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Short political reports of the KAS offices abroad

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IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Shigeru Ishiba – The LDP Reformer?

A Portrait of Japan’s New Prime Minister

Shigeru Ishiba will become Japan's next Prime Minister. In a dramatic final round of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership election, Shigeru Ishiba emerged victorious over Sanae Takaichi. With this win, it is now certain: Ishiba will become Japan's next Prime Minister.

U.S. Mission / Eric Bridiers / flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0

Geneva Telegram on the 11th meeting of the intergovernmental negotiating body on the pandemic agreement

The "Geneva Telegram" deals with events in Geneva's multilateral organizations on a current topic, this time the 11th meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body on the Pandemic Agreement (INB11), which met in Geneva from 9 to 20 September 2024.

This round of negotiations marked another crucial step in the process of finalizing the pandemic agreement. However, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed his disappointment at the lack of significant progress: “Progress has been made, but not to the extent we had hoped for.” The urgency of a binding pandemic agreement has further increased after the WHO Director-General declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on August 14, 2024, due to the ongoing Mpox outbreak on the African continent. This escalation underscores the importance of globally coordinated pandemic preparedness and response measures and shows that a pandemic will not wait for negotiations to be concluded.

IMAGO / ABACAPRESS

Trump's Team: The People Behind the Candidate

An Overview of Advisors Supporting Donald Trump’s Presidential Candidacy

Donald Trump is the Republican candidate for the upcoming presidential election. He hopes to move into the White House for a second term. He is supported by numerous advisors, some of whom have been at his side for years, as well as by members of his family. Trump repeatedly emphasizes the importance of personal loyalty. At the same time, he and his team aim to ensure that a potential second Trump administration has sufficient staff to fill all key positions.

EdvanKun

Klare Absage an Reform der Pensionskassen und an Biodiversitätsinitiative

Am Sonntag, den 22.09.2024 wurden die Schweizerinnen und Schweizer zur Urne gebeten, um über eine Reform der beruflichen Altersvorsorge (BVG) sowie eine Volksinitiative zum Schutz der Biodiversität abzustimmen. Der Reformvorschlag des bürgerlichen Lagers über die BVG-Reform wurde mit 67,12% Nein-Stimmen abgelehnt. Auch die Biodiversitätsinitiative fiel mit 63,03% der Stimmen deutlich bei den Wählerinnen und Wählern durch. Die Stimmbeteiligung für beide Vorlagen lag bei etwa 45%. Im Vergleich zur letzten Abstimmung im Juni hat sich die Beteiligung nicht verändert und reiht sich damit knapp unter dem Durchschnitt der letzten Jahre ein.

IMAGO / Le Pictorium

France has a new government

Fragile centre-right Alliance faces major challenges

Two weeks after the nomination of Michel Barnier as Prime Minister, the composition of his government was announced on 21 September 2024. The thirty-nine-strong government team with a clear conservative bent, consisting of numerous ministers from Macron's Renaissance party and Les Républicains, includes only a few political heavyweights and now faces major challenges. On the one hand, it is important to find common positions on the political issues of the budget, education, health and migration in the unity of purpose imposed by the new parliamentary elections. Prime Minister Michel Barnier will certainly need a great deal of diplomatic skill to find common ground on socio-political issues in particular. On the other hand, the other two blocs in the National Assembly, the New Popular Front and the right-wing populist Rassemblement National, are warming up for a tough opposition. As a minority government, the conservative Républicains and the Macron camp must also win votes from the opposition in order to push through legislative projects. The government has the support of 212 MPs and therefore a relative majority, but this is a far cry from the absolute majority of 289 MPs. While the government is already being denied legitimacy by numerous voices on the basis of the latest election results [1], there is a threat of a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly, which could once again bring the country to a political impasse.

IMAGO / imagebroker

Olaf Scholz in Uzbekistan

Tailwind for German-Uzbek relations?

: For the first time in his chancellorship, Olaf Scholz visited Central Asia from 15 to 17 September 2024. A large number of agreements, such as a migration agreement, were concluded during bilateral talks in Uzbekistan. Abstract: As part of his first trip to Central Asia from 15-17 September 2024, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Uzbekistan accompanied by a large business delegation. Bilateral talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev were followed by participation in the C5+1 summit in Kazakhstan. A large number of agreements were concluded in Uzbekistan, such as a migration agreement.

Seksan Rochanametakul

Is Thailand navigating in or out of a Political Crisis?

Power, Courts, and Dynasties

The Kingdom of Thailand has experienced significant political shifts in recent months. Following the 2023 election, the country has seen the dissolution of a major political party and the removal of its Prime Minister, both by the Constitutional Court. These events have raised serious questions about democratic accountability and the influence of unelected bodies in Thailand's political landscape.

IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Where does Japan stand at the end of the Kishida government?

A security and economic policy assessment after three years in office

Alongside the U.S., Japan will soon also be led by a new head of government. The two economic heavyweights are more closely intertwined than ever in terms of economic and security policy. The challenges facing the island nation therefore not only affect Japanese domestic policy.

IMAGO / Xinhua

Azerbaijan - Election without a choice

Aliyev has a new Azerbaijani parliament elected: The voter turnout of 37% speaks for itself

In the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, which were moved up due to the COP 29, President Ilham Aliyev's ‘New Azerbaijan’ party, which has been in power since 1995, won on paper. Although it only won 67 out of 125 seats, there will de facto be no independent representatives in the new Azerbaijani parliament.

Imago / Xinhua

Daring More Democracy in Jordan

In the Shadow of the War in Gaza, the Hashemite Kingdom Elects a New Parliament

Jordan seems more than ever committed to encourage its citizens to participate in politics – although in a carefully crafted way and under strict state supervision. The parliamentary elections on September 10 are a milestone in the “political modernization” that King Abdullah initiated three years ago – and a sparkle of hope for more democracy.

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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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Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V.