Description
In 1990, Hans Maull proposed a concept of ‘civilian power’ (Zivilmacht), suggesting a new type of leadership projection based on the assumption, the state claiming such leadership might build it up, basing on multilateral institutions and aiming to strengthen the international order based on the international law. Among the actors, which might try to implement such kind of national role, Maull particularly mentioned then recently re-unified Germany. The essence of 'civilian power' policies is, according to Maull, in attempting to 'civilize' the international order by reinforcing the influence of the international law, respecting human rights principles and aiming at peaceful and law-based conflict settlement.
During Merkel's chancellorship, Berlin attempted to act in accordance with aforementioned principles on the European and international arena. In the particular case of Russia policy, this explains, on the one hand, Berlin's stance on imposing sanctions against Russia in 2014, and, on the other hand, Germany's engagement into conflict settlement negotiations between Russia and Ukraine within the Normandy format (2014-2022). Moreover, these considerations guided Berlin's steps toward upholding the economic cooperation with Kremlin and 'remaining in contact' with Moscow on the issues in Syria and Libya.
Meanwhile, in 2013 the party "Alternative for Germany" (Alternative für Deutschland, AfD) was established. Since then, the AfD has been constantly promoting close relations between the FRG and the Russian Federation and opposing to sanctioning Russia. Therefore, the AfD’s narratives were to significant extent in odds with the approaches to Russia policy, the third and the fourth Merkel's governments attempted to pursue.
Against this background, it is necessary to look into the research question, in fact, whether the stance of the AfD on Germany's Russia policy is a case of a role contestation with regard to 'civilian power' based policies, pursued by the governments under Merkel.
The review of the issue enables to understand the specifics of the FRG’s Russia policy under Angela Merkel and its perception within Germany's party-political landscape. The assessment is done basing on the methodology of foreign policy analysis reflecting the specifics of the “national roles” as well as reflecting the behaviors of political parties on foreign policy issues. Among other things, discourse analysis will be used to review the foreign policy documents and the speeches of foreign policy decision-makers of the FRG with regard to Russia during Merkel's chancellorship as well as the party (and after 2017 also Bundestag faction) leadership of the AfD. On the results of this review, it will be determined to what extent the Germany’s national role concept of ‘civilian power’ has been challenged by the narratives of the "Alternative for Germany" in case of Russia policy during the third and the fourth chancellorships of Angela Merkel.
Key words: Germany, Russia, Alternative for Germany, foreign policy, national role, civilian power.
