Urgently in Need of Reform
The Petersburg Dialogue Put to the Test
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
In 2010, the Petersburg Dialogue will convene for the tenth time. The event profits from the media attention due to the governmental consultations that take place with the participation of Russian President Dmitrii Medvedev and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. But opinions diverge when it comes to the question whether the Petersburg Dialogue does justice to its original purpose to strengthen civil society in both countries and to bring each side closer to the other. The organisers praise the dialogue as a model of success. Critics lament its character as a club of dignitaries, its rituals, and the simulation of results. The Petersburg Dialogue is urgently in need of reform.
(Osteuropa 10/2010, pp. 59–82)