Publications

Dr. Gerhard Wahlers im Büro der KAS

Herr Dr. Gerhard Wahlers, Stellv. Generalsekretär und Leiter der Hauptabteilung Europäische und Internationale Zusammenarbeit der KAS, traf sich am 7.10. im Rahmen eines Besuchsprogramms in Bulgarien mit den Mitarbeitern der KAS Bulgarien und des KAS Medienprogramms SOE.

Minerales críticos: El caso del litio

Serie: Perspectivas

Esta publicación, elaborada conjuntamente por la Fundación Konrad Adenauer y el Centro de Estudios Internacionales de la Universidad Católica, examina los desafíos y oportunidades que representan los minerales críticos, y en particular el litio. A partir de un análisis comparativo, propone reflexiones y recomendaciones sobre la gobernanza, la competencia global y el carácter estratégico del litio como recurso clave.

Beyond Fragmentation: Policy Options for Digital Harmonization

Reflections from the second KAS-WISC Roundtable on Digital Trade

Writing rules for the digital economy is a balancing act. Everyone agrees that to derive the maximum benefit from the digital economy requires keeping obstacles to trade to a minimum. Yet, there is also a consensus that questions of national security, consumer protection and competition are of crucial importance. For political, economic and strategic reasons every government insists on a degree of sovereignty in striking this balance and it’s no surprise that governments disagree on how best to regulate the digital economy. But industry officials argue forcefully that a marketplace which is regulated in a fragmented manner severely limits opportunities for growth and innovation.

Change of power in Czechia: Patriots for Europe determine the formation of the government

Between Brussels and Budapest? Where is a new government under Andrej Babiš heading?

On October 3 and 4, 2025, Czechia elected a new Chamber of Deputies. It was the moment of billionaire Andrej Babiš, the ANO chairman and one of the three founders of the “Patriots for Europe” faction in the European Parliament, to which Orban also belongs. With an election result of just under 35 percent, no government can be formed without him. Babiš is therefore setting the agenda. He is thus on the verge of fulfilling his dream of becoming head of government again. Everything is pointing to an ANO minority government, supported by the newcomer to parliament—his sister party from the patriots' camp—the motorists and the weakened right-wing extremists of the SPD.

Reflection, Reckoning, and Resolve at UNGA80

Eighty years on, can the United Nations channel its founding spirit to tackle the challenges of our time?

In a flurry of diplomatic motorcades, more than 140 leaders and dignitaries from around the world descended on United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York City for the High-Level Week of the 80th session of the General Assembly (UNGA) from 22-30 September. Business was not as usual. Ahead of its 80th anniversary on October 24, the UN finds itself in the throes of an existential crisis. In an era of rapid change and turbulence, the organization has been slow to respond and adapt, raising questions as to its effectiveness and relevance. Accordingly, the tone at UN80 was markedly less celebratory for an organization on the brink of a major milestone and more sobering in its honest stock-taking of the many global challenges left unresolved, unaddressed, and unmitigated. How will the UN navigate its next decade?

Research - How FDI inflows contribute to industrialisation in Vietnam

This report, conducted by the National Institute for Economics and Finance (NIEF), Ministry of Finance with support from the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Vietnam, presents findings from a 2025 research project. It aims to clarify the role of FDI in Vietnam’s industrialization, focusing on the period from 2011 to the present. The analysis highlights FDI’s contributions across key dimensions: industrial development, economic growth, trade, science and technology, labor, and social transformation. The report offers evidence-based insights into how FDI has shaped Vietnam’s journey toward becoming a modern industrialized nation.

India‘s young demographics and old democracy

Why India’s political representation is facing challenges

Political systems are in upheaval around India. Just recently, the young generation in Nepal rebelled against the entire party landscape or against the political class, which they saw as ageing. Travelers to India also immediately notice that the country has a young population. Children, teenagers and people in their thirties dominate the streetscape. Indian politics, on the other hand, is primarily embodied by older gentlemen. But can this phenomenon be statistically recorded? Is there a wider gap between the country's young demographics and the supposedly much older political class than would be the case in other countries?

CHINA’S QUIET FOOTPRINT:

Mapping Chinese Influence on Local Politics and the Economic Landscape in Kosovo

This research analyzes China’s soft influence in the Western Balkans through the lens of its grand strategy, with a particular focus on Kosovo. The analysis begins by exploring how China’s grand strategy is formulated at the global level and how it is adapted regionally, particularly in Kosovo, where China does not maintain diplomatic relations. A key objective is to shed light on China’s approach in the region, especially its efforts to build influence through business ties and local-level engagement. By unpacking China’s global strategy and examining its localized application, the study aims to inform the development of a clear, context-specific response by the government of Kosovo to mitigate China’s influence, particularly that which is pursued through non-transparent means. It is available in English and Albanian.

Cybersecurity in Morocco: From a wake-up call to a new era of digital sovereignty

Check out now our fifth report from Morocco Radar!

How Does China View the Western Balkans, Kosovo, and the Normalization Dialogue?

A mix of ideological and pragmatic approaches shapes China’s engagement in the Western Balkans. While the region of the Western Balkans is not central to Beijing’s foreign policy, it offers a critical discursive and geopolitical space through which China challenges the West and tests elements of its broader international relations strategy. In other words, China aspires to rival the West in the Balkans, primarily through economic competition in an effort to preach its political values over international order (or its view of the world) as a model that is, according to the Chinese, better than the model of regional and European integration that the Western Balkans pursues jointly with the West. In this context, Kosovo stands out as an important case. For China, Kosovo is not simply a state that is contested by Serbia but means through which it articulates its opposition to the West and liberal democracy while consolidating its alliance with Serbia. This paper argues that China’s stance on Kosovo is not driven by legal principle but by political utility. Kosovo is treated as a “Western project” to be delegitimized rather than a dispute to be resolved.