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IMAGO / Agencia Prensa-Independiente

Clear Victory for President Noboa

Ecuador shows the red card to a possible return of Correísmo

Daniel Noboa remains president of Ecuador. With a surprisingly clear result of more than eleven percent ahead, the young head of state was able to win the run-off election for the highest office against his left-wing populist challenger Luisa González. The loser's refusal to acknowledge her defeat once again proves the great polarization in the country. After a peaceful election, this division into two camps, along with the containment of organized crime and the difficult economic situation, are the biggest challenges for the election winner.

Johannes Hügel
April 14, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Xinhua

A renewed dynamic in Central Asia-EU relations

Samarkand Summit

The first joint summit of the EU leadership with the heads of state and government from five Central Asian countries on 3 and 4 April in Samarkand (Uzbekistan) sent a strong political signal to enhance relations between both sides. The high-level meeting was the culmination of increased efforts by the EU in the past years and months to re-engage with the region. The joint declaration is an example of the more pragmatic and (primarily economic) interest-based approach of the EU in its partnership policy following the start of the new European Commission end of 2024.

Dr. Olaf Wientzek, Igor Bryzhatyi, André Algermißen
April 11, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

President Trump Bids Farewell to Free Global Trade

Liberating Tariffs

A tough measure, long announced: President Trump has imposed extensive tariffs on the USA's trading partners. For him, it was a “day of liberation”, freeing the USA from what he sees as unjustified trade barriers. For critics, the tariffs are not a suitable means of changing trade balances, but rather a threat to economic development.

Dr. Hardy Ostry, Jan Bösche
April 4, 2025
Country reports
Toshe Ognjanov

The fire disaster in Kočani: Shock for state and society in North Macedonia

Investigations uncover negligence and corruption behind the tragic incident

On March 16, 2025, 59 people died and 196 were injured in a fire disaster at the Pulse nightclub in Kočani - one of the worst tragedies in the country's history. The incident sparked nationwide outrage and led to calls for more rule of law and a reorganization of the system.

Daniel Braun, Davor Pasoski
April 2, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / NurPhoto

Political earthquake in France

How the court judgement against representatives of the Rassemblement National is being twisted by the right-wing populists as the end of the French constitutional state

On Monday, 31 March 2025, the former party leader and current parliamentary group leader of the right-wing populist party Rassemblement National (RN), Marine Le Pen, and eight of the party's MEPs were found guilty of embezzling public funds. The party representatives are alleged to have set up a ‘system of embezzlement’ of EU funds between 2004 and 2016 for the recruitment of parliamentary staff to finance the party's political activities. The damage was estimated by the European Parliament at almost 7 million euros. The twelve parliamentary assistants who also stood trial were found guilty of receiving stolen goods.

Anja Czymmeck, Max Willem Fricke, Nele Katharina Wissmann
April 2, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Pacific Press Agency

Mali conflict

Mauritania becomes a refuge and main transit country to the European Union

The European Union is seeing a decline in migration from North Africa via the central Mediterranean, as smugglers are increasingly using the Atlantic route from Mauritania to the Canary Islands. At the same time, the Sahel region is increasingly becoming a refuge for Malians fleeing offensives by Russian mercenaries against jihadists. There is now the threat of a lot of social explosives, as the United Nations is having to significantly reduce aid for Malian refugees due to the Trump administration's cutbacks.

Ulf Laessing
April 1, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / photonews.at

Austria's political centre under pressure

The coalition of the last chance

After the longest government formation in the history of the Second Republic, Austria now has a new federal government. The process, which lasted more than five months, was characterized by two major ruptures: First, the negotiations for the so-called Zuckerl coalition of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), Social Democrats (SPÖ) and liberal NEOS failed. This led to the resignation of ÖVP leader and Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer at the beginning of 2025. The subsequent coalition negotiations with the right-wing populist Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) led by its future chancellor Herbert Kickl were therefore led by the previous Secretary General and interim party chairman of the ÖVP, Christian Stocker. These negotiations also failed, so that the party returned to the beginning and - this time doomed to success, so to speak - managed to form a coalition between the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS after all. The more than 200-page program of the government led by Christian Stocker as Federal Chancellor is entitled “Doing the right thing now. For Austria”. It could be the last chance for the political center to prevent FPÖ chairman Kickl from becoming the next Chancellor.

Sebastian Enskat, M.A., Michael Stellwag, Johannes Spreitz
April 1, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Xinhua

Two years of civil war in Sudan

The latest developments in the crisis region

At the end of March, Sudanese media reported that the presidential palace in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, had been retaken by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The palace, which also serves as the seat of government, had been occupied by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023, along with other parts of the capital. The recapture marks a major milestone for the Sudanese army in the ongoing conflict. Several ministry buildings and much of the capital are also back under SAF military control. However, an end to the war is not yet in sight, as RSF rebels still control several strategic areas of the country and fighting continues in other regions. Fighting continues particularly in Western Darfur. An end to the war is a long way off, as various local and international political initiatives remain unsuccessful. In the meantime, the people of Sudan are suffering one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world.

Steffen Krüger
March 27, 2025
Country reports

Lessons from China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Strategic Pathways for the EU’s Global Gateway

by Jacob Mardell

Over a decade since its launch, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) remains widely misunderstood. This report cuts through the noise: the BRI is less a grand strategy, more a decentralised, narrative-driven vehicle for advancing Chinese interests. The report asks what the EU can learn—and what it should avoid—as it shapes its own Global Gateway.

March 27, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Bernhard Herrmann

Finland’s Response to Hybrid Threats in the Baltic Sea

Resilience through Comprehensive Security?

Finland’s decision to join the NATO alliance after decades of military neutrality in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has significantly acerbated relations with its Eastern Neighbour. The latest National Risk Assessment by the Finnish government emphasizes the dangers of hybrid threats, which could challenge Finland’s security environment. Its land border of more than 1,300 kilometres with Russia renders Finland particularly susceptible to Russian hybrid operations. Hybrid threats can take manifold shape, such as cyberattacks, disinformation, instrumentalized migration, or sabotage acts against critical infrastructure, including subsea electricity or data cables.

Lavinia Klarhoefer, Christine Leuchtenmüller
March 27, 2025
Country reports
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