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Short political reports of the KAS offices abroad

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Unsplash / Rodrigo Santos

The Integrated Review Refresh 2023

The Integrated Review Refresh is intended to update the 2021 Integrated Review, a key document of British foreign policy, in light of a shifting world situation.

Germany is still working on a national security strategy and the governing coalition has not been able to agree on the establishment of a National Security Council. In contrast, the British government last month delivered: The Integrated Review Refresh 2023 (IRR23) builds on the Integrated Review (IR) of two years prior and is a key geostrategic document. In around 60 pages, it sets out the goals of British foreign policy and outlines strategies for achieving them. The added value of the IR is that it does not get bogged down in details, but strives to integrate the priorities of the United Kingdom (UK) in different policy areas and for different regions of the world into an overall picture that is as coherent as possible. The overall picture, which can be gleaned from the current IRR23 is similar to that of the 2021 IR but exhibits some differences that are particularly significant for Germany and Europe. The latter suggest that the post-Brexit UK has now overcome the bombast and hubris of the Johnson years and found a healthier balance between strategic ambition and pragmatism.

Sebastian Schnorrenberg
April 12, 2023
Country Reports
KAS

Parliamentary Elections in Thailand

Initial Situation and Possible Scenarios

The next general election in Thailand will be held on May 14, 2023. One day after the dissolution of the House of Representatives on March 20, the Election Commission officially announced the new date for the ballot.

Dr. Céline-Agathe Caro, Sarita Piyawongrungruang
April 12, 2023
Country Reports
Adobe Stock/Павел Мещеряков

Spain in the super election year 2023

Starting position

Spain is experiencing an extraordinary political year. On May 28, elections will be held in 12 of the 17 regions (Comunidades Autónomas) and in all municipalities. On July 1, 2023, Spain will take over the EU Council Presidency. In addition, national elections are due at the end of 2023. The exact date has not yet been set. The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung's Spain office is starting a series of reports with a description of the initial situation. In the coming weeks and months, in-depth analyses of the parties, their election programs and the election results will follow.

Dr. Ludger Gruber, Martin Friedek
April 11, 2023
Country Reports
IMAGO / Zoonar

German Foreign Minister Baerbock travels to China

A Chance for European Diplomacy?

At the end of this week, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Alliance 90/The Greens) will travel to the People's Republic of China. In Beijing, she is to meet with her Chinese counterpart Qin Gang. In addition, talks are planned with the highest-ranking Chinese foreign policy official, Wang Yi, as well as Premier Li Qiang. Even if the program of talks is still fraught with uncertainties, it is already clear that the Foreign Minister's list of topics is long. Putin's war of aggression in Ukraine will play a role. This also applies to the German government's China strategy, which has been announced for some time, and the German-Chinese intergovernmental consultations scheduled for June.

Johann C. Fuhrmann
April 11, 2023
Country Reports
Reuters / Kacper Pempel

For more years of “Law and Justice”?

Parliamentary election scenarios for the PiS, Poland’s governing party

Since the Russia invasion in Europe in violation of international law, Poland, Germany’s large neighbour, has become an important “front-line state” on the border of Belarus and Ukraine. In the autumn of 2023, it will elect a new parliament. The “Law and Justice” party, led by Chairman Jarosław Kaczyński, appears confident. The national conservative power expects to form a government for the third time in a row (the first was in 2015) and secure its system of power. What core issues dominate the political discourse, and what ideas guide the PiS? This analysis examines the party’s chances and sketches various election scenarios – including one that involves an entirely new coalition on the Vistula.

David Gregosz, Thomas Behrens
April 6, 2023
Country Reports
KAS / Marija Peran

Nigeria's 2023 Elections

The most influential kingmaker wins the presidency

On February 25, 2023 Nigeria elected a new president and national assembly. Gubernatorial and state parliamentary elections were held on March 18. The results let expect rather the continuation of established power and elite politics instead of the change many, especially young voters have been hoping for.

Marija Peran
April 5, 2023
Country Reports
Reuters / Marko Djurica

Montenegro's New President

Second chance for Montenegro?

Its new President is facing major challenges both in domestic and foreign policies.

Jakov Devčić
April 5, 2023
Country Reports
Unsplash / Mantas Bytautas

Local elections in Lithuania

Success in the capital, loss in the countryside

Local elections were held in Lithuania on March 5, 2023. The final runoff elections were held on March 19, 2023. Sixteen political parties and 32 political committees participated in the voting. Their representatives competed for the 1,498 municipal council seats and 60 mayoral seats. Voter turnout was 48.97 percent, a slight increase. The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party emerged as the winner of the local elections. The capital Vilnius was won by the Christian Democrats. Party leader Landsbergis is no longer running for party chairman.

Oliver Morwinsky, Fausta Šimaitytė, Emely Keyn
April 5, 2023
Country Reports
Saher Elghorra/TheNews2/imago images

In the crossfire: Without perspective in the midst of nationalist-religious violence

The Situation of Christians in the Palestinian Territories

Christians in the Palestinian Territories live a life between all fronts: Fundamentalist Islamic forces on the one hand and Jewish extremists on the other make life difficult for them. In addition, there is a lack of economic prospects and a rigorous Israeli occupation policy. So, many Christian Palestinians are leaving their home. But with their institutions, they are an important socio-economic factor and a central part of the Palestinian community.

Steven Höfner, Bernadette Weimer
April 4, 2023
Country Reports
REUTERS / Stoyan Nenov

Elections in Bulgaria

GERB wins in fifth parliamentary election in two years

On April 2nd, parliamentary elections were held in Bulgaria for the fifth time in two years. A total of 21 formations - 14 parties and 7 coalitions - fought for the 240 seats in the National Assembly, the Bulgarian parliament, which are allocated on the basis of pure proportional representation.

Norbert Beckmann-Dierkes, Borislaw Wankow
April 4, 2023
Country Reports
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About this series

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung is a political foundation. Our offices abroad are in charge of over 200 projects in more than 120 countries. The country reports offer current analyses, exclusive evaluations, background information and forecasts - provided by our international staff.

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