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Adobe Stocke / niyazz

Cyprus ahead of the European elections

DISY and AKEL in close competition, key issues of natural gas, migration and the war in Ukraine, worrying entry of the far-right ELAM into the European Parliament

On 9 June, over 700,000 Cypriots will vote for the European Parliament and local representatives. Key issues are the unresolved Cyprus question, natural gas reserves, migration and the impact of the war in Ukraine. Cyprus' relations with Greece, Israel and Egypt are intensifying. Forecasts and polls ahead of the European elections show intense competition for first place between the right-wing DISY party and the left-wing AKEL party. In the run-up to the European elections, DISY has set out its positions on six key issues, while it appears to agree with AKEL on only a few issues relating to Cyprus. Worryingly, the far-right ELAM is considered certain to enter the European Parliament.

Marian Wendt, Vasilis Karydas-Yfantis
May 31, 2024
Country Reports
IMAGO / Photoshot/Construction Photography

Nigeria's uncertain economic future

Opportunities and risks for the country's economy following the opening of the new oil refinery

Nigeria's economy is facing a major upheaval. With the opening of the world's largest oil refinery and the new government's economic policy measures, the Nigerian state is creating new financial leeway. This will give Africa's largest economy greater scope for action. Whether this leads to economic diversification in the country is in the hands of the decision-makers: will the newly gained room for maneuver be used to invest further in the oil sector, which is profitable in the short term? Or will medium and long-term measures be taken to exploit the great potential of the Nigerian economy outside of the oil sector through a diversification strategy?

Lukas Laible
May 29, 2024
Country Reports
IMAGO / Xinhua

How the Constitutional Council saved democracy in Senegal

A landmark judgement for democracy and the rule of law in West Africa

Democracy in Senegal has been increasingly jeopardised in recent years by power plays against the opposition, violent demonstrations, and the prosecution of numerous opposition politicians. Recently, the Senegalese Constitutional Council issued a groundbreaking judgement by declaring the planned postponement of the Senegalese presidential elections to December 2024 as unconstitutional. In doing so, it has not only saved Senegal from a deep political crisis, but also paved the way at the last moment for a constitutional and democratic transfer of power. This transfer now took place on 2 April 2024 to the newly elected President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

May 29, 2024
Country Reports
IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

Presidential elections in Lithuania

Great support for the incumbent president Gitanas Nausėda

The renewed victory of incumbent President Nausėda came as no surprise: Nausėda received the highest level of support in the history of presidential elections to date. There were two established politicians in the run-off, both of whom achieved their goal: Šimonytė managed to reach the run-off round, and Nausėda improved on his result. In addition to the established candidates, several newcomers also took to the political stage in the elections, while the results of the openly pro-Russian candidates shook up the country. Given the upcoming parliamentary elections, the result should not be overestimated, but initial conclusions can still be drawn about the mood of the population.

Loibl Julian, Fausta Simaityte, Oliver Morwinsky
May 27, 2024
Country Reports
IMAGO / Pond5 Images

Italian refugee reception centre in Albania

Planned opening of the first extraterritorial refugee camp in an EU country

The increasing migratory pressure on Europe is shaping the current discourse. Italy, which is experiencing a significant change in its migration policy under the leadership of the movement led by Giorgia Meloni, is particularly prominent. At the same time, Albania is positioning itself as a reliable partner on the path to EU membership. In light of these developments, innovative solutions are being sought. One notable example is the planned opening of the first extraterritorial refugee camp in an EU country: an Italian camp on Albanian soil, which is triggering both ethical and political discussions.

Dr. Thomas Kunze, Christopher Hess
May 27, 2024
Country Reports
IMAGO / Pond5 Images

Ghana's parliament passes anti-LGBTQ+ law

After more than 2½ years of deliberation, Ghana's parliament voted in favor of a new anti-LGBTQ+ law, dramatically worsening the situation for homosexuals and sexual minorities.

On January 31, 2021, supporters of the LGBTQ+ community opened an office in Ghana's capital Accra. The office was intended to be both a meeting place and a retreat. The opening, which was accompanied by media attention and a number of foreign ambassadors, quickly attracted a great deal of attention in Ghanaian society. The fierce criticism that followed not only led to the rapid closure of the center, but also to the introduction of a radical anti-LGBTQ+ bill in parliament. It was signed by eight MPs: seven from the opposition NDC (National Democratic Congress) and one from the ruling NPP (National Patriotic Party). Hon. Samuel Nartey George (NDC), who was a close advisor to former President John Mahama before his election as a Member of Parliament, is regarded as the initiator and main proponent of the bill. He classifies homosexuality as a "perversion" that must be severely punished.

Dr. Arne Wulff
May 23, 2024
Country Reports
KAS/Ulf Laessing

The business of poverty migration in Niger

A challenge for Europe too?

The European Union is expanding cooperations with Mediterranean countries from Tunisia to Egypt and Lebanon in a bid to stop boat departures from migrants. But pressure is building up in the Sahel since Niger’s military government re-opened the land route for Migrants to Liba and Algeria. Niger had banned in 2015 under pressure from the EU any help to migrants north of the smuggler hub of Agadez, effectively closing the route. Now with strained relations with the EU since a military coup in July 2023, Niamey has decided to legalize cross-border traffic again. More than 160,000 migrants have left Agadez for Libya and Algeria in the January-April period, UN estimates show. Most migrants are workers from Niger seeking only seasonal employment in Libya but others such as Nigerians will be trying to reach Italy via Libya.

Ulf Laessing
May 22, 2024
Country Reports
Flickr/UN Geneva/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Geneva Barometer

Developments among Geneva-based international organisations from January to May 2024

The ‘Geneva Barometer’ takes an occasional look at selected developments among international organizations based in Geneva.

Andrea Ellen Ostheimer, Dr. Anja Maria Rittner, Cedric Amon, Sarah Ultes
May 17, 2024
Country Reports
IMAGO / Pond5 Images

European assistance for crisis-ridden Lebanon

Lebanese and international criticism of the EU's new aid package is exaggerated

The EU's new support program for Lebanon expands on its previous commitment to the cedar state. In addition to supporting the provision of basic services (health, education, etc.) for people in need, the EU also wants to focus more on security and migration management. Since the agreement was widely portrayed in Europe and Lebanon as a kind of “refugee deal” to keep migrations away from European shores, the offer was met with rejection in Lebanon's heated domestic political climate. The country considers itself overwhelmed by the presence of 1.5 million Syrian refugees. If the program is implemented properly, it can help Lebanon deal with its economic and social problems and contributes to the strengthening of the Lebanese Armed Forces, one of the few still functioning governmental institutions.

Michael Bauer
May 15, 2024
Country Reports
IMAGO / Photo News

Political polarization characterizes Belgium ahead of the elections

Wahlkampf im Lichte der EU-Ratspräsidentschaft

Am 9. Juni 2024 wird in Belgien gewählt – und zwar auf drei Ebenen: europäisch, national und regional[1]. Vor dem Hintergrund der im Juni endenden belgischen EU-Ratspräsidentschaft stellt sich die Frage, wo das Land einen Monat vor diesem Wahlmarathon steht. Aktuelle Umfragen deuten auf eine Polarisierung der Wählerschaft hin, die Prognosen für eine Regierungsbildung erschweren.

Dr. Beatrice Gorawantschy, Meike Lenzner
May 14, 2024
Country Reports
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