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Smarterpix / ArchManStocker

Pragmatically reducing bureaucracy – lowering construction costs

Insights from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation's Housing Congress ‘City. Country. Living Space?’ – on 16 October 2025

The German housing market is in the midst of a profound structural crisis. A lasting solution can only be achieved through increased housing construction – but high construction costs and complex regulatory requirements are significantly hampering building activity. To solve this problem, there is an urgent need to reduce regulatory complexity.

Dr. Jan Cernicky, Dr. Sarah Al Doyaili-Wangler, Melanie Gerster
November 17, 2025
Facts and Findings
IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Return to stability and pragmatism

President Lee Jae-myung demonstrates diplomatic competency

From 31 October to 1 November, South Korea hosted this year's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, the former capital of its Silla Dynasty. This was Korea's first international, multipolar stage under the new presidency of Lee Jae-myung and thus the first opportunity to polish up Korea's image after it had been severely damaged by former president Yoon Suk-yeol's martial law declaration at the end of last year and his protracted impeachment proceedings that lasted until April 2025. Uncertainty and concerns surrounded the preparations for the event in the country – not least because the real spotlight was on the bilateral meetings on the sidelines of APEC. But avoiding any major divergences with the US or with China, and between the US and China, is Lee Jae-myung's quiet success: a sign of a more stable, pragmatic Korea.

Henrik Braun, Sarah Fahrenkrug, Yu-Jin Song
November 7, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Mike Schmidt

No Alternative: The AfD and Israel

Manifestations, functions, and perceptions of Alternative for Germany (AfD)’s “Israel solidarity” policy

Representatives of Jewish organisations describe the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a ‘party for anti-Semites’. Nevertheless, the AfD has succeeded, especially internationally, in positioning itself as a champion of Israeli interests and a protector of Jewish life in Germany. This positioning contradicts a number of other positions represented in the party and serves several political functions. These include, above all, the legitimization of Islamophobia, attacks on political opponents and the distraction from extremism and antisemitism within its own ranks.

Dr. Andreas Jacobs, Felix Bäuml
November 7, 2025
Facts and Findings
IMAGO / Xinhua

Change in Angola?

Between opening and keeping control

50 years after independence and 23 years after the end of a devastating civil war, Angola is faced with a double challenge. A rapidly growing young population is demanding substantial reforms with increasing  impatience. Reforms that will improve political and economic ownership. At the same time, the country is at the center of the global competition for raw materials, trade routes and political partnerships. 

Anna Hoffmann-Kwanga
November 5, 2025
Country reports
SmarterPix / siraanamwong

Setting Clear Limits to Industrial Policy

Prosperity Emerges Through Competition

In the current debate on Germany’s economic future, industrial policy is gaining prominence. However, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s analysis warns against inflated expectations: government interventions aimed at promoting specific sectors or companies often lead to losses in prosperity, stifle innovation, and create dependencies. Industrial policy should only be used in clearly justified exceptional cases and must always be market-oriented. Competitiveness and prosperity arise from open markets – not from permanent subsidies.

Dr. Jan Cernicky
November 4, 2025
Facts and Findings
IMAGO / YAY Images

Resolution 2797

A historic step in the Sahara conflict

On 31 October 2025, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2797 on the Western Sahara conflict. In Morocco, thousands of people celebrated on the streets, as the resolution represents a historic change of course. For the first time, Morocco's autonomy plan is explicitly supported as a fundamental solution to the conflict. The neutrality of the United Nations is thus shifting in favor of the Moroccan position. In Morocco, this step was celebrated as a diplomatic success; King Mohammed VI spoke of a "new and victorious chapter" on the way to a final solution to the Sahara question.

Steven Höfner
November 4, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Anadolu

Presidential election in Ireland continues political tradition

Clear election victory for Catherine Connolly

 Left-wing politician Catherine Connolly becomes the tenth president of the Republic of Ireland. In the 2025 Presidential Election, the independent Member of Parliament, whose candidacy was supported by a broad coalition of left-wing parties and movements, won a clear victory with 63.4 percent of the vote against Heather Humphreys, former minister and candidate of the liberal-conservative Fine Gael (FG/EPP) party. She received only 29.5 percent of the vote on a disappointing election day. Jim Gavin, candidate of the right-wing liberal party Fianna Fáil (FF/ALDE), who had already dropped out of the race as the third candidate several weeks before the election, received 7.2 percent of the vote. The high number of invalid votes was striking, having increased tenfold compared to the last Presidential Election, and can be seen as an expression of dissatisfaction with the electoral system and the two remaining candidates. 

Kai Gläser
October 29, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Anadolu Agency

Javier Milei triumphs in Argentina's midterm elections

The Lion is back

Contrary to all election forecasts, President Javier Milei and his party La Libertad Avanza (LLA) achieved an impressive victory in the parliamentary midterm elections. On 26 October 2025, half of the seats in the national Chamber of Deputies and one third of the Senate were up for election. LLA won 40.74% of the votes cast, while the Peronists, their main challengers, only managed 31.66%. The election victory comes as a surprise, as the libertarian government has been in its deepest crisis since taking office on 10 December 2023 in recent weeks and months.

Susanne Käss
October 28, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / MediaPunch

Local Elections, National Significance

November Elections in Several U.S. States are Decisive for Political Parties

Neither the President nor any members of Congress are up for election this year. But on November 4, important decisions will be made at the state and local levels—offering a key opportunity to gauge the political mood of the country.

Dr. Hardy Ostry, Jan Bösche
October 23, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Scanpix

Local elections in Estonia

Setback for the ruling parties – tailwind for the opposition

Estonia elected its local representatives on October 19, 2025, following a week of early voting with nationwide e-voting. A total of 1,003,673 people were eligible to vote, of whom 593,818 (59.2 percent; as of October 20, 2025) took part in the election. In addition to numerous local alliances, the most important nationwide parties also ran in the election. The election was marked by a tense domestic political climate and noticeable economic pressures. The conservative Isamaa party was the clear winner. In Tallinn, the Center Party remained strong in predominantly Russian-speaking districts, while new and smaller forces fragmented the field. Nationwide, Isamaa benefited from significant momentum, while the Reform Party and EKRE lost considerable support.

Oliver Morwinsky, Sveta Pääru, Phillip Kremser
October 23, 2025
Country reports

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