as an instrument of Germany’s energy policy in Central-Eastern Europe

This article is dedicated to the study of the role of German political foundations in the framework of the energy policy of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) in Central and Eastern Europe. The activities of German political foundations and their local partners in the energy field in Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary are analyzed using the examples of the Konrad-Adenauer and Friedrich-Ebert foundations. It was found that Germany’s interests in the energy sector are focused on intensifying efforts to switch to renewable energy sources and ensure energy independence and security. In practical terms, this is expressed in the politicization of all energy-connected issues.

The author concludes that the German political foundations are quite effective in promoting the mentioned national interests of the FRG in the relevant area at the private and state levels. This is due to their many years of work on building a “influence networks”, adapting their main narratives to the vision and interests of specific countries without losing their original content and competent prioritization and distribution of available resources. The most active work is being carried out in Poland and Hungary, both in countries of particular importance for Germany as “access points” to the post-Soviet space, as well as in terms of the location of the main part of oil and gas pipelines from the Russian Federation on their territory. In the Czech Republic the main emphasis is made on maintaining the current level of Germany’s influence with the possibility of separating the country from the Visegrad Group format in the medium-long term.

1. Polityka energetyczna Polski do 2040 r. // https://www.gov.pl/web/klimat/polityka-energetyczna-polski, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Pol.)

2. Czech Journal of Political Science // https://www.politologickycasopis.cz/en/archive/2022/1/, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

3. Elif Gunduzyeli: Regarding climate protection, things are changing quickly even in the V4 // https://www.politicalcapital.hu/search.php?article_read=1&article_id=2737, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

4. European Green Path – the Future of the Czech Republic? // https://en.ikdp.cz/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/European-Green-Path_EN.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

5. Europes green transformation. Can we beat the heat and save our planet? // https://www.andrassyuni.eu/veranstaltungen/europes-green-transformation-can-we-beat-the-heat-and-save-our-planet.html, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

6. Green energy in Focus – Investment incentives in Poland and Hungary // https://kki.hu/event/green-energy-in-focus-investment-incentives-in-poland-and-hungary/, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

7. How are our political systems and their deficits causing a lack of efforts to fight climate change? // https://www.andrassyuni.eu/nachrichten/how-are-our-political-systems-and-their-deficits-causing-a-lack-of-efforts-to-fight-climate-change.html, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

8. People Power vs. the Climate Crisis // https://www.politicalcapital.hu/search.php?article_read=1&article_id=2906, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

9. The European Unions energy taxonomy saga. Beitrag vom AUB-Doktorand Rafal Fabianowicz im ECPR-Blog The Loop // https://www.andrassyuni.eu/nachrichten/the-european-unions-energy-taxonomy-saga-beitrag-vom-aub-doktorand-rafal-fabianowicz-im-ecpr-blog-the-loop.html, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

10. V4 + Germany // https://www.andrassyuni.eu/projekt/v4-germany.html, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

11. Visions for Europe: “Europe of Citizens and Regions or Europe of Nations?” // https://budapest.fes.de/veranstaltung-detail/visions-for-europe-europe-of-citizens-and-regions-or-europe-of-nations, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

12. A V4 energiabiztonsága: a nukleáris energia és a szén földje // https://www.politicalcapital.hu/search.php?article_read=1&article_id=422, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Hung.)

13. Czy możliwa jest eko-Rzeczpospolita? // https://www.batory.org.pl/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Czy.mozliwa.jest_.eko_Rzeczpospolita.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Pol.)

14. Nový růstový model pro střední Evropu // https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/prag/18317-20211026.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Czech.)

15. Nyersanyagstratégia nélkül nagy baj lesz // https://mcc.hu/hir/nyersanyagstrategia-nelkul-nagy-baj-lesz, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Hung.)

16. Partner // https://www.kas.de/de/web/polen/partner, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Germ.)

17. Partner // https://www.kas.de/de/web/tschechien/partner, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Germ.)

18. Partner // https://www.kas.de/de/web/ungarn/partner, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Germ.)

19. Ungarisch-deutsches Barometer 2017– 2021 // https://www.kas.de/documents/264621/16298146/Ungarisch-deutsches+Barometer+2017-2021.pdf/4997be50-f2ea-4fd5-71ff-a6be002c3469?version=1.0&t=1642064377148, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Germ.)

