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IMAGO / Anadolu Agency

The Final Stretch to the 2026 Midterms

Where America Stands Before Election Day

“Pretend that I’m on the ballot.” With this appeal, Donald Trump is seeking to mobilize his supporters for the midterm elections on November 3, even though he himself is not on the ballot. Voters will elect the entire House of Representatives, a portion of the Senate, as well as numerous state-level offices. Just under seven weeks before Election Day, the campaign is being shaped primarily by economic conditions, the political record of the Trump administration, and the question of future majorities in Washington. Following the summer recess, both parties have intensified their campaign efforts. While Republicans are focusing on voter mobilization and support from President Donald Trump, Democrats are emphasizing the rising cost of living and the consequences of the administration’s policies. The political mood after the summer break offers an indication of the issues currently driving the campaign and the challenges both parties face as the election approaches.

Dr. Hardy Ostry, Chiara Stäbler
October 1, 2026
Country reports

Two months into the Fujimori presidency in Peru

Reconciliation is necessary

Keiko Fujimori began her presidency amid high expectations, but after only a few weeks she is already facing growing pressure. The anticipated rapid progress on public security and preparations for the El Niño climate phenomenon has yet to materialize, while Fujimori’s approval ratings have declined noticeably. Domestically, it has become clear that even with a strong government presence in Congress, reforms can only be implemented through dialogue and compromise. At the same time, Peru is seeking closer ties with the United States without jeopardizing its important economic relationship with China. While Fujimori continues to face significant skepticism, particularly among the population of the Andean south, the visit of the “Peruvian Pope,” Leo XIV, scheduled for November, offers the country an opportunity to promote national dialogue and strengthen unity.

Annette Schwarzbauer, Pascal Keinath
September 30, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / Andia

France After the Senate Elections

Institutional Continuity and Political Shift

At first glance, the 2026 French Senate elections bring above all continuity: the center-right conservative majority led by Les Républicains (LR) was able to maintain its dominant position in the upper house. At the same time, the Rassemblement National (RN) achieved a significant political and institutional success by reaching, for the first time, the threshold of ten senators required to form its own caucus, as did the far-left party La France Insoumise (LFI), which won a seat in the Senate for the first time. On the one hand, the result confirms the Senate’s remarkable stability compared to the National Assembly; on the other hand, it also shows that changes in the French party system are increasingly being reflected in the chamber, which has traditionally been dominated by moderate forces. It is precisely this coexistence of institutional continuity and political shift that gives the Senate growing significance for political stability in France, particularly with an eye toward the 2027 presidential election and its consequences.

Anja Czymmeck, Max Willem Fricke, Nele Katharina Wissmann
September 28, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / ZUMA Press

Parliamentary elections in Morocco

PAM well ahead of RNI and Istiqlal

On 23 September 2026, Morocco held elections to the House of Representatives, thereby laying the party-political foundations for the next government. There were 395 seats up for election; approximately 15.8 million people were registered to vote, of whom 38 per cent turned out. For the first time, the PAM emerged as the strongest force from the election, whilst its previous coalition partners, the RNI and Istiqlal, came off second best. However, the political significance of the election extends beyond the distribution of seats. The central question is whether the accelerated economic and infrastructural development of recent years is also being reflected in the everyday lives of those sections of the population who have so far benefited from it only to a limited extent. Expectations are therefore high for the new government.

Steven Höfner, Matthias Schede
September 25, 2026
Country reports
AlexNosenko, smarterpix

100 Percent schools: How to Ensure Basic Competencies for All Children

A data-driven support framework combining assessment, adaptive support and tutoring to ensure that all children meet the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics

The latest PISA results highlight the urgent need for action: Too many students fail to meet minimum standards in basic competencies. 100 Percent Schools address this challenge but aim beyond a minimum level of education: All children should meet proficiency standards in reading, writing and mathematics. The model combines data-informed school development, adaptive support, Response to Intervention and tutoring, while systematically involving students, parents, teachers and support staff. A coherent overall architecture rather than a collection of additive individual programmes is key.

