Emily Schultheis is the senior editorial director for POLITICO Europe’s live journalism team, based in Berlin. Her current role follows 15 years of working as a reporter covering elections, populism and democracy from Washington, Berlin, Vienna and Los Angeles.

Over the course of her reporting career, Emily’s work has appeared in POLITICO, The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Guardian, POLITICO Europe, The Associated Press, Foreign Policy, National Geographic, Semafor, TIME, Slate, BBC Online, The Los Angeles Times, CNN, CBS News, NBC News, National Journal, Coda Story, Der Tagesspiegel and Spiegel International, among others.

Emily was named a 2023 Livingston Award finalist for her reporting on an Austrian doctor facing threats from anti-vaccine conspiracy followers. She is also a previous recipient of fellowships from the Institute of Current World Affairs, the International Center for Journalists, the Robert Bosch Foundation and the East-West Center for her reporting on international politics and populism.

Emily, a San Francisco Bay Area native, holds a B.A. in English and Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.A. in Nationalism Studies from Central European University.

Get in touch: eschultheis [at] politico [dot] eu.

Selected recent stories

“The inside story of how 31 days made Merz chancellor — and changed Germany forever”: POLITICO Europe, February 2025

“Alice Weidel took the German far right to new heights. Here’s how she did it.” POLITICO Europe, February 2025

“How Germany’s far right is harnessing AI to win votes”: POLITICO Europe, February 2025

“The city that exposes Germany’s deep migration divide”: POLITICO Europe, February 2025

“Assaults stoke fear among migrants in eastern German city”: POLITICO Europe, February 2025

“German lawmakers can’t agree whether to seek ban on far-right AfD”: POLITICO Europe, January 2025

“Germany’s Merz sparks firestorm by breaking postwar taboo”: POLITICO Europe, January 2025

“What the Swiss can teach California about direct democracy”: POLITICO, January 2025

“Anti-slavery movement charts its path forward”: POLITICO, December 2024

“How Californians came to embrace a tough-on-crime initiative”: POLITICO, November 2024

“LA County’s governing body is 172 years old. Is it time for change?”: POLITICO, October 2024

“‘Doing a Biden’ is new international shorthand for ousting past-due leaders”: POLITICO, September 2024

“Switzerland’s Unusual Form of Democracy Takes Aim at Eurovision”: POLITICO Magazine, September 2024

“Who belongs in today’s Germany?” / “The Grassroots Organization Taking on Germany’s Growing Far Right”: The Dial/Foreign Policy, September 2024

“Immigration fears are pushing centrists to the right in the US and Europe”: POLITICO, June 2024