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Parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova – a decisive election, not only for Chişinău

The election on 28 September is crucial for the European Union, too.

Alongside President Maia Sandu, the government and the parliamentary majority of the PAS (Party of Action and Solidarity) have been regarded as reliable and surprisingly resilient partners for the European Union in the Black Sea region over the past three years. The party founded by Maia Sandu has been governing without coalition partners since 2021. However, a repeat of its previous election success with just under 53 per cent of the vote is currently considered unlikely. The presidential election in autumn 2024 also showed that Russia's illegitimate influence – whether through vote buying or massive disinformation campaigns – can potentially be decisive in elections. For this reason, the support from Brussels and many European capitals for the PAS in the election campaign is unprecedented. This is because a democratic and pro-European Republic of Moldova is now considered by the EU to be an important building block for its own security interests in Eastern Europe.

Brigitta Triebel
September 19, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / SNA

Between nuclear threats and diplomatic initiatives: The Zapad 2025 military exercise in Belarus

Even after the military exercises, the country remains a Russian staging area

The active phase of the Russian-Belarusian military exercise Zapad 2025, held from September 12 to 16, 2025, ended—just as expected—without major incidents. However, in recent weeks, the threat to countries bordering Belarus has reached a new level. On September 10, at least 19 Russian drones, mostly flying over Belarus, penetrated deep into NATO member Poland. According to security experts, Russia likely intended to test NATO’s defensive response. In reaction, NATO announced Operation "Eastern Sentry" to strengthen defense along its eastern flank. Although only 8,000 troops (including just 2,000 Russian soldiers) were deployed in Belarus this time, with an estimated 30,000 more stationed in Russia, the exercise brought back grim memories of Zapad 2021, after which Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine from Belarusian territory. Back then, however, 200,000 troops participated in the drills. This year’s joint exercises were meant to demonstrate just how closely Belarus and Russia now cooperate militarily. It was also a show of force aimed at the West, with Russian leader Putin maintaining a firm grip on his junior partner, Lukashenko.

Gabriele Baumann
September 18, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Catholicpressphoto

100 Days of Pope Leo XIV.

Insights into the New Pontificate

On May 18, 2025, Pope Leo XIV was inaugurated into his office with a solemn service at St. Peter’s Square in Rome. By August 26, the first hundred days of the new pontificate had passed. Believers, as well as observers of the Catholic Church, are asking themselves in which direction the first US-American to occupy the Chair of Peter will lead.

Alexander Mathias Görlach, Marian Wendt
September 17, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / NTB

Norway’s 2025 Parliamentary Election

Stability, Energy, and the Stoltenberg Effect

On September 8, 2025, Norwegians went to the polls to elect a new parliament. The governing Labour Party (Ap), led by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, confirmed its position as the country’s largest political force, winning 28.2 percent of the vote, according to preliminary results from the national election authority. The right-wing populist Progress Party (FrP) emerged as the biggest winner of the night. Boosting its support by 12.3 percentage points, it secured 23.9 percent of the vote, becoming the second-strongest party. The Conservative Party (Høyre), headed by former Prime Minister Erna Solberg, followed in third place with 14.6 percent. Roughly four million citizens were eligible to vote, and turnout reached 78.8 percent, according to official figures released late Monday evening. The election was shaped not only by domestic debates, but also by Norway’s strategic role in Europe’s energy supply and security policy. While not a member of the European Union, Norway is a crucial partner when it comes to gas deliveries, electricity market regulation, and sanctions against Russia.

Christine Leuchtenmüller
September 10, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Bestimage

France in a political deadlock after the fall of the French government

Anger, frustration and mistrust

For the first time in the history of the Fifth Republic, a French government has been brought down because of a vote of confidence based on Article 49.1 of the Constitution. On 8 September, the National Assembly refused to give its confidence to Prime Minister François Bayrou's cabinet – a historic turning point in French politics. The Élysée Palace announced that President Emmanuel Macron had ‘taken note’ of the government's failure and would ‘appoint a new prime minister in the coming days’. With strikes and blockades announced for 10 and 18 September, intended in particular to express the French people's dissatisfaction with their purchasing power and further economic cutbacks, the question arises as to how Macron now intends to manoeuvre France out of the political impasse and survive until the 2027 presidential elections.