20. Unia energetyczna – solidarna i niezależna Europa // https://www.kas.de/documents/279510/5413037/Unia+Energetyczna.pdf/0fe48e31-e639-c013-3262-86639bb07826?version=1.0&t=1561647265725, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Pol.)

21. V4 + Deutschland im Dialog – Konferenz der Andrássy Universität Budapest // https://www.kas.de/de/web/ungarn/veranstaltungsberichte/detail/-/content/-v4-deutschland-im-dialog-konferenz-der-andrassy-universitaet-budapest, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Germ.)

22. Veranstaltungsbericht zur Diskussion „Die Gewerkschaften und Energiepolitik: deutsche und polnische Erfahrungen. Zwei Länder, zwei Visionen – ein gemeinsames Ziel“ // https://polska.fes.de/e/veranstaltungsbericht-zur-diskussion-die-gewerkschaften-und-energiepolitik-deutsche-und-polnische-erfahrungen-zwei-laender-zwei-visionen-ein-gemeinsames-ziel, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Germ.)

23. Zelená dohoda pro Evropu a střední třída // https://top-az.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/zelena-dohoda-pro-evropu-WEB.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Czech.)

24. Zwischen Green Deal und Nord Stream II – Die Geopolitik der europäischen Energiesicherheit (Zoom) // https://www.andrassyuni.eu/veranstaltungen/zwischen-green-deal-und-nord-stream-ii-die-geopolitik-der-europaischen-energiesicherheit-zoom.html, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Germ.)

25. Balcer A., Blusz K., Schmieg E., 2018. Germany, Poland and the future of transatlantic community // https://www.kas.de/documents/252038/253252/7_dokument_dok_pdf_52983_1.pdf/1284bc5c-5d7c-6a7e-cee6-af229f756297?version=1.0&t=1539647233918, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

26. Bíró-Nagy A., Szászi Á., Varga A., 2022. How much EU do Hungarians want? Pro- EU and Eurosceptic attitudes in Hungary // https://www.policysolutions.hu/userfiles/Policy_Solutions_How_much_EU_do_Hungarians_want_EN_summary.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

27. Borčany V., Dostál V., 2018. Agenda for Czech Foreign Policy 2018 // https://www.amo.cz/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Amo_EN_web.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

28. Borčany V., Janebová P., 2019. Agenda for Czech Foreign Policy 2019 // https://www.amo.cz/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/agenda2019_ENG_final.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

29. Březovská R., 2022. Worth high-quality EU-wide citizens’ panels: The upfront case for (climate) change // https://www.amo.cz/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/AMO_Worth_high%E2%80%93quality_EU-wide_citizens_panels_The_upfront_case_for_climate_change.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

30. Dostál V., Havlíček P., Janebová P., 2020. Agenda for Czech Foreign Policy 2020 // https://www.amo.cz/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/agenda2020_ENG.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

31. Dostál V., Végh Z., 2017. Trends of Visegrad European Policy // https://www.kas.de/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=7284c822-fdb1-ba52-3c58-d75dbb89dad0&groupId=252038, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

32. Fuchsová A., Janebová P., 2020. An East-West divide in the European Union? Analysis of selected policy areas // https://www.amo.cz/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/AMO-KAS_East-West-divide_paper.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

33. Győri G., 2017. Hungarian Politics in 2017 // http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/budapest/14032.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

34. Győri G., 2018. Hungarian Politics in 2018 // http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/budapest/15092.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

35. Győri G., 2021. Hungarian Politics in 2021 // http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/budapest/18772.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

36. Havlíček P., 2022. Czech-Russian Escalation as a Case of Deeper EU-Russia Crisis: Time for a United and Credible Action // https://www.amo.cz/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/pavel-havlicek.pdf, accessed 01.06.202201.06.2022. (In Eng.)

