Europe and North America - European and International Cooperation
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Europe and North America
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Our focus in Europe
The work of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s Foundation offices in Europe is of particular importance. Our central concern is to strengthen and deepen European cooperation while at the same time stabilising bilateral links between the individual member states. In the face of the major challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the current focus, alongside economic and social recovery and a lasting resolution of the crisis, is on making the European Union as a whole stronger, fairer and more sustainable. In addition to global challenges such as climate change and increasing competition between systems, the focus is on digitalisation and innovation to strengthen Europe’s ability to act both internally and externally.
Party-political cooperation thereby is a particularly well-established tradition in Western Europe and an important instrument for KAS to promote the bilateral dialogue between the member states. However, changes to the party-political landscape across Europe is also putting established partnerships under increasing strain. In Southern Europe - among others due to the coronavirus pandemic - the image of Europe has recently become tarnished to some extent. Southern Europe has at times felt inadequately supported by its European partners in the three major crises - the coronavirus pandemic, the financial and the migration crises. In the coronavirus crisis, criticism of and dissatisfaction with the EU have now reached a new peak and are unfortunately beginning to manifest in fundamentally pro-European circles. It is this trend that the Foundation offices are seeking to counteract with their measures.
In view of the generally worrying increase in populist and nationalist stances in many countries of the EU, particularly in Southern and Eastern Central Europe, KAS’s measures continue to focus on supporting partner organisations in politics and civil society to strengthen their influence on policy-making and their role in the democratic system.
At the heart of the debate and the work of the KAS offices in Eastern Central Europe are the issues of security and defence policy alongside the current state and future of European integration. Here, it is the task and goal of KAS to restate the common European positions with greater vigour. Another focus is on cooperation with relevant state and civil society actors as they continue to come to terms with their communist past. In general, polarisation of the political landscape can also be observed in the region. For KAS, therefore, a particularly crucial task is to strengthen civil society as an important long-term stabiliser for relations.
Overall, the East-West divide between the old member states of the European Union in Western Europe and the new member states in Central and Eastern Europe has widened in recent years. These fractures are manifesting again and again in discussions about the rule of law, the independence of state institutions and the role of national identities, nations, patriotism and nationalism.
KAS also continues with high-profile events to work towards the rapprochement of the non-member states of the Western Balkans with the European Union, in South-Eastern Europe as well as in Brussels and Berlin, and to support regional cooperation within the framework of the Berlin Process initiated by Chancellor Angela Merkel. The interplay - and, in many cases, tension - between loyalty to values and interest-driven politics fundamentally shape the engagement in the Western Balkans, especially in the context of party-political cooperation.
In Eastern Europe, in view of Russia’s tense relations with the “West” and parts of its immediate neighbourhood, the focus continues to be on the geopolitical situation, as well as on the far-reaching and yet partially stalled political, economic and social transformation processes in the states involved in the EU’s Eastern Partnership. The work of KAS in Eastern Europe therefore focuses on supporting the establishment of democracy and the rule of law as well as social and economic development, while at the same time promoting rapprochement with the EU within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy and dialogue on regional security policy issues.
Our focus in North America
Under the US administration of former President Donald Trump, the perspective of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s transatlantic work experienced a shift. In this occasionally unorthodox US administration, the viewpoints of Germany or the EU were not always well perceived. The discourses on reinforcing a common European position and focusing on Europe’s capacity to act gained momentum as a result. With regard to the new US administration under the 46th President Joe Biden, it remains important to advocate shared positions to find stronger common ground on key issues of the transatlantic relationship. While some basic strategic directions of the Trump administration are likely to remain, the return of the US to multilateral agreements is expected. With regard to NATO, the European partners should be prepared to be called upon to make more efforts within the framework of the defence alliance. The KAS office in the US is therefore engaging in matters of shared interest with Europe, such as trade, climate and security policy.
With five offices in Europe and North America, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung is working on multilateral issues of concern to the international institutions and organisations located there. From the United Nations headquarters in New York, the Foundation’s office is working to strengthen the multilateral order and to promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The office there is also concerned with the issues of peace and security, the implementation of Agenda2030 and with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technologies in the field of digital governance. From its Geneva office, the Foundation has been involved in the work of the World Health Organization (WHO) since long before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, where its contributions include reporting, background discussions, informative events and publications. Other focal points include the issues of world trade, refugee movements and migration, human rights, humanitarian aid and digitalisation. The Washington D.C. office monitors the work of the World Bank Group. From its Brussels office, the Multinational Development Policy Dialogue of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung concerns itself with the external dimension of the work of the European Union. From its base in Vienna, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung deals, among other things, with issues of arms control and peacekeeping.
Twitter accounts of our offices
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Topic pages of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung
We are significantly involved in the following KAS-wide thematic pages. Here you will regularly find various contributions (including publications and events) from our department.
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Publications to the topic

