GMF President Receives French National Order of Merit

Washington, DC (September 14, 2026) – The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) is proud to announce that its president, Dr. Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer, was awarded the French National Order of Merit on September 9. French Ambassador to the United States Laurent Bili presented the distinction to Dr. de Hoop Scheffer at a ceremony at his residence in Washington, DC.

France’s National Order of Merit is one of the country's highest civilian distinctions, awarded by the French president to recognize distinguished service and significant contributions in public, military, civic, cultural, or professional life. The award is intended to honor people who have made notable contributions to society, France's interests, or the public good, and is considered the second-highest French national order, after the Legion of Honor.

“In both your career and personal life, you embody the ties between two continents better than anyone, and you have always carefully elucidated the challenges that exist for decision-makers on both sides of the Atlantic,” said Bili at the award ceremony. “It is this contribution that France wishes to honor today.”

In her acceptance speech, Dr. de Hoop Scheffer spoke of her vision for a new era of transatlantic relations. “Many people ask me, in particular today, whether the transatlantic relationship is dead or dying. My answer is always … no. It is being renegotiated, and ... fast,” she said. “The bargain that has held the alliance together for 80 years—on defense burden-sharing, trade and technology, and the boundaries between security and economic policy—is being rewritten in real time, not by one side alone but by the pressure of a changing world, requiring us Europeans and Americans to adapt and recalibrate: shifting alliances, a Europe forced to take greater responsibility for its own security and competitiveness, and the race for technological sovereignty. This is not the end of the relationship. It is its most consequential renegotiation since the Marshall Plan itself—and the outcome is not yet written. That is also why leading the German Marshall Fund today, as its first European president, feels so meaningful. I see the organization—and my role—as a translator, of the United States to Europe and of Europe to the United States, without illusion, but always anchored in the reality of the world in which we operate. The exciting part of my job and my colleagues’ jobs ... is actually to write what comes next.”

“To be named Chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite is a tremendous honor. It strengthens my determination to keep building bridges between the United States and Europe; to protect the space for dialogue; and to make sure the next generation who will manage the transatlantic renegotiation inherits a relationship that ismore balanced, agile, and fit for the challenges ahead," she concluded.