37. Havlíček P., Lang K.-O., 2022. Czech-German Dialogue on Russia: In Need of Reinforced Cooperation // https://www.amo.cz/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/AMO_Czech-German_Dialogue_on_Russia.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

38. Istrate D., 2021. Russian influence in Hungary: The case of Paks 2 and the Kremlin’s influence – seeking efforts through nuclear energy // https://www.politicalcapital.hu/pc-admin/source/documents/PC_EVC_Paks2_Report_210323.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

39. Janebová P., Dostál V., Havlíček P., 2021. Agenda for Czech Foreign Policy 2021 // https://www.amo.cz/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/AMO_Agenda_2021_EN.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

40. Janebová P., Végh Z., 2019. Trends of Visegrad Foreign Policy // https://www.kas.de/documents/268176/7349152/Trends+of+Visegrad+Foreign+Policy+2019.pdf/512fe9ca-0a3b-2c15-ed67-23f527bd1938?version=1.1&t=1571833439839, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

41. Janebová P., Végh Z., 2021. Trends of Visegrad European Policy // https://www.kas.de/documents/268176/15193537/Trends+of+Visegrad+European+Policy+2021.pdf/fea8ba93-6b25-98ac-a2b7-b257d7c6c471?version=1.0&t=1638458571388, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

42. Kucharczyk J., 2021. Respect the past but look towards the future. Polish, French and German perceptions of the Weimar Triangle and its role in the EU // https://www.isp. org.pl/pl/publikacje/respect-the-past-but-look-towards-the-future-polish-french-and-german-perceptions-of-the-weimar-triangle-and-its-role-in-the-eu-1186, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

43. Przybyło P., 2019. The real financial cost of NORD Stream 2. Economic sensitivity analysis of the alternatives to the offshore pipeline // https://pulaski.pl/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Raport_NordStream_TS.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

44. Przybyło P., 2020. The last oil peak in the history of the world – geopolitical, sociological, and economic factors that shape the future of the Energy sector // https://pulaski.pl/en/18699-2/, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

45. Stainforth T., Gore T., Urios Culiañez J., 2021. The socioeconomic impacts of renewable energy in EU regions // https://www.amo.cz/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/5b454d4c4e7808f3d95464dabe24374a.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

46. Wientzek O., Rieck C. E., 2018. Brussels’ new telephone number? – How a European Security Council could strengthen EU foreign policy // https://www.kas.de/documents/252038/253252/7_dokument_dok_pdf_53537_2.pdf/c02761f3-40a6-3f41-5855-3b158dbab5a4?version=1.0&t=1539646981687, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Eng.)

47. Ámon A., Fülöp O., 2021. Budapests Weg in eine grüne Zukunft // http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/budapest/17880.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Germ.)

48. Barabás T. J., 2020. 2019 végének kelet-európai energiapolitikai fejleményei // https://kki.hu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/13_KKI-elemzes_EE_Energy_Barabas_20200205.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Hung.)

49. Bence B., 2022a. Energieembargo um jeden Preis? Perspektiven aus Ungarn // https://magyarnemetintezet.hu/de/forschung/energieembargo-um-jeden-preis-perspektiven-aus-ungarn, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Germ.)

50. Bence B., 2022b. Die ersten 100 Tage der deutschen Bundesregierung: Wie lange reicht die Energie? // https://magyarnemetintezet.hu/de/forschung/die-ersten-100-tage-der-deutschen-bundesregierung-wie-lange-reicht-die-energie, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Germ.)

51. Bendyk E., 2021. W stronę Eko-Rzeczpospolitej. Zielona transformacja i przyszłość demokracji // https://www.batory.org.pl/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/W-strone-Eko-Rzeczpospolitej.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Pol.)

52. Beribes A., 2021. Die Missverstandenen? Die Visegrád-Staaten und die Konferenz zur Zukunft Europas // https://www.kas.de/documents/268176/13453828/Die+Visegr%C3%A1d-Staaten+und+die+Konferenz+zur+Zukunft+Europas.pdf/98d4aa1a-60bd-e7e4-c6ae-6d35ba44c49b?version=1.1&t=1625238755712, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Germ.)