Prof. Anne Sliwka, Ekkehard Thümler
September 18, 2026
Facts and Findings
mit der KI Adobe Firefly generiert, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V.

Recruitment of Children and Adolescents by Organized Crime

A Growing Problem

rganized crime is increasingly using children and adolescents as criminal accomplices in serious crimes. They are often recruited through social media, messaging apps, or gaming platforms. This article analyses the causes and dynamics of this growing phenomenon, evaluates international prevention approaches, and identifies potential solutions for the Federal Republic of Germany. It focuses on evidence-based prevention measures and the fight against criminal networks as key areas of action.

Felix Neumann
September 17, 2026
Facts and Findings
KAS Nordische Länder

General election in Sweden

Difficulties expected in forming a government

On 13 September 2026, parliamentary elections were held in Sweden. The Social Democrats (S) remain the largest party but recorded their worst election result in more than a century. The centre-right conservative parties performed better than indicated by the final pre-election polls. At the same time, the Sweden Democrats (SD) lost votes for the first time since entering parliament. The race between the political blocs remains extremely close, and the final result is still pending. According to the preliminary results, the red-green bloc holds a narrow majority of 176 seats, compared with 173 seats for the centre-right conservative bloc. This brings the question of government formation, already a central issue during the campaign, to the forefront. In both blocs, differing coalition preferences complicate the formation of a stable government.

Christine Leuchtenmüller, Claudia Yngwe Lübbers
September 15, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / ABACAPRESS

Political rentrée to work as the election campaign gets underway

France faces a turbulent autumn

With the political return to work, the run-up to the 2027 presidential election campaign effectively begins in France. Although there are still several months to go before the election, the political camps are already clearly staking out their positions. Initial debates, new candidacies, and controversial socio-political initiatives show that the contest for France’s political future is gathering pace. The Senate elections on 27 September are likely to realign the political balance of power and thus inject further momentum into the nascent election campaign. At the same time, the government faces an imminent test: the budget debate. The tabling of the draft budget on 30 September and the planned vote on 17 November will serve as a decisive test of the ability of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s government to act. At the same time, the passing of the budget will reveal the extent to which the French National Assembly is capable of compromise at all under the current majority arrangements. Autumn could thus become a political stress test – and at the same time decisively shape the balance of power ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Anja Czymmeck, Max Willem Fricke, Nele Katharina Wissmann
September 8, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / Christian Ohde

Mexico 2026: Uncertainty in North American Free Trade—New Opportunities with Europe?

Two years of President Claudia Sheinbaum

After nearly two years in office, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum continues to enjoy high approval ratings, while her ruling party, MORENA, dominates the country’s political landscape. The opposition appears lackluster and disorganized. The overhaul of state institutions begun under Sheinbaum’s predecessor, López Obrador (AMLO), is moving forward. The much-criticized judicial reform, along with weakened institutional checks and balances, raises significant doubts about the development of the rule of law and the separation of powers in Mexico. Organized crime also remains a major challenge, despite initial improvements in security. At the same time, uncertainty about Mexico’s economic future is growing after the United States—the country’s most important trading partner—refused to grant a long-term extension of the T-MEC in July 2026. This, in turn, opens up opportunities to expand economic and political relations as part of the diversification of international economic ties and the Modernized Global Agreement (MGA) between Mexico and the EU.

Johannes Hügel, Nikolaus Rischbieter
September 8, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / Lucian Alecu

Political Power Play with European Funds as Leverage

Timișoara Mayor Dominic Fritz at the Center of Political Maneuvering

770 million Euro from the EU-funded National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) have become the leverage for the next political move by Romania’s Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the right-wing populist Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), as they seek to sideline an unwelcome political rival. Their target is Dominic Fritz, chairman of the liberal USR party and mayor of the city of Timișoara, who is likely to lose his mayoral office as a result of a newly adopted law. The apparent objective is not only to remove Fritz from office but also to weaken the cohesion of the current governing partners, USR and the National Liberal Party (PNL).

Dr. Stefan Hofmann, Mihai Marc, Ilinca Iordache
September 4, 2026
Country reports

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