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Bulgaria ready for the eurozone

European Commission and European Central Bank with positive convergence report

18 years after joining the EU, Bulgaria is ready to adopt the single European currency on 1 January 2026. The European Commission and the European Central Bank (ECB) issued a positive assessment for the country in their extraordinary convergence report on 4 June. According to the report, Bulgaria now fulfils all the criteria for joining the eurozone. This means that the most important condition for the introduction of the euro has been met. The final political decision still has to be taken by the EU Council in the format of the Finance Ministers (ECOFIN) on 8 July. A qualified majority is sufficient for this and no consensus is required.

Norbert Beckmann-Dierkes, Borislaw Wankow
June 11, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Making a Statement in Washington

Chancellor Merz's first visit to President Tump

Friedrich Merz has completed his first visit to Washington, DC as Federal Chancellor. After spending a night at the President’s guest house, he had his first in-person meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House. Merz later stated that there was “a good atmosphere for discussion.”

Dr. Hardy Ostry, Jan Bösche
June 10, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Xinhua

Local elections in Lebanon

Important milestone for the new government and indicator of the political balance in the country

Despite organisational hurdles, political resistance and a still precarious security situation in many places, municipal and mukhtar elections were held across Lebanon in May 2025, after a three-year delay. The elections are an important step towards strengthening the country's state institutions and are a success for the new government under Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and President Joseph Aoun, which has been in office since the beginning of the year. The elections also offer an initial indication of the country's political balance of power following the war between Israel and Hezbollah, and ahead of the 2026 parliamentary elections.

Michael Bauer
June 3, 2025
Country reports
PantherMedia / JaneUK

Election of judges in Mexico

Between the promise of democracy and the concentration of power

With the constitutional amendment of 2024, the Mexican rule of law is increasingly eroding. The separation of powers and relative independence of the judiciary, which has been in force to date – albeit in need of reform and prone to criticism – will be undermined and undermined by the direct election of judges throughout the country and at all levels, which will be held for the first time on 1 June 2025. The concept behind it, to give the Mexican people the decision-making authority over the selection of their judges, is extremely questionable in view of the selection process and the abrupt dismissal of all judges acting to date. While Bolivia, where this procedure was introduced in 2011, is on the way to reversal due to the poor results, Mexico is starting this experiment, which is ostensibly celebrated by the government as a democratic gain in quality. Political influence, corruption, infiltration of organised crime, legal uncertainty for investors and the population as well as a lack of access to justice are likely to intensify in the foreseeable future as a result of this reform and the associated direct election of judges.

Hans-Hartwig Blomeier, Hartmut Rank, Juan Pablo Campos
June 3, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / NurPhoto

Parliamentary elections in Portugal

Continuity and turning point

Portugal has voted for the third time in just three years. Although the Portuguese were tired of voting, voter turnout only fell by 1.6%, probably also thanks to repeated appeals from President Rebelo de Sousa for voting. The moderate center-right alliance Aliança Democrática under the leadership of Prime Minister Luis Montenegro won the elections with a relative majority, which makes the continuation of his minority government likely. In this respect, there is continuity. However, the collapse of the Socialist Party PS and the strong rise of the right-wing populist party Chega must be seen as a turning point. Chega even moved into second place. Nevertheless, Portugal will remain a stable political EU partner.

Dr. Ludger Gruber, Martin Friedek, Clarissa Hofer Périssé, Moritz Justin
May 30, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / NurPhoto

Just How American Is the American Pope?

U.S. Reactions to the Election of Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV.

The election was a surprise: for the first time in the history of the Catholic Church, there is a Pope from the USA. Leo XIV was born in Chicago, lived in Peru for a long time and most recently worked in Rome. For Catholics in the USA, his election is a gift - and a challenge.

Dr. Hardy Ostry
May 29, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / photothek

Third EU-AU ministerial meeting in Brussels

New impetus for the anniversary?

On May 21, the foreign ministers of the European Union and the African Union met for the third time in Brussels. The aim of the meeting was to take stock of the progress made since the sixth EU-AU summit in February 2022 [1] . Both sides also wanted to explore how the partnership can be further deepened in the face of global challenges. The adopted declaration gives an idea of the potential for cooperation. However, it cannot hide existing differences on key issues such as migration. To ensure that cooperation is not limited to solemn declarations and ambitious announcements at summit meetings, it was agreed to set up a monitoring mechanism.

Dr. Olaf Wientzek, Lukas Kupfernagel, Jonas Nitschke
May 28, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

The security situation in Lithuania in spring 2025: threat and response on NATO's eastern flank

Lithuania relies on deterrence, armament and close partnerships

Lithuania is at the center of European security debates in spring 2025: in the face of the ongoing threat from Russia, the country is relying on deterrence, armament and close partnerships. With the Bundeswehr brigade officially inaugurated on May 22, Germany is sending a strong signal of solidarity and leadership responsibility. The geopolitical tensions between Russia and the USA, Donald Trump's return to the White House and Lithuania's ambitious defense plans are shaping the new security policy reality. Today, Europe's security is also being defended on Lithuania's eastern flank.

Oliver Morwinsky
May 23, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Agencia EFE

OAS: New Secretary General caught between political polarisation and financial hardship

Albert Ramdin, Foreign Minister of Suriname, is the new Secretary General of the Organisation of American States

On 10 March 2025, Albert Ramdin, Foreign Minister of Suriname, was elected as the new Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS). His election marks the first time that a representative of the Caribbean states has held this office, which is considered a historic step for the OAS. Until now, the Caribbean was unable to assert itself among the politically much stronger states of the mainland with its candidate proposals. Ramdin will take over from Uruguay's Luis Almagro on 25 May 2025 and will hold the office until 2030. With a view to his upcoming term of office, three points are likely to become more relevant: Firstly, dealing with the ideological dichotomy between a left-wing and a market-liberal camp within the OAS; secondly, stabilising the organisation's finances; and thirdly, focusing more attention on the Caribbean.

Henning Suhr
May 23, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Avalon.red

The Art of the Deal: The Brexit Reset is taking shape

A new chapter in the Euro-British partnership

Almost ten years ago, Prime Minister David Cameron called for the Brexit referendum. In June 2016, a narrow majority (51.9%) of the British population voted in favor of exiting the EU. Cameron's resignation was followed by five prime ministers who had to deal with the consequences of this historic vote. On Monday 19 May 2025, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, together with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President Antonio Costa, finally hosted the first official EU-UK summit after Brexit to announce a new strategic partnership between the UK and the EU.

Dr. Canan Atilgan, Sebastian Schnorrenberg
May 22, 2025
Country reports

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