Corrupt Judges – Threat to the Constitutional State

Judges are at the heart of a functioning constitutional state under the rule of law, but unfortunately this does not mean that they are immune to corruption. Recent years have seen a number of high-profile cases, demonstrating that corrupt judges are a global problem. In the fight against judicial corruption, it is essential to seek solutions at the national level, but it is still valuable to gain a global perspective of this phenomenon.

Editorial

From football to road construction – corruption has many faces. But the general rule is that the more opaque and unregulated decision-making processes are, the greater the risk of abusing power for self-enrichment.

New Great Games

Regional Interests in the Afghan Peace Process

The first official peace talks between the US and the Taliban, held in 2019, and the possible withdrawal of US troops announced by President Trump could end what has been almost 20 years of ­NATO presence in Afghanistan. For regional countries – Pakistan, India, Iran, Russia, and China – the developments offer an incentive to restructure the regional peace and security order.

Nigeria’s Hopeless Fight Against Corruption

Nigeria could be one of the richest countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Thanks to its oil and gas industry, billions of dollars flood into the state’s coffers every year. Yet, the country faces immense challenges. Extreme poverty, a weakening economy, a dilapidated infrastructure, terrorism, and organised crime are all part of the everyday life of the population. Corruption, which has been depriving the country of the resources it needs to develop, is largely to blame for the current state of affairs.

The Right of Access to Information

An Important Step in the Fight Against Corruption in Morocco?

Morocco is no stranger to the global problem of corruption and the associated lack of public trust in the country’s administration. Public pressure, especially during the Arab Spring, resulted in a constitutional amendment in 2011 and people being given the right of access to information. Citizens now have the right to request non-public information held by the administration, while at the same time public bodies are required to proactively provide citizens with more information. Morocco’s Access to Information Act has been in force since March 2019, however, its adoption has been postponed until 2020.

Ukraine: Transparent but Corrupt?

Ukraine is the most transparent corrupt country in Europe. Corruption, oligarchy, and some mafia-like structures continue to be part of everyday life for people in Ukraine – in healthcare, education, business, customs, or the media landscape. Nevertheless, the reform efforts of the past few years have achieved increased transparency and social awareness of corruption. The German government and the European Union are providing substantial support to Ukraine; justice reform and combatting corruption are priorities.

When the Lights Go Out

The Impact of Corruption on the Electricity Supply in Sub-Saharan Africa

More than half of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa has no access to electricity. This is partly due to endemic corruption, the cost of which hampers the expansion of energy infrastructure. In the fight against corruption, it is vital to strengthen good governance and build effective, accountable state institutions as set out in Goal 16 of Agenda 2030.

Evangelicos y Poder en América Latina 2da Edición

Evangelicos y Poder en América Latina 2da Edición

"RiseUp4Rojava"

Der Konflikt in Nordsyrien und die Kurdensolidarität im Linksextremismus

Die militärischen Interventionen der Türkei in Nord- und Nordostsyrien seit 2016 bis heute dienten vornehmlich dazu, ein kurdisches Autonomiegebiet in Syrien zu verhindern. Ein solches hatte sich nämlich in den Wirren des syrischen Bürgerkrieges und im Zuge des erfolgreichen Abwehrkampfes gegen den „Islamischen Staat“ (IS) sukzessive herausgebildet – unter dem Namen „Rojava“. Dieses steht nicht nur für den kurdischen Wunsch nach Selbstverwaltung, sondern auch für eine sozialistisch-demokratische Utopie, die auf Seiten der demokratischen und extremistischen Linken international große Anerkennung findet. Das Thema „Kurdensolidarität“ ist mithin seit 2014 zu einem wichtigen emotionalen und strategischen Kampagnenschwerpunkt in der linksextremistischen Szene geworden. Neben den ethnisch-religiösen Spannungen zwischen Islamisten und Kurden und Türken und Kurden geht somit auch vom Linksextremismus ein latentes Bedrohungspotential für die innere Sicherheit in Deutschland aus, das unmittelbar mit den Geschehnissen in Nord- und Nordostsyrien verbunden ist.

A WTO in crisis – but not at breaking point

World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) dispute settlement body suspended

The Appellate Body of the WTO, responsible for settling international trade disputes, has been unable to function since 11 December. The development marks the crumbling of a pillar of the multilateral trading order. What does this mean for the cross-border movement of goods and services, cooperation between states, and the organisation itself?