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Short political reports of the KAS offices abroad

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David Canales / Zuma Press / ContactoPhoto (europa press)

Re-election of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez

Fragile minority government will increase polarization

Pedro Sánchez (PSOE) has been re-elected as Prime Minister of the Spanish government with the help of separatist parties from Catalonia and the Basque Country. He is imposing a high price on Spain for his decision. The country is more divided than ever. The relatively young democracy is in danger of being compromised.

Dr. Ludger Gruber, Martin Friedek
November 20, 2023
Country Reports
Adobe Stock / Pamela Ranya

Chad - The next candidate for upheaval in the Sahel?

An important partner in the Sudan crisis

Is Chad the next candidate for upheaval in the Sahel? The Central African country looks more stable than Mali, Niger or Burkina Faso. Chad is an important Western ally in a volatile region where Russia has been expanding in its neighbours Libya, Sudan and the Central African Republic and also a key humanitarian hub as some half a million refugees have fled civil war in Sudan. But military president Mahamat Deby has been cracking down on the opposition and delaying elections. He has come also under criticism for working closely with France. So how stable is Chad?

Ulf Laessing
November 16, 2023
Country Reports
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V.

Zypern auf dem Weg zur Inklusion

Inklusion weltweit – Aktueller Stand aus Zypern

Ein Teil der Insel Zyperns ist immer noch besetzt. In dem Maße, wie sich die politischen Führer bemühen, eine Lösung in der Zypernfrage zu erreichen, ihren Bürgern wirtschaftlichen Wohlstand zu verschaffen und die europäischen Werte zu unterstützen, bemühen sie sich auch, gesellschaftliche Veränderungen in die sich ständig verändernde Agenda aufzunehmen. Dabei gewinnen die Bedürfnisse und das Alltagsleben von Menschen mit Behinderungen für die Gesellschaft immer mehr an Bedeutung. Hier geben wir einen ersten Überblick über die aktuellen Vorhaben, die das Leben von Menschen mit Behinderungen auf Zypern erleichtern sollen.

Marian Wendt, Martha Kontodaimon
November 13, 2023
Country reports with a difference
Adobe Stock / butenkow

The Art of Crisis Management

The Pandemic Agreement – An Opportunity for Health for all

The pandemic agreement responds to global coordination deficits during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to improve preparedness for future pandemics by promoting cooperation without jeopardizing national sovereignty. However, national dissatisfaction could have a negative impact on the negotiations. Fears that national sovereignty or the protection of human rights could be undermined by the pandemic agreement or the World Health Organization (WHO) are unfounded, as national legislative and decision-making processes will remain crucial. Concluding the negotiations by May 2024 is the declared goal, although there are still some points of contention. The realistic concern is that the WHO will end up with insufficient powers and resources and will not produce an effective framework for preventing and responding to future pandemics, rather than becoming a "global health police" with far-reaching powers of intervention. The pandemic agreement should be seen as an opportunity to positively transform lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic into clear and transparent rules to defend against future pandemics.

Lukas Lingenthal, Dr. Anja Maria Rittner
November 10, 2023
Country Reports
IMAGO / CHROMORANGE

Local elections in Bulgaria

GERB Strongest force, but with losses

Local elections were held in Bulgaria on 29 October and 5 November. The influential on the local level EPP party GERB (Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria) suffered losses, but was able to maintain its positions in many places. Its main opponent, the PP-DB coalition ("We Continue the Change" and "Democratic Bulgaria"), in which the left-liberal PP took part in local elections for the first time, received the most votes for the city council in the capital Sofia and will also provide the mayor, but lost votes compared to the parliamentary elections in April 2023.

Norbert Beckmann-Dierkes, Borislaw Wankow
November 8, 2023
Country Reports
IMAGO / Agencia EFE

A nation loses its patience

Controversial mining contract in Panama triggers mass protests across the country

In recent months, Panama has been involved in a controversial debate about a controversial mining contract with far-reaching implications. The contract, which was approved by the Panamanian Congress on October 20, grants Minería Panama, a subsidiary of First Quantum Minerals from Canada, the right to operate the largest open pit copper mine in Central America for a period of 20 years. This mine covers approximately 12,000 hectares in Donoso, Colón province. The agreement promises significant economic benefits for Panama and ensures that at least USD 375 million in license fees will be paid annually. President Laurentino Cortizo emphasized at the approval of the contract on 24 October: 'We have made the right decision, not the easiest one. Nevertheless, nationwide protests broke out, reflecting public dissatisfaction with both the agreement itself and current government policy.

