Asset Publisher

Publications

Asset Publisher

smarterpix / Fidaolga

Emotions in Democracy

Representative survey on the influence of emotions on political attitudes in East and West Germany

Emotions can be relevant to political attitudes and behaviour in many ways, especially fear and anger. The present study examines how widespread positive and negative emotions are and how they differ between voter groups. A total of eight different feelings are examined, three positive (happy, calm and composed, lots of energy) and five negative feelings (depressed, angry, overwhelmed, anxious, lonely). The negative emotions are examined in more detail and their influence on democratic attitudes is analysed.

Dr. Sabine Pokorny
September 24, 2026
Monitor Election and Social Research
smarterpics / Boarding_Now

Analysis of the state election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on 20 September 2026

Analysis based on preliminary results, on the main determining factors, voter migration and social structure

In the state election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AfD emerged as the largest party, ahead of the SPD. For the first time, the CDU failed to win a seat in a state parliament. Our election analysis provides explanations for the results, examining voter shifts and the key factors that influenced them. Drawing on exit polls and pre-election surveys, it explains the significance of voters’ assessments of leading figures, party capabilities and political issues for the election result.

Dr. Viola Neu, Dr. Sabine Pokorny
September 22, 2026
Monitor Election and Social Research
IMAGO / Emmanuele Contini

Analysis of the election for the Berlin House of Representatives on 20 September 2026

Analysis based on preliminary results, on the main determining factors, voter migration and social structure

Following the elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the 2026 election year draws to a close with a mixed picture that does not allow any conclusions to be drawn about the 2027 elections. Our election analysis examines voter shifts and the key factors determining the election result. Drawing on exit polls and pre-election surveys, it explains, amongst other things, the significance of assessments of leading figures, party capabilities and political issues.

Dr. Viola Neu, Dr. Sabine Pokorny
September 21, 2026
Monitor Election and Social Research
AlexNosenko, smarterpix

100 Percent schools: How to Ensure Basic Competencies for All Children

A data-driven support framework combining assessment, adaptive support and tutoring to ensure that all children meet the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics

The latest PISA results highlight the urgent need for action: Too many students fail to meet minimum standards in basic competencies. 100 Percent Schools address this challenge but aim beyond a minimum level of education: All children should meet proficiency standards in reading, writing and mathematics. The model combines data-informed school development, adaptive support, Response to Intervention and tutoring, while systematically involving students, parents, teachers and support staff. A coherent overall architecture rather than a collection of additive individual programmes is key.

Prof. Anne Sliwka, Ekkehard Thümler
September 18, 2026
Facts and Findings
mit der KI Adobe Firefly generiert, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V.

Recruitment of Children and Adolescents by Organized Crime

A Growing Problem

rganized crime is increasingly using children and adolescents as criminal accomplices in serious crimes. They are often recruited through social media, messaging apps, or gaming platforms. This article analyses the causes and dynamics of this growing phenomenon, evaluates international prevention approaches, and identifies potential solutions for the Federal Republic of Germany. It focuses on evidence-based prevention measures and the fight against criminal networks as key areas of action.

Felix Neumann
September 17, 2026
Facts and Findings
KAS Nordische Länder

General election in Sweden

Difficulties expected in forming a government

On 13 September 2026, parliamentary elections were held in Sweden. The Social Democrats (S) remain the largest party but recorded their worst election result in more than a century. The centre-right conservative parties performed better than indicated by the final pre-election polls. At the same time, the Sweden Democrats (SD) lost votes for the first time since entering parliament. The race between the political blocs remains extremely close, and the final result is still pending. According to the preliminary results, the red-green bloc holds a narrow majority of 176 seats, compared with 173 seats for the centre-right conservative bloc. This brings the question of government formation, already a central issue during the campaign, to the forefront. In both blocs, differing coalition preferences complicate the formation of a stable government.

Christine Leuchtenmüller, Claudia Yngwe Lübbers
September 15, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / Funke Foto Services

Stopping Russia’s Shadow Fleet

Germany Should Respond to Hybrid Attacks, Including at Sea

Disinformation campaigns, sabotage, attacks o, and the foiled drone attack at Leipzig Airport: Moscow is intensifying its hybrid operations against Germany. Berlin should respond firmly, yet prudently. One effective point of leverage is Russia’s shadow fleet operating in the Baltic and North Seas.

