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smarterpix / albund

Arab Public Opinion amidst the Iran War

Findings from the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS)’s 2026 MENA Survey

A decade and a half after the 2011 Arab Spring, conditions across the region have changed drastically. The promises of positive change for ordinary citizens in the early 2010s have largely receded into systems that, for the most part, resemble the political systems that existed before the uprisings. Yet, much has also changed: the horrific attacks by the terrorist organization Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023 and the Israeli military campaign that followed have had vast spillover effects. Regional escalations in recent years culminated in the joint U.S. and Israeli war on Iran, which began on February 28, 2026 and has since impacted nearly all countries in the Middle East. Amidst the Iran war, KAS cooperated with Arab Research and Analytics Associates to carry out nationally representative public opinion surveys across seven societies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Syria, and Tunisia. The results reveal that a combination of frustration, pragmatism, and selective optimism defines public opinion across MENA. This outcome may be surprising, particularly given the challenges brought about by the Iran war. The survey findings imply that this conflict has cast a long shadow over both domestic and international responses, reinforcing attention to security, national resilience, regional alignments, and the risks associated with appearing out of step with national interests during a moment of crisis.

August 12, 2026
kurzum
smarterpix / MikeMareen

NATO in the age of drones

Why Germany and Türkiye should work more closely together strategically

The deployment of Turkish drones in the war in Ukraine is regarded as the moment when the drone era finally entered Europe’s political and military debate. The 18th Istanbul Security Conference® in 2026 highlighted Türkiye’s growing importance as a manufacturer of modern drone and UAV systems. Ahead of the 2026 NATO summit in Ankara, the Young Foreign Policy Working Group has addressed this issue: a strategic security partnership with Türkiye in the field of drone development should be a key component of German and European security policy considerations.

Yilmaz Akkoyun, Dr. Markus Hildebrand
July 7, 2026
kurzum
smarterpix / nhatipoglu

Recent developments in social media regulation: Child Protection “Down Under”

What Can Be Learned from Australia’s Ban on Social Media?

Children in Germany also spend several hours each day on social media platforms such as Instagram or YouTube. While the educational effects of social media are limited, evidence of addiction risks and other problematic consequences of intensive social media use is increasing. Is Australia’s ban on social media an answer to this challenge?

Sophia Brook, Elisabeth Hoffmann
June 4, 2026
kurzum
smarterpix / LeleMezzadri

Energy price shock: What a resilient energy transition must achieve

A resilient energy transition should be able to withstand geopolitical price shocks and be competitive with cheap fossil fuels

The energy price shock exposes Germany's structural market weaknesses. While geopolitics is driving up prices, spiralling system costs and Government-imposed levies are jeopardising our economic substance. A resilient energy transition counteracts this and remains competitive even when fossil fuel prices fall. This will secure our position as an industrial location and prevent climate protection from being bought at the expense of valuable added value.

Dr. Christian Hübner
March 13, 2026
kurzum
smarterpix / HayDmitriy

AI literacy requirements should be reformed to be more practical

Article 4 of the AI Act: Good for bureaucracy, bad in practice

Article 4 of the AI Act leads to abstract, one-off training courses that can be easily monitored bureaucratically. In practice, however, they offer little real added value. What is needed instead are agile, sector-specific teaching and learning programmes. Art. 4 should therefore be amended with the Digital Omnibus.

Leonie Mader
February 20, 2026
kurzum
Smarterpix/ sweet_tomato

Europe in the Age of Geoeconomics

Can ‘Buy European’ Strengthen Europe's Competitiveness and Resilience?

In addition to countervailing duties, international alliances and innovation promotion, ‘Buy European’ is being discussed as a tool for strengthening European industry. However, ‘Buy European’ should be a last resort and only applied in narrowly defined areas. A combination of targeted countervailing duties in cases of unfair competition and an ambitious free trade agenda would be more effective.

Tim Peter
February 19, 2026
kurzum
IMAGO / Xinhua

World trade continues even without WTO reform

The EU can shape trade rules with its partners

From 26 to 29 March 2026, the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference will be held in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Expectations for this highest-ranking world trade body are extremely low. No one seriously believes that the deadlock that has persisted since the 4th Ministerial Conference in Doha can be broken. The fundamental reform of the WTO that has been called for years will not succeed this time either. While this is not good news for the global trade order, it does not mean that the constructive forces within the international community, and in particular the EU, have their hands tied. 

Gunter Rieck Moncayo
February 10, 2026
kurzum
IMAGO / Peter Homann

Youth protests against military service

Use school strikes against compulsory military service as a starting point for dialogue

After schoolchildren across Germany took to the streets in early December 2025 to protest against compulsory military service, politicians must not respond with rejection. They must openly address the concerns and needs of the younger generation. Only if young people are involved will measures such as the Military Service Modernisation Act or a potential community service find acceptance.

Martin Bieber
December 18, 2025
kurzum
IMAGO / epd

A defiant church? The new Protestant peace ethic at the turn of the century

The Protestant Church commits to a new pragmatism in security policy – an important step for the success of the turning point

For years, the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) has presented an ambivalent image when it comes to security policy. On the one hand, Easter marches and uncompromising pacifism shape the thinking of many church members. On the other hand, Protestant clergy are involved in military chaplaincy in the German armed forces and accompany soldiers on missions abroad.

Martin Bieber
December 4, 2025
kurzum
smarterpics / Sonulkaster

Securing academic freedom for the long term

Establish a national contact point for research safety in the short term

Research safety in international collaborations has been the subject of intense debate since well before the publication of the German Science Council's recommendations on research safety in May 2025. Until a few years ago, these collaborations were generally viewed positively, as internationality in research is considered a driver of knowledge and the gold standard. However, since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the risks of international collaborations have increasingly come into focus.

Christina Thelen
December 4, 2025
kurzum

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About this series

Concise, reduced to the essentials, but always highly topical. In our series “in short”, our experts summarise an issue or problem on a maximum of two pages.