Insights from our study tour through German Industrial Heartlands: We engaged with the actors navigating the complex interplay of socio-ecological change, industrial renewal, and democratic backlash.

This paper highlights insights from our journey and proposes a set of principles for local leadership rooted in our experiences as a younger generation of transatlantic leaders navigating structural change. Our recommendations emphasise civic connection and identity, locally grounded communication, and visible delivery.

This paper examines how these regions navigate three defining dynamics of 2026: rearmament driven by Europe’s military build-up, looming recarbonisation as fossil fuel dependencies are deepened, and political realignment marked by surging populist anti-establishment movements.

It was a vital moment for the transatlantic community to come together. As participants convened in mid-December 2025, the Transatlantic Dialogue on the Industrial Heartlands – a three-year initiative by Das Progressive Zentrum in collaboration with the Progressive Policy Institute and Georgetown University’s Center for German and European Studies – proved more timely than ever.