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The Chișinău Declaration

A ‚Human Rights Shift‘ in Migration?

In May 2026, the Member States of the Council of Europe agreed on the so-called Chişinău Declaration. In this declaration, the governments call on the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to place greater weight on national interests in its migration-related case law. Although the declaration is not legally binding, it could mark the beginning of a fundamental reform of European asylum law.

Prof. Dr. Daniel Thym
August 21, 2026
Facts and Findings
IMAGO / Le Pictorium

Controversial First Steps of the Radev Cabinet

The foreign and fiscal policy direction of Bulgaria’s new government has caused irritation during its first 100 days in office

The first 100 days of the Bulgarian government under Prime Minister Rumen Radev have attracted considerable attention both domestically and internationally. Formed after the electoral victory of the Progressive Bulgaria (PB) party, the government has come under criticism for its contradictory policies and, at times, pro-Russian orientation. Radev rejected Bulgaria’s participation in the “Coalition of the Willing” supporting Ukraine, threatened to veto discussions on an EU sanctions package due to the proposed sanctions against Kremlin-linked individuals, and caused confusion through unclear positions at a summit in Kyiv. At the same time, however, the Bulgarian Parliament approved the temporary deployment of U.S. aerial refueling aircraft in Bulgaria, prompting critical reactions from Iran. Domestically, the government is facing strong pressure because of a budget deficit of 5.7%. Credit rating agencies and the opposition have warned about the lack of reforms and the growing burden of public debt.

Norbert Beckmann-Dierkes, Borislaw Wankow
August 20, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / Newscom / GDA

100 days of Laura Fernández’s government

‘Continuity of change’ or a test of resilience for the rule of law?

On 15 August 2026, Laura Fernández’s government will have been in office for 100 days. In terms of policy, programme and communication, it is largely continuing the populist course set under Rodrigo Chaves. With its absolute majority in parliament, it has significantly greater scope for action than the previous government. At the same time, tensions between the executive, the judiciary and independent oversight bodies have intensified. Conflicts over the appointment of members to the Constitutional Chamber, attacks on court rulings, and proposed reforms in the areas of security and the judiciary are fuelling fears that the checks and balances of the rule of law may be undermined. Whether the government can implement its reform agenda without damaging the institutional foundations of Costa Rican democracy is one of the key questions of its term in office.

Michaela Braun, Sergio Araya
August 17, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / Newscom / AdMedia

Iraq’s New Government Between Domestic Constraints and External Pressures

Leading without a Base?

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi took office in May 2026 as a surprise candidate – with no political party, no seats in parliament and a cabinet left incomplete, in the middle of a war that pits Iraq’s two key part-ners, the US and Iran, against each other and has closed the Strait of Hormuz. So far, his lack of a politi-cal base appears to have worked in his favour rather than against him, however. What this means for his capacity to govern is a different question, and the answer seems to depend on the file: an advantage wherever power runs through the executive, a handicap wherever it must be assembled vote by vote.

Veronika Ertl, Yara AlZubi
August 12, 2026
Country reports
© mit der KI Adobe Firefly generiert, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V.

‚Zeitenwende‘ for the Principle of Separation! From Information Exchange to Joint Risk Assessment

Approaches to Help the Police and Intelligence Agencies Cope with the New Situation

Germany’s security architecture is tailored to an era of clearly distinct threats. However, hybrid threats such as espionage, sabotage, cyber operations, and disinformation transcend the jurisdictional boundaries of government agencies and make it difficult to conduct an effective threat assessment. This paper develops proposals for closer cooperation between the police and intelligence services through joint analyses, early risk detection, and institutionalized situation assessment.

Franca König, Sandra Lukosek, Till Nierhoff
August 10, 2026
Facts and Findings
smarterpix / ZOOMYimages

More space for the family

Family-friendly policies: an international comparison

 Despite a long-standing, stable desire to have children, Germany’s fertility rate has fallen to a historic low. What obstacles make it difficult for young people to start a family, and what policy frameworks can help ensure that more of these wishes are realized? Recent research and a comparison of family policy approaches in various countries offer insights for the needs-oriented further development of family policy in Germany. 

