From Sanader to Kosor; From Mesić to Josipović

The Reshaping of the Political System in Croatia in 2009/2010

The year 2009/2010 altered the political system of Croatia more than any other in the last decade. Besides local and presidential elections, the country also received a new prime minister. In this article, the political changes of the past year in Croatia will be clustered and related to one another. As an introduction and by way of understanding the political system, the background to the constitutional rank of president will be illuminated

Post-Copenhagen: A Perspective from Australia and Its Asian-Pacific Neighbours

The biggest climate change conference in history is over and one month on, opinions are still divided over its significance for the fight against climate change and the future of global climate change negotiations. The Copenhagen Climate Change Conference took place from 7-19 December 2009 and was by far the largest climate change conference ever held. It attracted enormous public attention, more than 100 heads of state attended the conference and 40,000 people had registered for participation.

The Results of Copenhagen

Consequences for the World's Poorest Countries

For the poorest countries in the world, climate change means an additional threat which they must helplessly face. Besides underdevelopment, a scarcity of resources, sovereign debt, or overpopulation, climate change brings with it a further threat to livelihoods, and therefore to development potential. Scientific investigation into the consequences of climate change for nutrition, water supply, health, land, and ecosystems clearly reveal the negative consequences which result from the rise in the average global temperature.

The Start of a New Era in Chile

Sebastián Piñera Wins Presidential Elections against Eduardo Frei

Sebastián Piñera Echenique from the oppositional center-right ”Coalición por el Cambio” is Chile’s next president after defeating his closest rival Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle from the ruling center-left grouping ”Concertación por la Democracia” in a run-off vote on January 17, 2010. Piñera was able to obtain 51.61 percent of the popular vote, making this the second-closest result of the last twenty years.

”An Odd Man in” – Australia’s Role in International Politics

”An odd man in” – this still hits close to the mark in describing Australia’s role in the international system of today. It took the election of Kevin Rudd in 2007 to finally show the world that Australia also wants to play an active role in many international structures and processes.

Aló Presidente – Press and Politics in Latin America

It hasn’t been looking good for press and media freedom in Latin America for some considerable time now. Cuba, Venezuela and other states subscribing to so-called 21st century socialism bear the principal responsibility for this. Recently, however, media weakened by the onslaughts of globalism, Internet competition and the financial crisis have also been forced to try to assert themselves in the face of other governments as well.

Editorial

Ausgabe 2/2010 der Auslandsinformationen der Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung

More Shadow than Light

Zur politischen Situation in der Demokratischen Republik Kongo dreieinhalb Jahre nach den Wahlen und der Verabschiedung

On the Political Situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Three and a Half Years on from the Elections and the Adoption of the New Constitution

Postponed Seven Times and Still no Solution in Sight

The Presidential Elections in Ivory Coast: The Long Way out of the Crisis

After seven election postponements since 2005, a new presidential election is planned for the end of Februaryor early March 2010.

Southern Sudan – a New Country on the World Map?

The people of Sudan – including the semi-autonomous region of Southern Sudan – are to vote for a president and parliament in April 2010, after the elections had been postponed several times.