Democracy is not a matter of course, as a glance beyond our immediate horizon illustrates. To paraphrase Konrad Adenauer, democracy must be filled with life every day and, where necessary, defended vigorously, both internally and externally.

by Gerhard Wahlers

An Interjection

Regarding the global state of democracy, there is indeed cause for concern. Nevertheless, one should not overlook the many positive developments made in advancing democracy and the rule of law that have taken place throughout the world since World War II.

by Frank Priess

The Growing Threat from Authoritarian Internationalism as a Global Challenge to Democracy

With the benefit of hindsight, it is clear that democracies long failed to realize that a new era of competition was underway between autocratic and democratic states. Such competition is visible in a number of spheres, including geopolitics. But it is massive investments in their own autocratic forms of “soft power” that have enabled regimes in Russia and China to make dramatic inroads in challenging the integrity and prestige of the democratic systems of the West.

by Christopher Walker

15 Years of the International Criminal Court (ICC)

The International Criminal Court (ICC) was created in 2002 as an instrument against atrocities “that have outraged the conscience of mankind”. More than 120 states have joined since then. The global criminal court continues, nonetheless, to struggle for acceptance. Influential stakeholders such as the USA, China and Russia have not joined the agreement to date, while others are already considering withdrawing from it. Now, where does the ICC stand 15 years after its founding?

by Franziska Rinke, Arne Wulff, Gisela Elsner, Simon Bruhn, Marie-Christine Fuchs, Peter Rimmele, Anna Miriam Schütt, Hartmut Rank

Social Divides and Political Compromises in Tunisia

Hopes for a life in freedom and dignity, which had materialised in the “Arab Spring”, have long since been shattered in many places. Tunisia is the only country that has succeeded in undergoing democratic change since 2011. Social divides have been dealt with in a spirit of dialogue and consensus. In order to embed democracy and the rule of law with lasting effect, however, the gap between elites and citizens as well as the regional imbalances of power and development need to be overcome.

by Edmund Ratka

What Does the Future Hold for Democracy in Africa?

The African 2016 “super election year” made both positive and negative headlines and demonstrated the heterogeneous paths the development of democracy is taking in Africa. Bearing in mind that many elections lacked democratic quality, and given that authoritarian tendencies are on the rise in numerous countries, one cannot speak of progress on the whole. The future development of African democracy will depend on various external and internal factors, which, while entailing certain risks to stability, will ultimately provide opportunities to provide new democratic incentives.

by Mathias Kamp

In Latin America, the Desire for Greater Participation Is Swirling up the Party Systems

Excessive violence, rampant corruption and defective democracies still dominate Latin America’s image around the world. But the reality has, in fact, been somewhat different long since. Education, the internet and globalisation have produced a great deal of progress on the continent. Strong civil societies have developed, and they are calling upon their governments to provide answers to their problems. Politics is no longer the exclusive domain of the politicians. Citizens demand their say. Are the political parties ready for this? Can they reinvent themselves?

by Kristin Wesemann, David Brähler

Will the Democratic Transition Bring Genuine Change to Myanmar?

In 2010, after decades of enforced self-isolation under a dictatorship, the country formerly known as Burma set out on a slow journey of opening up, reaching its peak to date in November 2015 with the first democratic elections in a quarter of a century. The government formed by Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) is finding it difficult to manage the unfamiliar tasks of running the country and measuring up to the people’s and the international public’s expectations as well as meeting the innumerable challenges of the multi-ethnic country of Myanmar.

by Norbert Eschborn

On the Correlation between Weak Statehood, International Cocaine Trading and Islamist Terrorism in West Africa

The African continent is increasingly in the spotlight of Germany’s foreign and security policy, not purely due to the refugee and migration crisis. Weak states in West Africa in particular are proving to be a security problem in that they offer an almost ideal breeding ground for both organised crime and Islamist terrorism.

by Isabella Hermann

On the Effects of Great Britain’s Withdrawal from the EU on European Foreign and Development Policy

Due to the unexpectedly close result in the British general elections on 8 June 2017 and the loss of the Conservative majority, the hard Brexit approach by Prime Minister Theresa May suddenly appears to no longer be set in stone. Whether the British position changes and how the withdrawal ultimately takes shape might have far-reaching consequences for European foreign and development policy, and the potential damage is considerable. This article offers an overview of the thorny issues in the Brexit negotiations and highlights opportunities for mitigating the expected negative effects.

by Thomas Henökl