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IMAGO / Le Pictorium

The EU and its global partners in a new legislative period

Leveraging its power or struggling to deliver?

When it comes to the relations with its global partners, the re-elected Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has formulated high ambitions: the goal is to “leverage” the EU’s “power and partnerships”. When in 2019 she dubbed her first commission as a “geopolitical” one, this appeared as a bold and – for some – controversial choice of words. With two major conflicts in the EU’s immediate neighborhood and an increasingly fragile global environment, strengthening ties with global partners seems no longer to be a choice, but a vital necessity of the EU. While the EU is only at the very beginning of the new legislative period, policy guidelines, hearings, interviews and not least the new setup of Commission, Parliament and Council allow an idea about the future priorities and strategies from Brussels towards the world. While a complete turnaround of the EU’s strategy with its global partners seems unlikely, some shifts are to be expected: more (interest-driven) pragmatism, more prioritization and an attempt to forge more equal partnerships.

Dr. Olaf Wientzek, Jonas Nitschke, Louis Bout, Nicole Linsenbold
December 4, 2024
Country reports
IMAGO / NurPhoto

Surprise coup against Parliament

In conflict with opposition, South Korea’s President declared martial law

During the night of December 3-4, 2024, martial law prevailed in South Korea for the first time since the days before democracy in 1980/81. President Yoon Suk-yeol declared that the opposition's efforts to cut his budget and for further impeachment proceedings against members of his government were a threat to the country and spoke of infiltration by pro-North Korean forces. A few hours later, he was forced to reverse the decision by successful resistance from parliament and massive demonstrations, and now his government is in ruins. The next few days will probably only decide whether he leaves voluntarily or has to be forced.

Thomas Yoshimura
December 4, 2024
Country reports
IMAGO / Panthermedia

Snap Elections in Iceland

A Turning Point for Iceland's Political Landscape

The result of the early parliamentary elections in Iceland represents a clear rebuke to the outgoing coalition. In particular, the Left-Green Movement, which had garnered over 17 percent at the beginning of the coalition, is now fighting for its survival after losing all its seats in parliament. The conservative Independence Party, which has been the strongest party in the Icelandic parliament since Iceland's independence in 1944 – with the exception of 2009 – has also achieved its historically worst result. The task of forming a coalition now lies with the Social Democrats, who will need to find at least two to three coalition partners.

Aino Esser, Oliver Morwinsky
December 3, 2024
Country reports
IMAGO / Xinhua

Parliamentary elections in Romania: Majority urgently needed

Majority urgently needed

Just one week after the far-right Călin Georgescu unexpectedly came first in the first round of the Romanian presidential election, Romania's parliamentary elections took place on December 1, 2024. The result is a parliament full of medium-sized and small parties that will be very difficult to bind into a halfway stable government coalition. Since the appointment of the prime minister and the government is the task of the president, political attention is now turning again to the outcome of the presidential election, which is scheduled to take place on December 8.

Katja Christina Plate
December 3, 2024
Country reports
KAS/Anna-Lena Wasserfall

Elections in Ghana

Will the country remain a "democratic beacon" in an increasingly unstable region?

The election campaign in Ghana is well underway shortly before the presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7. Temperatures of over 30 degrees Celsius are not stopping people in the capital Accra from standing on the roadside for hours and waving flags and posters with the colours and symbols of their party. The red, white and blue colours of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the red, green, black and white colours of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) - the two major political parties in the country - are the dominant colours in the city these days. The growing tension among the population is clearly noticeable given the critical economic situation in the country.

Anna Wasserfall
November 29, 2024
Country reports

Uruguay chooses a change of power

Candidate of the Left prevails in the second round of voting

Yamandú Orsi was able to win the second round of the presidential election on November 24 surprisingly clearly. This means that the left-wing Frente Amplio will determine the fate of the government of the small country on the Rio de la Plata for the next five years. The centre-right coalition, which has now been voted out of office, will have to go into opposition. The search for the reasons for the election defeat of the actually successful and quite popular government has only just begun.

November 25, 2024
Country reports
IMAGO / newspix

Tusk's Government Faces Obstacles

Poland One Year After the Change in Leadership

In October 2023, Poland experienced a historic moment of democratic engagement, with record voter turnout leading to a victory for the Civic Coalition (KO) under Donald Tusk. This electoral shift marked the end of the national-conservative Law and Justice Party's (PiS) eight-year rule. The new government faced the daunting dual challenge of reversing the PiS’s systematic erosion of the rule of law and repairing strained relations with the European Union and other international partners.

David Gregosz, Susanna Zapf
November 25, 2024
Country reports
IMAGO / Xinhua

Romania has voted

A resounding slap in the face for the ruling parties

Completely unexpectedly, the pro-Russian right-wing extremist Călin Georgescu is the first-placed candidate in the run-off election for the Romanian presidency. He is competing against the liberal Elena Lasconi (USR), who narrowly beat the third-placed Social Democrat Marcel Ciolacu (19.15%) with 19.18%. With their vote, Romanian voters have delivered a resounding political slap in the face to the leaders of the current governing coalition (PSD-PNL). With potentially devastating consequences for the country's political future and possible repercussions for European security and the defense capabilities of NATO's eastern flank.

Katja Christina Plate
November 25, 2024
Country reports
IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Climate change in Europe: The flood of the century in Spain

Political and social consequences of the natural disaster

On 29 October 2024, the Spanish region of Valencia was hit by a severe flash flood. The ‘cold drop’ meteorological phenomenon has claimed the lives of 217 people so far, with 16 still missing. The damage already amounts to a mid double-digit billion euro sum. A multi-layered political reappraisal is now beginning, which encompasses several levels, from (omitted) prevention measures to acute crisis management and party political instrumentalization.

Dr. Ludger Gruber, Martin Friedek, Sara Brokelmann Álvarez
November 19, 2024
Country reports
Adobe Stock / Daria; generiert mit KI

Bits and bytes for global health: opportunities and challenges of digital health and AI

How the potential of Digital Health and AI are revolutionising global healthcare: ethical and data protection hurdles included

Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have the potential to transform healthcare worldwide, especially in regions with limited medical infrastructure. Through digital innovations, diagnoses can be more accurate, health inequalities can be reduced, and access to medical care can be expanded. However, privacy concerns, ethical challenges, and infrastructural gaps continue to pose significant obstacles. Cooperation and responsible regulation are essential in order to fully utilise the potential.

Annika Schröder
November 14, 2024
Facts and Findings

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