Anja Czymmeck, Max Willem Fricke, Nele Katharina Wissmann
September 9, 2025
Country reports
smarterpix / vepar5

Malawi votes

President, parliament, and communal elections in the world’s poorest democracy

Malawi is part of the decreasing number of African countries which count as stable but imperfect democracies. There is an active electoral contest and the country has prior experience with democratic governmental transitions, which remain possible in the upcoming elections on 16 September 2025. The election is taking place against the backdrop of extreme poverty. The people of Malawi believe that the economic situation has not improved under the current government. The candidates’ and parties’ manifestos are limited in scope and depth, they do not differ drastically from one to the other; many of the candidates are old acquaintances. However, the global geopolitical rivalry, the race for raw materials and rare earths, the growing number of conflicts and the decreasing number of democracies particularly on our neighboring continent all give these elections greater significance than they would have before the war in Ukraine and the inauguration of Trump. 

Dr. Holger Dix
September 8, 2025
Country reports
European Commission / CC-BY 4.0 / creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.de

Albania's Long Road to Justice

The Slow Compensation of Former Political Persecutees

More than three decades after the fall of the communist regime, the legal, political, and societal reckoning with the past in Albania remains an unfinished project. This is particularly evident in the compensation process for former political prisoners and their families. Despite early legislative initiatives, the path towards material redress has been marked by structural shortcomings, financial constraints, and only limited political will. Providing compensation to these victims is not only a matter of historical justice but also a litmus test of Albania’s democratic maturity on its path towards the European Union.

Dr. Thomas Kunze, Zheni Korçari, Zheni Korçari
September 4, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / MAXPPP

The Franco-German Ministerial Council amid an unpredictable ‘rentrée politique’ in France

How the Franco-German engine is supposed to run without French fuel

On Friday, 29 August 2025, German and French cabinet members gathered in Toulon for the 25th Franco-German Ministerial Council. The meeting was kicked off the evening before with a joint dinner between Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Emmanuel Macron at the latter's summer residence in Fort Brégançon. Since Friedrich Merz took office, Franco-German coordination has gained noticeable momentum, both symbolically and in terms of content. This is an important signal with regard to the numerous challenges both countries are facing. International and European crises such as the conflict in the Gaza Strip, the war in Ukraine and bilateral cooperation in the field of defence are currently shaping relations between Berlin and Paris. The results and announcements of the Council of Ministers have further concretised the coordination of content. At the same time, the meeting comes at a time of political uncertainty in France. The vote of no confidence announced for 8 September, initiated by Prime Minister François Bayrou, will be decisive in determining whether the joint priorities can be implemented in the short and medium term. Time is pressing: forecasts indicate that the political window of opportunity for substantial Franco-German initiatives at the bilateral, European, and international levels could close by the 2027 when French presidential election will take place – but possibly even sooner as a result of early elections.

Anja Czymmeck, Max Willem Fricke
September 2, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Bihlmayerfotografie

Thank you for your service! – Levers for a Combat-Ready Bundeswehr

How can defence be ‘de-socialised’?

Personnel shortages, outdated equipment, and an over-civilianized force are undermining Germany’s ability to defend itself. The Bundeswehr needs more than money: structural reforms, a renewed military mindset, and societal support are essential. Measures such as a mandatory “Bundeswehr Week”, employer incentives for reservists, a shift back to core military tasks, and a Combat Readiness Score aim to make Germany’s military capable of fighting – before it's too late.

Jakob Kullik, Benedikt Meng, Vanessa Vohs
August 27, 2025
Facts and Findings
IMAGO / Xinhua

Government formation in Lithuania

New power alliance with fragile foundations

Following the resignation of Prime Minister Gintaras Paluckas, there has been a change of coalition in Lithuania: The Democrats (“Vardan Lietuvos”) have left the government and have been replaced by the parliamentary group “Faction of Lithuanian Farmers, Greens and Christian Families Union.” The party “Nemuno Aušra” (Dawn of Nemunas) remains controversial, as it remains part of the coalition despite massive protests. The new prime minister is Inga Ruginienė, a trade unionist and political newcomer who is considered by many to be a weak choice. The central strategic goals—defense and European policy—will continue despite the change of government. However, it is questionable whether the coalition will survive the entire legislative period.

Oliver Morwinsky, Fausta Šimaitytė
August 27, 2025
Country reports

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