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IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

Senegal's democracy passes the stress test

The Constitutional Council has repealed Macky Salls' decree of 03.02.24 annulling the elections

There was much commotion in the country after President Macky Sall canceled the election date set for 25.02.2024 just a few hours before the start of the campaign. Senegalese civil society and the international community reacted with bewilderment and interpreted the annulment as an attempt by Macky Sall to extend his mandate indefinitely. Now, in a historic decision, the Constitutional Council has annulled the presidential decree.

Caroline Hauptmann
February 21, 2024
Country Reports
IMAGO / Pond5 Images

Why the European elections could be decided in Italy

Movement in the Italian party system reaches as far as Strasbourg and Brussels

2024 will be a real stress test for Italy's party landscape. European elections, regional elections, local elections - a super election year has begun. For some party leaders, political survival is at stake. And some groupings may no longer exist afterwards. Only Giorgia Meloni and her Fratelli d'Italia can look to the future with relative calm when looking at the demoscopic data. The election to the European Parliament could even make the Italian head of government a key figure in Brussels when it comes to appointing new EU leaders. And surprises cannot be ruled out on the Tiber either.

Dr. Nino Galetti, Michael Feth
February 13, 2024
Country Reports
IMAGO / SNA

Nothing new in Baku

Incumbent Ilham Aliyev was declared the winner of the presidential elections in Azerbaijan with an overwhelming result. Only the president's vote itself caused a stir.

The start of the "super election year" 2024 had hardly any surprises in store. According to the official results, the incumbent Ilham Aliyev emerged as the clear winner of the early presidential elections in Azerbaijan on February 7. With this election victory, Aliyev has further consolidated his power and will remain in office for another seven years. Even before the election, his fifth re-election was considered a mere formality, as it was a rehearsed simulation of democracy in a state that has been firmly ruled by an authoritarian regime for three decades. Beyond the expected course of events, the president's own vote was of extraordinary symbolic value.

Stephan Malerius, Matthias Hespe
February 9, 2024
Country Reports
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V.

New York City – Barrierefreiheit bitte warten!

Inklusion weltweit – Aktueller Stand aus New York, USA

Kaum eine andere Stadt auf der Welt ist so oft Gegenstand von Büchern, Liedern oder Filmen wie New York. Sie steht für ein einzigartiges Lebensgefühl und zieht jedes Jahr Millionen von Menschen an, die nur für einige Tage dieses Gefühl greifen möchten oder die hier auf Dauer ihr Glück versuchen. Abseits all dieser Dinge sind wir in unserem Länderbericht einer ganz anderen Frage nachgegangen: Wie ist es eigentlich um die Inklusion von Menschen mit Behinderung bestellt? Wir haben uns dazu den öffentlichen Ver-kehr und den Bildungsbereich im Empire State genauer angesehen.

Thomas Tödtling, Annika Ungruhe
February 8, 2024
Country reports with a difference

Senegal fights for its reputation - and its democracy

The region's democratic anchor of stability caught between a domestic political crisis and growing damage to its image among its international partners

The presidential elections in the West African country, which has been regarded by many as an anchor of democratic stability in the region, were due to take place on 25.02.2024. However, this was then canceled by presidential decree just a few hours before the election campaign was due to open. The country is now plunged into a domestic political crisis - and at the same time is fighting against a growing damage to its image among its international partners.

Caroline Hauptmann
February 8, 2024
Country Reports
www.sobranie.mk

Technical government in Skopje: Kick-off to the super election year in North Macedonia

The technical government begins its work

The super election year in North Macedonia was heralded with the swearing-in of the technical government on January 28, 2024, which had to be formed 100 days before the election date. The basis for this is the so-called Przino Agreement of 2015, which ended a serious domestic political emergency through the intervention of the EU and the USA. Talat Xhaferi is the first member of the Albanian population group to assume the office of Prime Minister. The government's main task is to organize the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Daniel Braun, Davor Pasoski
February 8, 2024
Country Reports
IMAGO / Pond5 Images

New geopolitical alliances in the Sahel region

The geopolitical balances are shifting in the Sahel region.

Europe and France are losing massive support from Niger to Mali via Chad, while Russia, Iran, Turkey and Arab countries are filling the vacuum left involuntarily by the West. Now Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso are also withdrawing from the West African community of states ECOWAS.

Ulf Laessing
February 7, 2024
Country Reports
KAS

Municipal elections in Costa Rica under new auspices

PLN remains the strongest force but is still considered the loser - Unidos Podemos and PUSC make significant gains

Costa Rica is still one of the most stable and best-developed democracies in Latin America. However, the growing disenchantment with politics is reflected in the falling voter turnout. Only 31.96 per cent of all voters exercised their right to vote. In 2020, this figure was still 36.4 per cent. Verbal attacks against the renowned Supreme Electoral Court by supporters of the government, whose parties were excluded from the mayoral election for formal reasons, also caused controversy in the run-up to the elections. Despite this, the international election observers were once again able to certify that the country met the highest democratic standards. According to the election observers from the Organisation of American States (OAS), the election took place without incident. There were 6,212 local politicians up for election. Costa Rica is divided into seven provinces and 84 cantons. Each canton consists of several districts (distrito). There are 84 elected mayors who head a canton (alcalde) and two deputy mayors (vicealcalde). Each canton has a parliament (concejo municipal), which is roughly equivalent to a district council and whose members are called 'regidores'. In addition to the district councillors with voting rights, each district elects a district representative (síndico), who represents the interests of the district in the district assemblies at cantonal level, and four district councillors (concejales), who support the district representative.

Evelyn Gaiser
February 6, 2024
Country Reports
IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

Ukraine policy in Rome

Italy top, Vatican flop?

The first war of aggression in Europe since 1945 is keeping two global players busy in Rome: the Italian government and Vatican diplomacy. While under the leadership of President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni there is no doubt about Italy's unbroken solidarity with Ukraine, criticism of the Holy See's course to date is growing, and not just in Catholic circles. Is Pope Francis' longed-for reconciliation with the Russian Orthodox Church more important than the future fate of Ukraine?

Michael Feth, Dr. Nino Galetti
February 6, 2024
Country Reports
IMAGO / Eastnews

Difficult change: From the PiS state back to the rule of law

Fifty turbulent days for the new coalition

The parliamentary elections on October 15, 2023 have fundamentally changed the face of the Polish political scene. With a record voter turnout of over 73%, the national-conservative government, formed by the Law and Justice party (PiS), was deposed and the four liberal democratic coalition parties (Civic Platform - PO, Polska 2050, Polish People's Party - PSL and the New Left) won overall 248 mandates in the 460-seat Sejm. Nevertheless, the PiS remains the strongest faction in parliament with 194 seats. In his first government statement in December, new Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced his cabinet's priorities, which are to restore the rule of law and return Poland to the European family.

Dr. Piotr Womela, David Gregosz
February 5, 2024
Country Reports
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About this series

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung is a political foundation. Our offices abroad are in charge of over 200 projects in more than 120 countries. The country reports offer current analyses, exclusive evaluations, background information and forecasts - provided by our international staff.

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