Libya's fateful year

Where does Libya stand one year after the Berlin Libya Conference?

2020 Libya set an important course for achieving (security-relevant) political and economic progress towards a sustainable political solution to the conflict that has been ongoing since 2011. The Berlin Conference on Libya convened by Chancellor Merkel on 19 January 2020 was a significant contribution on that way. Parliamentary and presidential elections are scheduled to take place in the North African country on 24 December 2021. The first weeks of this year will show whether this remains a realistic scenario. If the agreed deadline to withdraw all foreign fighters from Libya by 21 January is not met, Libya will once again start an uncertain and probably turbulent year.

Indonesien: Kabinettsumbildung soll Pandemiebekämpfung verbessern

Indonesien wurde von der COVID-19-Pandemie hart getroffen. Die Infektionszahlen sind in den letzten Wochen rasant angestiegen, die Positivrate bei Testungen und die Zahl der durch das COVID-19-Virus verursachten Todesfälle sind die höchsten in Südostasien. Präsident Joko Widodo will nun mit einer Kabinettsumbildung die Regierung besser für die Bewältigung der Pandemie und ihrer wirtschaftlichen und sozialen Folgen aufstellen.

January 1991

Barricades in Latvia

On 18 November 1918, the People’s Council of Latvia, founded by Latvian political parties, declared the Republic of Latvia de jure. However, actual independence had to be fought for with weapons and there were casualties. The Latvian War of Independence lasted two long years. On 4 May 1990, the Supreme Council of Latvia, elected in the first free elections of the Latvian SSR, declared restoration of the independence of the Republic of Latvia de jure. What followed this time, was nonviolent resistance under the auspices of the newly elected parliament, so as to regain independence de facto. We used no weapons, just our bare hands and the power of the nation’s spirit. There were casualties. The decisive battle came in January 1991.

Thirty Years since the January Bloodshed in Lithuania

Lithuania marks the Freedom Defenders’ Day on January 13th to commemorate the 14 victims that lost their lives during Soviet aggression exactly thirty years ago in Vilnius. The tragic events were of international significance as they marked the coming end of the Soviet Union. To this day, the memory of the bloodshed also reveals the stark divides between the Baltic States and Russia.

Cyber-AI Convergence and Interference

Securing Elections and Building Human Resilience

Far beyond what was conceived through traditional security and military doctrines, we face new challenges that pertain to human and political security. What matters is not only who wins new territories, but who wins the data, the trust, the hearts and minds of citizens within a country or polity.

Belated lustration in the Republic of Moldova

A pretext to strengthen the PSRM

The current draft law for a lustration in the Republic of Moldova, in its current form, will further strengthen the politicization of the civil service and take the wind out of the sails of the efforts to fight corruption.

Reactions from Belarus to the third EU sanctions package against the Lukashenka regime

On December 17, the EU published the list of the third package of sanctions against the regime in Belarus.

Dare to be Strong and Different

A new union approach of leveling the playing field on foreign subsidies. A report on the European Commission White Paper

The analysis by Carolina Dackö deals with the possible regulatory approaches and redressive measures proposed by the European Commission in June 2020. It presents an input to the current discussion on modernizing competition policy in Europe.

Tunisia and the Arab Spring

Country Report in German available only

Country Report in German available only

Digital sovereignty

A new key concept of digital policy in Germany and Europe

Digital sovereignty is often used in political discourses. However, a common or at least consistent understanding of what is meant by this or what its associated requirements are, has yet to emerge. Our author Dr. Julia Pohle has broken down and classified the various meanings in this research paper.