Regional Powers, Political Parties, and Practices of Regionalism: the Cases of Brazil and of Germany

This paper aims to analyze how two regional powers, Brazil and Germany, affected the policy-making processes in their respective region, according to the spread of norms, rules and identities. During Lula (2003-2010) and Merkel (2005-2017), both countries promoted foreign policies that reaffirmed democratic values, peace, and cooperation between nations, and most of all, the importance of regional integration. Hence, this study poses the question if the change of political parties in charge – from PSDB to PT, in Brazil, and from SPD to CDU, in Germany – affected their performance as regional powers and their diplomatic approach towards South America and Europe.