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Short political reports of the KAS offices abroad

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IMAGO / photothek

Third EU-AU ministerial meeting in Brussels

New impetus for the anniversary?

On May 21, the foreign ministers of the European Union and the African Union met for the third time in Brussels. The aim of the meeting was to take stock of the progress made since the sixth EU-AU summit in February 2022 [1] . Both sides also wanted to explore how the partnership can be further deepened in the face of global challenges. The adopted declaration gives an idea of the potential for cooperation. However, it cannot hide existing differences on key issues such as migration. To ensure that cooperation is not limited to solemn declarations and ambitious announcements at summit meetings, it was agreed to set up a monitoring mechanism.

Dr. Olaf Wientzek, Lukas Kupfernagel, Jonas Nitschke
May 28, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

The security situation in Lithuania in spring 2025: threat and response on NATO's eastern flank

Lithuania relies on deterrence, armament and close partnerships

Lithuania is at the center of European security debates in spring 2025: in the face of the ongoing threat from Russia, the country is relying on deterrence, armament and close partnerships. With the Bundeswehr brigade officially inaugurated on May 22, Germany is sending a strong signal of solidarity and leadership responsibility. The geopolitical tensions between Russia and the USA, Donald Trump's return to the White House and Lithuania's ambitious defense plans are shaping the new security policy reality. Today, Europe's security is also being defended on Lithuania's eastern flank.

Oliver Morwinsky
May 23, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Agencia EFE

OAS: New Secretary General caught between political polarisation and financial hardship

Albert Ramdin, Foreign Minister of Suriname, is the new Secretary General of the Organisation of American States

On 10 March 2025, Albert Ramdin, Foreign Minister of Suriname, was elected as the new Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS). His election marks the first time that a representative of the Caribbean states has held this office, which is considered a historic step for the OAS. Until now, the Caribbean was unable to assert itself among the politically much stronger states of the mainland with its candidate proposals. Ramdin will take over from Uruguay's Luis Almagro on 25 May 2025 and will hold the office until 2030. With a view to his upcoming term of office, three points are likely to become more relevant: Firstly, dealing with the ideological dichotomy between a left-wing and a market-liberal camp within the OAS; secondly, stabilising the organisation's finances; and thirdly, focusing more attention on the Caribbean.

Henning Suhr
May 23, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Avalon.red

The Art of the Deal: The Brexit Reset is taking shape

A new chapter in the Euro-British partnership

Almost ten years ago, Prime Minister David Cameron called for the Brexit referendum. In June 2016, a narrow majority (51.9%) of the British population voted in favor of exiting the EU. Cameron's resignation was followed by five prime ministers who had to deal with the consequences of this historic vote. On Monday 19 May 2025, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, together with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President Antonio Costa, finally hosted the first official EU-UK summit after Brexit to announce a new strategic partnership between the UK and the EU.

Dr. Canan Atilgan, Sebastian Schnorrenberg
May 22, 2025
Country reports
KAS Auslandsbüro Mongolei / Lukas Smith

Like clockwork, a new Government Crisis in Mongolia

National Unity Coalition Collapses

The MVP, which has held a comfortable majority on its own since the parliamentary elections in June 2024, declared the alliance with the DP to be over during the night of May 21 to 22, 2025. A decision that appears to be strategically motivated.

Viktor Frank, Lukas Smith
May 22, 2025
Country reports
Sebastián Fernández Aebert, Auslandsbüro Argentinien / Offizielle Wahlwerbung von La Libertad Avanza

Mood Check for the Nation: Milei’s Libertarian Party Takes Buenos Aires by Storm

La Libertad Avanza Triumphs in Buenos Aires Legislative Elections

On Sunday 18 May 2025, mid-term parliamentary elections were held in the city of Buenos Aires, in which half of the 60 local parliamentary seats were renewed. Although the capital's head of government, Jorge Macri, is still in office until 2027, the elections were stylised in advance by both President Javier Milei and his entourage as well as the Propuesta Republicana (PRO), which is governing Buenos Aires since 2007, as a directional election for the entire nation. The election can be seen as a barometer for the national parliamentary mid-term elections in October, in which the ruling party, currently in a very weak position in the National Congress, wants to massively increase its representation. The election campaign was accordingly fierce. The PRO's weak election result is a consequence of both the fragmentation of the electoral offer in the capital and the party's unclear stance towards the national government. The Peronists, who were ahead in the polls, also fell short of expectations.