Tight race in the conservative camp in the National Council elections in Switzerland
The center and FDP are in a neck-and-neck race for the third place in parliament.
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Cedric Amon, Anja Maria Rittner, Nino Galetti
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October 2, 2023
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Country Reports

First center-left government in Latvia
A change of government with shaky foundations
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Oliver Morwinsky, Daiga Krieva
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September 22, 2023
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Country Reports

Russia's Demographic Policy in the Context of the War
Long-term challenges for the Russian Federation
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Thomas Kunze, Christopher Hess
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September 6, 2023
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Country Reports

Government work involving right-wing nationalist parties
Current experiences from Sweden and Finland
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Gabriele Baumann, Lukas Mugele
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August 23, 2023
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Country Reports
The battle for Berlusconi's political legacy
Between tidying up and a complete overhaul: Forza Italia's survival now depends on Antonio Tajani
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Michael Feth, Nino Galetti
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August 10, 2023
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Country Reports
High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2023 – a blueprint for the SDG Summit?
How can we build on the momentum from the HLPF for a successful SDG Summit?
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Erica Mumford
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August 4, 2023
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Country Reports
The Wagner Group in Belarus
Possible scenarios based on their previous activities worldwide
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Roza Turarbekava, Pavel Tsereschkowitsch, Jakob Wöllenstein
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July 28, 2023
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Country Reports
Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the new stability in Hellas
Balance of the first legislative period and challenges of the new government
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Marian Wendt, Vasilis Karydas-Yfantis
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July 26, 2023
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Country Reports
Demographic Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Consequences of the Significant Decrease and Aging of the Population
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Sven Petke, Jan Petzke, Sebastian Kalbe, Sharin Garcia Čaušević
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July 26, 2023
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Country Reports
Geneva Barometer
Developments among Geneva-based international organisations from end-April to mid-July 2023
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Olaf Wientzek, Sarah Ultes, Cedric Amon, Anja Maria Rittner, Lea Simon
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July 20, 2023
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Country Reports
New friends in the "eastern vector"
Upheaval in the foreign policy of Belarus
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Roza Turarbekava, Jakob Wöllenstein
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June 29, 2023
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Country Reports
Klare Voten bei Volksabstimmungen – kleine Fortschritte im Bereich der Außenbeziehungen
Letzter Abstimmungssonntag vor den Wahlen – Eckwerte für Verhandlungen mit der EU, beginnende Debatte zur Rolle der Schweiz in der Welt
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Olaf Wientzek, Cedric Amon
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June 22, 2023
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Country Reports
Indictment on the state of our world – UNHCR’s new global trends report
The "Geneva Telegram" explores events in Geneva-based multilateral organizations on a current topic. This time, the focus is on the new global trends report of the UNHCR.
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Olaf Wientzek, Sarah Ultes
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June 20, 2023
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Country Reports
Changing of the guard in Romania
Ciucă leaves, Ciolacu comes
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Katja Christina Plate
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June 16, 2023
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Country Reports
Geneva Telegram - The World Health Assembly – Pandemic accord, sustain-able finance and geopolitics
The "Geneva Telegram" explores events in Geneva-based multilateral organizations on a current topic. This time, the focus is on the 76th World Health Assembly (May 21-30, 2023).
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Anja Maria Rittner, Olaf Wientzek
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June 2, 2023
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Country Reports
Local elections in Albania
The Socialist Party wins most municipalities in Albania's local elections. The opposition accuses the party of electoral fraud.
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Tobias Rüttershoff
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May 24, 2023
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Country Reports
Government formations in Bosnia and Herzegovina through new coalitions
New parties taking responsibilty in the government
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Sven Petke, Jan Petzke
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May 5, 2023
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Country Reports
Why Charles III will not also be Charles the Last for Canada
Despite Canadians' discomfort with the monarchy and their British king: for now, the crown is not replaceable
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Norbert Eschborn
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May 4, 2023
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Country Reports
Geneva Barometer
Developments among Geneva-based international organisations from mid-February to mid-April 2023
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Olaf Wientzek, Sarah Ultes, Anja Maria Rittner, Cedric Amon
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April 21, 2023
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Country Reports
Forming a government in Estonia
Difficult start for cabinet Kallas III
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Oliver Morwinsky, Sveta Pääru, Emely Keyn
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April 19, 2023
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Country Reports
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Media library
Disinformation & Democracy
The first and entirely expert-based conference focusing on the societal fight against disinformation
Signal der Geschlossenheit? Der NATO-Gipfel in Vilnius und die Zukunft der Ukraine
Bald findet der NATO-Gipfel in Vilnius statt. Wir sprechen mit den Expertinnen Dr. Christina Krause und Christina Bellmann u.a. darüber, welches Signal nach Russland gesendet wird.