Dr. Edmund Ratka, Johannes R. Fischbach
September 14, 2026
kurzum
IMAGO / Christian Ohde

Mexico 2026: Uncertainty in North American Free Trade—New Opportunities with Europe?

Two years of President Claudia Sheinbaum

After nearly two years in office, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum continues to enjoy high approval ratings, while her ruling party, MORENA, dominates the country’s political landscape. The opposition appears lackluster and disorganized. The overhaul of state institutions begun under Sheinbaum’s predecessor, López Obrador (AMLO), is moving forward. The much-criticized judicial reform, along with weakened institutional checks and balances, raises significant doubts about the development of the rule of law and the separation of powers in Mexico. Organized crime also remains a major challenge, despite initial improvements in security. At the same time, uncertainty about Mexico’s economic future is growing after the United States—the country’s most important trading partner—refused to grant a long-term extension of the T-MEC in July 2026. This, in turn, opens up opportunities to expand economic and political relations as part of the diversification of international economic ties and the Modernized Global Agreement (MGA) between Mexico and the EU.

Johannes Hügel, Nikolaus Rischbieter
September 8, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / ABACAPRESS

Political rentrée to work as the election campaign gets underway

France faces a turbulent autumn

With the political return to work, the run-up to the 2027 presidential election campaign effectively begins in France. Although there are still several months to go before the election, the political camps are already clearly staking out their positions. Initial debates, new candidacies, and controversial socio-political initiatives show that the contest for France’s political future is gathering pace. The Senate elections on 27 September are likely to realign the political balance of power and thus inject further momentum into the nascent election campaign. At the same time, the government faces an imminent test: the budget debate. The tabling of the draft budget on 30 September and the planned vote on 17 November will serve as a decisive test of the ability of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s government to act. At the same time, the passing of the budget will reveal the extent to which the French National Assembly is capable of compromise at all under the current majority arrangements. Autumn could thus become a political stress test – and at the same time decisively shape the balance of power ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Anja Czymmeck, Max Willem Fricke, Nele Katharina Wissmann
September 8, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / Fotostand

Analysis of the state election in Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September 2026

Analysis based on preliminary results, on the main determining factors, voter migration and social structure

In the state election in Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD achieved by far the best result in its history. Based on election day polls and surveys conducted in the run-up to the election, we explain the significance of assessments of leading politicians, party competencies and political issues for the election results.

Dr. Viola Neu, Dr. Sabine Pokorny
September 7, 2026
Monitor Election and Social Research

Showing 1 to 10 of 1,820 entries.

Asset Publisher

Facts and Findings

Selected contributions to the series with international relevance

The series informs in a concentrated form about important positions of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung on current topics. The individual issues present key findings and recommendations, offer brief analyses, explain the Foundation's further plans and name KAS contact persons.  

International Reports

Journal for international issues, foreign policy and development cooperation

International Reports (IR) is the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung's periodical on international politics. It offers political analyses by our experts in Berlin and from more than 100 offices across all regions of the world. Contributions by named authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editorial team.

Die Politische Meinung

Zeitschrift für Politik, Gesellschaft, Religion und Kultur

Die Politische Meinung ist eine Zweimonatszeitschrift, in der ein breites Spektrum politischer, gesellschaftlicher und kultureller Themen der Gegenwart dargestellt und diskutiert werden. Sie bietet als Bezugspunkte fundierte Analysen historischer Hintergründe und eine der individuellen Eigenverantwortung verpflichtete, im christlichen Menschenbild verankerte Ethik. Die jeweiligen Themenschwerpunkte werden von einer inspirierenden Bilderstrecke, namhafter zeitgenössischer Künstlerinnen und Künstlern, vertieft.  

