Nicolai von Ondarza

Associate Fellow, Europe Programme

Headshot of Nicolai von Ondarza

Biography

Dr Nicolai von Ondarza is an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and the Head of the EU/Europe Research Division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin.

His research focuses on Germany’s role in Europe, EU politics and institutions, EU–UK relations as well as democracy in Europe. As part of his work, he has consulted the German Government, the Bundestag, the UK government, the European Parliament and the European Commission.


Previously, von Ondarza worked at the Budneswehr Institute of Social Sciences and as a lecturer at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt Oder and at the University of Potsdam.

He holds a MA in Contemporary European Studies from the University of Bath, the Humboldt University of Berlin and the Charles University in Prague, and a PhD in Political Science from the University of Nürnberg-Erlangen.

Past experience

2020–presentHead EU/Europe, German Institute for International and Security Affairs
2023Member of the Franco-German Expert Group on EU Reform and Enlargement
2010-2020Senior Associate, German Institute for International and Security Affairs
2009-2009Researcher, Bundeswehr Institute of Social Sciences