Natalie Klauser, Jacques Hermes
August 7, 2026
Facts and Findings
Timo Roujean

The Democratic Republic of the Congo at a Turning Point

The Democratic Republic of the Congo at an Institutional Crossroads: How the Planned Constitutional Referendum is Pushing the Country to the Brink

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is facing a critical political moment as President Félix Tshisekedi seeks to amend the 2006 Constitution to allow a third presidential term. The proposed law for the organisation of a constitutional referendum has already passed Parliament and the Senate and was recently declared constitutional by the country's highest court, making its enactment largely a formality. The initiative comes at a particularly sensitive time, with parts of eastern Congo still under the control of AFC/M23 rebels and the country grappling with a worsening Ebola outbreak. Against this backdrop, the practical feasibility of such a referendum, as well as the political responsibility of pursuing it, has come under increasing scrutiny. Critics argue that prioritising constitutional change amid these crises undermines democratic principles and continues a broader trend of eroding the rule of law that began under former President Joseph Kabila. Moreover, the reform could exacerbate existing political tensions and push the country into a more profound institutional crisis.

Timo Roujean
August 6, 2026
Country reports
© Rawpixel/smarterpix.com, mit KI bearbeitet

Safe Social: Social Media That Protects Kids and Strengthens Sovereignty

Proposal for the creation of a new interoperable European “Safe Social” market: For a social media ban for under-16s – linked to an EU-wide system of certified exemptions

The “Safe Social” approach combines a widely supported child protection policy with a competition policy strategy for digital sovereignty. With a social media ban for under-16s many countries are responding in this way to dangerous digital products and to years of inaction by dominant platforms. It should be linked to an EU-wide system of certified exemptions. The goal is to realign the rules for digital services: children must be effectively protected, while at the same time the market must be opened up to European alternatives to today’s oligopoly.

Dr. Ben Scott, Dr Pencho Kuzev
August 5, 2026
Facts and Findings
IMAGO / Avalon.red

Britain Has Another New Prime Minister: Andy Burnham

What Andy Burnham can do, what he wants to do, and what his arrival in Downing Street means for Germany and Europe

On 20 July 2026, Andy Burnham took office as Britain's seventh Prime Minister since the Brexit referendum. The former Mayor of Greater Manchester promises nothing less than a fresh start. He wants to be a "circuit-breaker" for British politics, rewiring the country's political and economic systems. Whether that ambition holds will depend less on the scale of the vision than on the conditions for delivering it: tight fiscal room for manoeuvre, an impatient and fragmented electorate, and the cohesion of a parliamentary party that already broke his predecessor. Canan Atilgan and Sebastian Schnorrenberg assess what Burnham can do, what he wants to do, and what his arrival in Downing Street means for Germany and Europe.

Dr. Canan Atilgan, Sebastian Schnorrenberg
August 4, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / Anadolu Agency

Senegal Between Vision 2050 and Political Reality

Stability Amid Transformation

The transfer of power in 2024 marked a historic turning point for Senegal. With Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko, a political movement from outside the established centers of power entered the presidential palace and secured a parliamentary majority for the first time. Expectations of the new leadership were correspondingly high: it promised a fundamental political and economic renewal, greater transparency, stronger sovereignty, and a fairer distribution of economic opportunities. Two years later, the record is mixed. Ambitious reform plans and the long-term development agenda of Vision Sénégal 2050 are confronted by significant economic challenges, a debt crisis, and a deepening conflict within the former alliance. At the same time, Senegal has succeeded in expanding its diplomatic influence in West Africa and beyond.

Jonathan Nowak, Fatoumata Sy Gueye, Lucien Nadieline
July 24, 2026
Country reports

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