Research and Sources on Contemporary History

In der Reihe „Forschungen und Quellen zur Zeitgeschichte“ veröffentlicht das Archiv für Christlich-Demokratische Politik seit 1980 wissenschaftliche Studien zur Christlichen Demokratie, Darstellungen zur Geschichte der Bundesrepublik und der CDU sowie Biographien wichtiger Repräsentanten. Zu den 50 bisher erschienen Büchern zählen auch Quelleneditionen, wie Protokolle von Parteigremien oder Tagebücher von einflussreichen Politikern. Die Publikationen sind im Buchhandel erhältlich.

Interviews

In our series "Interviews", talks and discussions are held with experts from the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V. on various topics.

in short

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.

Country Reports

Short political reports of the KAS offices abroad

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.

Monitor

The Monitor series deals with one main topic at a time from the perspective of KAS experts and places it in the political and social context on the basis of a few key points.

Event Reports

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, its educational institutions, centres and foreign offices, offer several thousand events on various subjects each year. We provide up to date and exclusive reports on selected conferences, events and symposia at www.kas.de. In addition to a summary of the contents, you can also find additional material such as pictures, speeches, videos or audio clips.

Handouts for Political Education

Grundlageninformationen zur Beteiligung
an aktuellen politischen Diskussionen

Mit der Reihe „Handreichungen zur Politischen Bildung“ möchte die Politische Bildung der Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung interessierte Bürgerinnen und Bürger über politische Entwicklungen informieren, Orientierungen in Sachfragen geben und das Interesse an politischer Mitwirkung stärken. Die Handreichungen verstehen sich als Grundlageninformationen zur Beteiligung an aktuellen politischen Diskussionen.

Showing 1 to 10 of 12 entries.

Asset Publisher

Completed publication series

Working Paper

Broschürenreihe mit Darstellungen und Positionen, die kurzfristig auf aktuelle politische Fragen reagieren

The Woman in Our Time

Lebensentwürfe von Frauen –
was hat sich verändert?

Jede Ausgabe widmete sich einem Schwerpunktthema aus Politik und Gesellschaft, der Arbeits- und Familienwelt, aus Kultur und Literatur und diskutierte dieses aus frauenpolitischer Sicht.

Sociopolitical Series

Veröffentlicht wurden herausragende Dissertationsschriften mit gesellschaftspolitisch relevanten Themen von Stipendiatinnen und Stipendiaten der Begabtenförderung und Personen, die ihrem Promotionskolleg „Soziale Marktwirtschaft“ kooptiert sind. Die Reihe gab den Autorinnen und Autoren ein wissenschaftliches und publizistisches Forum und brachte aktuelle Themen in die öffentliche Diskussion ein.

Basic Questions of Christian Democracy

In dieser Reihe erschienen im Jahr 2006 Texte namenhafter Autoren zu Grundfragen der christlichen Demokratie.

In Conversation

Kulturpolitische Umschau

Zeitschrift mit Berichten aus Bundestag und Bundesländern, Gastbeiträgen, Rezensionen und Presseauswertungen zur aktuellen Kulturpolitik.

In Plenary

Broschürenreihe der Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung mit den Beiträgen von Konferenzen, Fachtagungen und Kongressen, die von längerfristigem Interesse sind.

In Plenary Compact

Die Broschüren im DIN-A-4-Format fassen kurz und knapp die Ergebnisse von Konferenzen, Fachtagungen und Kongressen zusammen, die von längerfristigem Interesse sind.

KAS International

Information from the Division of European and International Cooperation

This series informs about current important events and developments of our work to point out our wide spectrum of activities.

Materials for the Work on Site

Kleine Schriftenreihe zu aktuellen Themen der Kommunalpolitik

Mit der eigenen Reihe "Materialien für die Arbeit vor Ort" bereitet die Stiftung zu aktuellen Themen wichtige Informationen in handhabbarer Form auf, so dass sie in der kommunalpolitischen Praxis nutzbar sind. Eine weitere Serie unter dem Titel "Diskurs kommunal" befasst sich mit besonderen Aspekten der Kommunalpolitik.

Positions

Reden, Essays und Grundsatzpapiere zu drängenden Zeitfragen

In dieser Broschürenreihe veröffentlicht die Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung grundlegende Positionen zu wichtigen Themen der Zeit.

Showing 1 to 10 of 12 entries.