NUPI/KAS Study: Norwegians adapting to a changing world

The world as we have come to know it is changing. How do Norwegians respond to these changes? What are their views of Norwegian foreign policy?

The world as we have come to know it is changing. How do Norwegians respond to these changes? What are their views of Norwegian foreign policy? These are some of the questions the KAS-funded NUPI study "Norwegians adapting to a changing world" has studied.

Tanz mit dem Drachen

Die wechselhaften Beziehungen zwischen Myanmar und China

Die starke Abhängigkeit Myanmars von China war einer der Hauptgründe für den demokratischen Wandel nach 2008. Dennoch ist China heute wieder größter Handelspartner und Investor in Myanmar. Das Land hat eine herausragende geostrategische Bedeutung für China und ist zentraler Baustein der Belt and Road Initiative (­BRI). Die Beziehungen zu China bleiben auch in Zukunft ein schwieriger Balanceakt zwischen eigenen und fremden Interessen.

WHY THE EU IS NOT MAKING A NEW WORLD

Contribution to the series "The World HandCOV'd"

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has asked questions of the European Union. For some, its relative invisibility during the early phase of the pandemic confirmed its irrelevance; for others, its relevance and necessity are more obvious than ever in an increasingly insecure world. The pandemic provides an opportune moment to assess the EU’s capacity to face security challenges in an emerging global order. The EU will need to adapt quickly if it is to retain its vigour and security.

Raus aus der Krise - Ein erster Schritt in Richtung Einigung?

Videokonferenz des Europäischen Rates am 19.06.2020

Das Treffen der Staats- und Regierungschefs, das zum wiederholten Male virtuell stattfand, widmete sich maßgeblich dem neuen Mehrjährigen Finanzrahmen (MFR) und dem darin verankerten Wiederaufbaufonds, mit dem die Folgen der Corona-Krise bekämpft und die Erholung der Volkswirtschaft vorangetrieben werden soll. Da es sich nach dem neuesten Vorschlag der Europäischen Kommission um den bislang größten EU-Haushalt der Geschichte mit einem Volumen von 1,85 Billionen Euro handelt, sind verständlicherweise viele unterschiedliche Interessen und Positionen zum Ausgleich zu bringen. Aufgrund dieser Komplexität wurden für dieses Treffen der Staats- und Regierungschefs im Vorfeld von allen Seiten die Erwartungen bewusst klein gehalten und betont, dass es mit Sicherheit eines weiteren Gipfels bedürfe, um eine endgültige Einigung zu erzielen. Während des Online-Gipfels wurden vor allem schon bekannte Standpunkte ausgetauscht und von allen Seiten versichert, sich schnell auf einen Kompromiss einigen zu wollen. Das nächste Treffen soll Mitte Juli erstmals seit Beginn der Corona-Krise wieder in Form eines physischen Treffens in Brüssel stattfinden.

Safeguarding the Rule of Law –The need for consistency and adherence to established law by the Supreme Court in a Pandemic

- by Eklavya Vasudev

This article aims to scrutinize the judiciary’s role in maintaining the rule of law in a situation where one arm of the State (the legislature) has not been in function due to the nature of an unprecedented situation like the COVID-19 pandemic. It argues that the Supreme Court must strictly act as per its constitutional mandate and issue orders and judgments which are consistent and bound in sound legal reasoning.

Early Elections in Croatia with Uncertain Outcome

Following the Country’s (Initial) Triumph over the Corona Crisis, Croatia Is Set to Have Parliamentary Elections on 5 July

Although the spread of COVID-19 has been stopped in its tracks, the risk of a second wave in autumn remains. The election of a new parliament in Croatia should have taken place only in September 2020. But parliament was dissolved in May 2020, and the date for new elections was scheduled for 5 July. The reason cited by the government is a desire to avoid the virus potentially jeopardising the holding of elections. The opposition, on the other hand, suspects the main reason behind this to be the government's favourable poll ratings during the fight against the pandemic. Croatia is therefore entering into a heated, yet short, electoral campaign. In the meantime, polls indicate that the election outcome is by no means clear-cut.

Fanning the Flames of Domestic Political Crises: Corona in Armenia

Was the timing merely coincidence or orchestrated political manoeuvring? On 1 June, the Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Paschinyan, announced to the public that he himself and the closest members of his family, his wife and three daughters, had become infected with the corona virus. Anti-government members of Armenian society found it difficult to view this communication in isolation of the current domestic political situation. The announcement, only one week later, that the Prime Minister’s family and Paschinyan himself had now recovered, reinforced speculations that officially announcing the infection was nothing more than a diversionary tactic. Government measures officially adopted to contain the pandemic, such as the state of emergency extended for the third time last weekend, are predominantly interpreted in light of the prevailing political climate. The number of those in Armenian society who are critical of government seems to be increasing every day.

KIRIBATI - General Elections

by Eva Wagner, Programme Coordinator Rule of Law, Energy and Development Policy

This piece was originally published as the introduction to the latest edition of the 'KAS AusPacific Digital Snapshot' - a potpourri of current affairs topics from Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. The weekly digital snapshot provides an analysis of selected media and think tank articles, intended to offer a panorama overview of the debate in these countries. The original version contains hyperlinks.

30 lat samorządu terytorialnego w Polsce.

Jubileuszowe wydanie "Gazety Sołeckiej"

Zapraszamy do lektury jubileuszowego wydania „Gazety Sołeckiej”, z okazji 30-lecia samorządu terytorialnego w Polsce

Biskupi niemieccy podczas drugiej wojny światowej

Słowo biskupów niemieckich z okazji zakończenia drugiej wojny światowej przed 75 laty / wydane przez Sekretariat Konferencji Episkopatu Niemiec.

Z okazji 75-lecia zakończenia II wojny światowej niemieccy biskupi wystosowali jednostronny list, będący odważnym wyznaniem win. W minionych latach tradycją stały się wspólne wystąpienia i modlitwy biskupów niemieckich i polskich z okazji kolejnych rocznic wybuchu II wojny światowej. Na tym tle „Słowo” biskupów niemieckich wydane z okazji rocznicy zakończenia II wojny światowej jest czymś nowym i wyjątkowym. Zajmuje się postawą biskupów niemieckich w okresie wojny i wobec narodowego socjalizmu. Autorzy stwierdzają wprost, że Kościół w Niemczech był w tamtym okresie częścią „wojennego społeczeństwa”.