Lebanon’s Quest for Justice: The State of the Investigation into the Beirut Port Explosion

Taking a closer look at Lebanon's struggle for justice: Where does the port blast investigation stand stand after more than two years?

Conflict Weekly #176&177, 25 May 2023, Vol.4, No.20&21

An initiative by NIAS-IPRI and the India Office of KAS

Bhutan's Gross National Happiness, Return of Syria to the Arab League, Seventh Ceasefire in Sudan, Bakhmut Battle in Ukraine, Zelensky's Diplomatic Offensive, and WMO Report Takeaways

CONSTITUTIONAL ADJUDICATION IN AFRICA

The volume is available here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/constitutional-adjudication-in-africa-9780198810216?lang=en&cc=gb

Since the 1990 wave of constitutional reforms in Africa, the role of constitutional courts or courts exercising the power to interpret and apply constitutions have become a critical aspect to the on-going process of constitutional construction, reconstruction, and maintenance. These developments appear, at least from the texts of the revised or new constitutions, to have resulted in fundamental changes in the nature and role of courts exercising jurisdiction in constitutional matters. The chapters in this second volume of the Stellenbosch Handbooks in African Constitutional Law series are the first to undertake a critical and comparative examination of the interplay of the diverse forms of constitutional review models on the continent. Comparative analysis is particularly important given the fact that over the last two decades, constitutional courts in Africa have been asked to decide a litany of hotly-contested and often sensitive disputes of a social, political, and economic nature. As the list of areas in which these courts have intervened has grown, so too have their powers, actual or potential. By identifying and examining the different models of constitutional review adopted, these chapters consider the extent to which these courts are contributing to enhancing constitutionalism and respect for the rule of law on the continent. The chapters show how the long-standing negative image of African courts is slowly changing. The courts have in responded in different ways to the variety of constraints, incentives, and opportunities that have been provided by the constitutional reforms of the last two decades to act as the bulwark against authoritarianism, and this provides a rich field for analysis, filling an important gap in the literature of contemporary comparative constitutional adjudication. This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International licence.

DECENTRALISATION AND CONSTITUTIONALISM IN AFRICA

This volume is available here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/decentralization-and-constitutionalism-in-africa-9780198846154?q=fombad%20and%20steytler&lang=en&cc=gb#

This collection of essays assesses the efforts of African governments to constitutionalise decentralisation, be it in the form of federalism, local government or traditional authorities. Since the end of the Cold War jurisdictions across Africa have witnessed an ostensible return to multi-party democracy within the paradigm of constitutionalism and the rule of law. Linked to the democratisation process, many countries took steps to decentralize power by departing from the heavily centralized systems inherited from colonial regimes. The centralization of power, typically characterized by the personalization and concentration of power in the hands of leaders and privileged elites in capital cities, mostly resulted in repressive regimes and fragile states. As decentralisation is a response to these challenges, this volume analyses the dynamic relationship between the efforts to implement decentralization and presence or absence of constitutionalism. This volume examines a variety of forms and degrees of decentralization found across Africa. It advances a new understanding of trends and patterns and facilitates the exchange of ideas among African governments and scholars about the critical role that decentralisation may play in democratization of and constitutionalism in Africa. This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International licence.

Further rise of regional parties in India?

What role do India's regional parties play in the run-up to India's 2024 general elections?

Since the 1990s, the number of Indian regional parties has steadily increased.

Presidential Elections in Latvia

A Choice for Unity

On May 31, 2023, the Latvian Saeima elected Edgars Rinkēvičs, a long-time minister The election required at least 51 of the 100 votes cast by Saeima deputies.

Reboot of Colombia's Neighborhood Policy

President Petro seeks rapprochement with Venezuela.

Colombia and Venezuela were once part of the same state, have shared a history since their founding, wear the same colors on their flags, and share a 2,219-kilometer border. What happens on one side of the border affects the other. However, relations between the two sister states have not always been friendly and have experienced some very critical moments. The inauguration of Gustavo Petro as Colombian president in August 2022 marked a turning point for the prospects of bilateral relations, especially politically, but also economically and socially. The ultimately unsuccessful policy approach of the previous Duque government, which was characterized by non-recognition and the goal of replacing Maduro's regime, has given way under President Petro to an open attitude that is willing to engage in dialogue. Critics accuse him of not taking sufficient account of the authoritarian character of the Venezuelan government. In the course of the rapprochement, President Petro still has more than three years left in his term of office to prove that his course of détente with Venezuela is the better policy approach for strengthening democracy, security and development in the region.

Spain has decided - and will soon have to decide again.

Results of the municipal and regional elections of May 28, 2023. Announcement of early elections on July 23, 2023

The results of the local and regional elections lead to mayor changes in the balance of political power in Spain. Significant vote gains by the liberal-conservative People's Party (PP), considerable gains by the ultra-conservative VOX party, largely unchanged vote percentages for the socialist PSOE party and drastic losses by the radical left and left-wing populist parties mean that the left-wing coalitions are losing their power to govern almost across the whole country. For this reason, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (PSOE) has called early elections, which will now take place on July 23, 2023 instead of December 2023. Spain is moving seamlessly from one election campaign to the next.

Sweden’s EU Presidency

Stable Navigation Through Crises.

Sweden assumed the EU presidency in the beginning of the year. The priorities of the presidency are unity and security, prosperity and the green transition, resilience and competitiveness, as well as democratic values and the rule of law.

Constitución Política del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia traducida al Aymara

Constitución Política del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia traducida al Aymara

En la CPE, aprobada en el año 2009, Bolivia se constituye en un Estado Plurinacional, reconociendo la existencia de 36 lenguas e idiomas nativos en el territorio nacional. Además, refuerza una amplia gama de derechos para los pueblos indígena originario campesino en el país, demostrando la enorme diversidad cultural que tiene Bolivia. Para que la sociedad pueda transformarse de acuerdo a este importante marco jurídico constitucional, es de suma importancia que las ciudadanas y los ciudadanos conozcan sus derechos y deberes, que los interioricen y que apoyen su implementación para la construcción de una cultura política democrática. En este sentido, con el objetivo de fortalecer, socializar y difundir los contenidos de la CPE, la Fundación Konrad Adenauer (KAS), en colaboración con el Ministerio de Culturas y Turismo y el Viceministerio de Descolonización trabajó el año 2015 en la traducción de la CPE al idioma nativo Aymara incluyendo la Ley N°045 Contra el Racismo y toda forma de Discriminación. La publicación tuvo muy buena recepción por parte de instituciones públicas, Naciones y Pueblos Indígena originario campesinos de habla Aymara, Organizaciones Sociales y diferentes universidades, motivo por el cual se decide realizar esta tercera edición.