Big Ideas for Renewing the Transatlantic Partnership

GMF program alumni share bold new concepts for reinvigorating democracy, belonging, and leadership.

As geopolitical fault lines continue to widen and democratic resilience is tested, alumni of GMF Leadership Programs gathered in Detroit, Michigan, for the 2025 Marshall Seminar to ask a defining question: What will it take to renew the transatlantic partnership for the next generation?

What emerged from two days of candid conversations, personal storytelling, and practical problem-solving were four big ideas rooted in professional expertise and lived experiences. The concepts were sharpened by debate and shaped by alumni leaders from signature GMF programs across the United States and Europe. Here are the highlights:

Renewal for a New Global Order

The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was a moment of triumph for the transatlantic community, but it also led to complacency. Former US Deputy Secretary of State and GMF Board of Trustees member Stephen Biegun reflected, “We assumed that because democracy prevailed, it would always prevail. But the hard work was only beginning.”

Today’s leadership includes generations that did not grow up in the context of the Cold War, NATO expansion, or the post-1989 optimism that shaped earlier worldviews. Renewal requires teaching values informed by history, strengthening civic networks, and countering rising disengagement. The task is to build a forward-looking partnership resilient enough for today’s fractured political landscape. The transatlantic relationship must evolve to address today’s challenges—from Russian aggression to democratic backsliding—and must be grounded not just in shared history but also in shared strategy. Dirk Schattscheider, director of the Manfred-Woerner-Seminar, added, “Friends and allies are essential, and at the basis are our shared values. There is still a deep understanding in Europe of why this partnership matters.”

Biegun urged alumni to see today’s moment with similar clarity, noting that “what we need is courage—courage informed by public support, capabilities, and the understanding of the moment.” For many attendees, this idea underscored a shift: that defending democratic values now depends as much on civic networks and local engagement as on statecraft.

Migration and Belonging as Systemic Fixes

Migration is often treated as a crisis, but seminar participants reframed it as a mirror that reveals fractures in housing, labor, and governance systems built for another era. They argued that migration offers opportunities to redesign democracies around the idea of belonging. Speakers emphasized strategic pragmatism: opening labor pathways where urgent demographic needs exist, building bridges among unlikely allies, and investing in civic infrastructure that strengthens trust.

Ghida Dagher, CEO and president of New American Leaders and Marshall Memorial Fellowship (MMF) 2022 alumna, made the case that immigrant leadership is central to democratic renewal. “Immigrant leadership breaks down walls and proves that democracy can include—and belong—to all of us,” she said. She added that representation is not symbolic—it is structural. Her message underscored the idea that migration is not only about movement; it is a systemic stress test that reveals where democracies must evolve next.

Transatlantic Renewal Requires Speed and Inclusion

The transatlantic economy faces severe strain from slow growth and protectionism. Renewal hinges on innovation and inclusion, demanding that growth benefits not only markets but also communities. Global threats, including protectionism and disinformation, necessitate strategic resilience. Uneven competitiveness is exacerbated by regulatory friction. Addressing this requires stronger political will and greater speed. As Klaus Frandsen (MMF ’95), partner at MHS Corporate Finance/ Clairfield, noted: "Europe needs to make faster decisions. Industrial policy in the US is fresh and agile, and we need the courage to match that speed if we want a strong transatlantic economy.” The path forward is to align industrial strategies, combat systemic threats, and invest in people as the foundation for shared competitiveness.

Turning GMF Networks Into Action

Throughout the seminar, Detroit’s example reframed how the GMF network can lead: Transformation must be local, personal, and community-based. The future of the transatlantic relationship will be shaped not only in capitals but in cities, neighborhoods, and civic spaces. Sarah Jones, managing director of Leadership Programs at GMF, emphasized the need to expand partnerships with local foundations, community organizations, and subnational actors. Participants proposed tools ranging from city-based dialogues to storytelling campaigns to a transatlantic day of action to bring people together. Echoing the urgency, Igor Janke (MMF ’03), president of the Warsaw

Freedom Institute, argued, “We are facing multiple wars that require transatlantic cooperation. We must explain why the US needs to stay engaged in Europe—the price will be higher if not.”

Across these big ideas runs a shared conviction: The future of the transatlantic relationship will be written by leaders who act with clarity, courage, and commitment—those who build trust locally and collaborate globally.

In Detroit, alumni rediscovered the urgency of this work—and the joy of doing it together. They left with new ideas, new energy, and a renewed belief that the next chapter of the transatlantic partnership can be transformational.