Susanne Käss
May 20, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Chequebooks and Flattery

Lessons for Europe from Trump’s Gulf Visit

President Trump's visit to the Gulf States illustrated how close his personal ties are to its rulers. Beyond trillion-dollar deals, the trip showcased how the Gulf is leveraging its privileged access to advance its interest in Washington – something that Europe might have to take note of.

Philipp Dienstbier
May 19, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Vlad Bereholschi

Presidential election in Romania: A neck-and-neck race

A decisive course will be set in Romania on 18 May 2025

George Simion (AUR) and Nicușor Dan (non-party), two candidates who are explicitly positioning themselves against the ‘system’ characterised by clientelism, corruption and impunity, are running in the run-off of the Romanian presidential election on 18 May 2025. The right-wing populist George Simion is an avowed fan of the MAGA policy concept and Donald Trump and is campaigning on isolationism, nationalism and territorial revanchism. The liberal Nicușor Dan represents the pro-European, moderate, pro-business and reform-oriented counter-image of a cosmopolitan Romania. Voters will decide on Sunday which of the two will be their next president.

Katja Christina Plate
May 16, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Light Studio Agency

Parliamentary elections in Albania

A predictable victory and unanswered questions

Parliamentary elections were held in Albania on 11 May 2025. The ruling Socialist Party (SP) under Prime Minister Edi Rama once again emerged as the strongest force with 52 per cent of the vote, winning the elections for the fourth time in a row. It was able to achieve an absolute majority again - as it did in 2021. It will now hold 83 of the 140 seats in parliament. The conservative Democratic Party (DP) under Sali Berisha won 34 per cent of the vote as part of the ‘Alliance for a Great Albania’ and thus won 50 of the seats. Four smaller parties also made it into parliament. For the first time, Albanians living abroad were able to take part in the parliamentary elections. Opposition leader Berisha does not want to accept the election results. He accused the ruling party of vote-buying and using state resources and called on his supporters to protest.

Dr. Thomas Kunze, Klaudja Zerva
May 15, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / SNA

Formally still independent, but hardly sovereign

Belarus in Russia's wake

Russia is now driving the process towards a union state with Belarus, which has long been simmering on a low flame, at all levels and at high speed. Most recently, the pompous forum ‘Great Heritage - Common Future’ took place at the end of April in Volgograd, Russia, on the margins of the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army in Stalingrad. What independent observers describe as Moscow's ‘victory hysteria’ surrounding the military parade on 9 May, is equally evident in official Belarusian rhetoric. The Russian narrative about the interpretation of the history of World War II is also actively employed in Belarus to justify aggression against Ukraine and to shape its stance toward Europe. Lukashenko has maintained his grip on power by making extensive concessions to the Kremlin, effectively trading Belarusian sovereignty for political survival. In terms of security policy, the ‘Agreement on Security Guarantees in the Union State’, ratified in Moscow at the beginning of the year, represents a further stage of escalation. Among other things, it enables military bases for Russian nuclear missiles, which can reach Vilnius in two minutes. Russia needs the regime in the neighboring country as a critical military ally, relying on its territory for missile deployment and as a strategic staging ground for troops near the borders of Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine. The upcoming Zapad 2025 military exercises, scheduled for September, evoke troubling memories of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which followed similar “training maneuvers.”

Gabriele Baumann
May 14, 2025
Country reports

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About this series

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.

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