53. Bíró-Nagy A., Laki G., Szászi Á., 2020. A zöld baloldali politika lehetőségei Magyarországon // http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/budapest/16636.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Hung.)

54. Bíró-Nagy A., Szabó A., 2021. Magyar fiatalok 2021 – Elégedetlenség, EU-pártiság // http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/budapest/18607.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Hung.)

55. Csaplár T., Rasthofer A., 2022. Faktenwissen Ungarn: Energiepolitik in Ungarn // https://magyarnemetintezet.hu/de/forschung/faktenwissen-ungarn-energiepolitik-in-ungarn-1, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Germ.)

56. Dörstelmann F., 2021. Grünes Deutschland – Für wen ist alles drin? // https://magyarnemetintezet.hu/de/forschung/grunes-deutschland-fur-wen-ist-alles-drin, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Germ.)

57. Gregosz D., Lemmen D. J., 2021. Raus aus der Kohle, rein ins Nuklearzeitalter? // https://www.kas.de/documents/252038/10987758/Polens+Einstieg+in+die+Kernkraft+entscheidet+sich+m%C3%B6glicherweise+in+den+n%C3%A4chsten+Monaten.pdf/8f578973-5e6d-db76-a721-976b44b7a49a?version=1.0&t=1619518234622, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Germ.)

58. Huszár A., 2020. Zöld Megállapodás az Európai Bizottság új agendáján // https:// kki.hu/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/E-2020_65_zold.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Hung.)

59. Huszti V., 2018. A geotermikus energia hasznosítási lehetőségei Magyarországon és Izlandon // https://kki.hu/assets/upload/27_KKI-elemzes_HU_ISL_Huszti_20180815.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Hung.)

60. Kucharczyk J., Łada-Konefał A., 2022. Polacy i Niemcy o rosyjskiej agresji na Ukrainę. Barometr Polska-Niemcy 2022 (wydanie specjalne) // https://www.isp.org.pl/pl/publikacje/polacy-i-niemcy-o-rosyjskiej-agresji-na-ukraine-barometr-polska-niemcy-2022-wydanie-specjalne, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Pol.)

61. Majmurek J., 2022. Polskie embargo na surowce z Rosji to krok w dobrą stronę, ale to wciąż za mało // https://krytykapolityczna.pl/gospodarka/embargo-na-surowce-z-rosji/, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Pol.)

62. Palata L., 2021. V4 potřebuje jít k Zelené dohodě svým tempem i stylem // https://top-az.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/PP-Palata_po-kor.-1.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Czech.)

63. Pöttering H.-G., 2017. Mut zur Gestaltung: Impulse für eine starke und zukunftsfähige Europäische Union // https://www.kas.de/documents/252038/253252/7_dokument_dok_pdf_50608_1.pdf/1cfd69ed-8796-659b-e516-9993e18c1b34?version=1.0&t=1539648362792, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Germ.)

64. Smoleńska A., Buras P., Ananicz S., 2021. Nowy rozdział. Transformacja Unii Europejskiej a Polska // https://www.batory.org.pl/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Nowy-rozdzial_Transformacja-UE-a-Polska.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Pol.)

65. Szőke D., 2019. Vihar egy vezeték körül – Az Északi Áramlat 2 gázvezetékprojekt geopolitikai összefüggései és aktualitásai // https://kki.hu/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/28_KKI-elemzes_NS2_Szoke_20190611.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Hung.)

66. Tungul L., 2021. Nastupující systémové změny domácí a zahraniční politiky. Pravicová řešení politických výzev pro rok 2022 // https://top-az.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/topaz-2022-WEB.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Czech.)

67. Welge A., 2019. Komunální politika životního prostředí // https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/prag/15900.pdf, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Czech.)

68. Wójcik P., 2022. Czas pożegnać się z Rosją. Na dobre // https://krytykapolityczna.pl/gospodarka/czas-pozegnac-sie-z-rosja-na-dobre/, accessed 01.06.2022. (In Pol.)