Winfried Weck, Alejandro Marin
November 6, 2023
Country Reports
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V.

Der lange Weg zur Inklusion in Namibia

Inklusion weltweit – Aktueller Stand aus Namibia

Nach der letzten nationalen Datenerhebung der Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) aus dem Jahre 2016 machen Menschen mit Behinderungen rund 5 Prozent der Gesamtbevölkerung in Namibia aus. Der tatsächliche Anteil dürfte jedoch weitaus höher sein. Diese Annahme fußt auf den Mangel an verfügbaren aktuellen Daten, Stigmatisierung, Diskriminierung und kulturellen Vorurteilen, mit denen Menschen mit Behinderungen (PwD: People with Disabilities) in Namibia noch immer konfrontiert sind. Der Schwerpunkt dieses Berichts aus der Reihe „Länderbericht mal anders“ liegt darin, die fortschrittlichen Bemühungen von diversen Interessengruppen in Zusammenarbeit der KAS Namibia-Angola sowie die wichtigsten nationalen Institutionen im Behindertensektor in Namibia vorzustellen.

Natalie Russmann
November 6, 2023
Country reports with a difference
wikimedia / Gary Todd from Xinzheng CC0

Minimizing the Human Factor

Mongolia's search for the "perfect system"

Is there a "perfect system of government"? How should it be designed to prevent corruption and illegitimate political influence? Can the human factor be eliminated through sophisticated checks and balances? Can a free press and an independent judiciary be replaced by an optimized electoral system and a balanced composition of parliament? Mongolia is trying to answer these questions by once again adapting the election and party laws and amending the constitution. Thirty-three years after the peaceful democratic revolution, the fine-tuning of the Mongolian system of government has still not been completed.

Viktor Frank
November 6, 2023
Country Reports
The public domain of the Government of Montenegro

Montenegro’s 44th government sworn in

Comprehensive reform agenda in difficult times

After several months of negotiations, Milojko Spajić, Chairman of the Europe Now movement, was elected as the new Prime Minister of Montenegro. A total of 46 parliamentarians voted in favour of the 36-year-old shooting star - more than ever before in an election of a prime minister in Montenegro. With his 19 ministers, Prime Minister Spajić must now tackle many challenges quickly.

Jakov Devčić
November 3, 2023
Country Reports
Imago / ABACAPRESS

France and the war in the Middle East

A country in worry

Since October 7th, when the terrorist organization Hamas attacked Israel, it has also been felt in France how much this war affects and concerns society. After another fatal knife attack by an IS supporter on a teacher at a school in Arras, northern France, France imposed the highest terror alert level and 7,000 soldiers were mobilized across the country. There have now been numerous bomb threats against airports, schools and tourist sites such as the Palace of Versailles and the Louvre, and the French executive warned against an “import” of the conflict in the Middle East to Europe and France. In addition, pro-Palestinian demonstrations took place in many French cities. After Hamas's attack on Israel, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin sent telegrams to the prefects of all departments demanding that pro-Palestinian demonstrations be banned. He also called for the organizers of these gatherings and the “troublemakers” to be systematically arrested. The police prefecture of Paris had also tried to ban planned demonstrations in the capital. However, a demonstration took place on the 19th of October, although the administrative court decided just before that “respect for freedom of demonstration and freedom of expression, which have the character of fundamental freedoms (...) is reconciled with the constitutional requirement of maintaining public order. On October 28, thousands of demonstrators gathered in Paris despite the ban on “demonstrations in support of Palestine”. There were 21 arrests and around 1,400 fines issued by law enforcement.

Anja Czymmeck, Nele Katharina Wissmann, Dimitri Mauchien
October 31, 2023
Country Reports
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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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