Publications

Surprising majority

Slovakian Parliament passes conservative constitutional amendment

On Friday, September 26, 2025, the National Council of the Slovak Republic passed an amendment to the constitution on cultural and ethical issues. The amendment introduces several conservative principles. This makes Slovakia the first EU country with a constitutional ban on surrogacy. The National Council also considered a controversial passage on the primacy of national law over EU law in matters of national identity. The decision came as a surprise after some opposition MPs voted for the amendments without prior notice. The amendment will enter into force on November 1, 2025.

Kenya mourns Raila Odinga

What does his death mean for political developments in Kenya?

„If you die, there is nothing to fear. Why? Because you either go to heaven or hell. If you go to heaven there is nothing to worry about. Even if you go to hell, there is nothing to worry about: you will find many of your friends there.“ (Raila Odinga on 10 November 2023 in his speech at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation's ‘Transforming a Nation’ conference in Nairobi, Kenya)

Recommendations for the “Pact for the Mediterranean”

This paper highlights both persistent lines of rupture as well as emerging opportunities for renewed convergence. Three central messages emerge: credibility, co-ownership, and inclusiveness. Credibility requires dedicated financial instruments that go beyond fragmented or rebranded envelopes. Co-ownership implies policies that generate shared value, not extractive dynamics. Inclusiveness demands that youth, municipalities, and civil society are integrated as full actors of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation. Building on these insights, the paper emphasises that the New Pact for the Mediterranean can only succeed if it transforms long-standing frustrations into actionable commitments. This means shifting from a discourse of promises towards instruments that restore trust – such as dedicated financial envelopes with clear visibility, legal migration pathways that offer genuine mobility, joint energy and climate ventures based on co-ownership and local value creation, inclusive platforms for youth participation and mobility, independent credibility monitoring tools, and governance structures that integrate municipalities and civil society.

Rodrigo Paz's election victory heralds a new era

At the height of the economic crisis, Bolivia decides on a change of course in domestic and foreign policy

After what seemed like an endless 150 days of campaigning, the outcome is now clear. Former opposition senator and mayor Rodrigo Paz will lead Bolivia as president from November 8 with a clear mandate from the voters. There is no time to lose. The Andean country's economy has collapsed, and the population is suffering from fuel shortages and skyrocketing food prices. The patience that the Bolivian electorate has shown until the conclusion of the presidential elections amid the dramatic economic crisis has now been exhausted, and quick solutions are expected. At the same time, there are already signs that governing could be difficult for the new president despite favourable majority conditions in parliament.

Transatlantic partnership taken further: Why now is the moment for German-Brazilian relations

In light of geopolitical tensions and a crumbling world order, Germany and Brazil are rediscovering their partnership – as equal democracies with shared interests

For decades, Germany and Brazil have enjoyed a close partnership based on economic cooperation, but which now extends far beyond this. Both countries share fundamental values: democracy, social responsibility, multilateral cooperation and the conviction that global challenges can only be overcome by working together. In a world increasingly characterised by geopolitical power shifts, threatening foreign economic policies and the erosion of international norms, German-Brazilian relations are gaining strategic depth.

Handbook on the 2025 Local Elections in the Republic of North Macedonia

First edition

Traditionally, since 2013, every election year, Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Office in Skopje (KAS) and the Institute for Democracy “Societas Civilis” from Skopje (IDSCS) prepare handbooks for the electoral processes in the country.

Political balancing act in France

Gaining time as a strategy of the Lecornu II government

France is experiencing a political state of emergency: within just a few days, Sébastien Lecornu was appointed Prime Minister, presented a cabinet, resigned – and was finally reappointed to form a government. Amid mass protests, internal party resistance and a deeply divided parliament, this political balancing act seems like an attempt to patch up a structural crisis with temporary solutions. What was intended to be an orderly transition following François Bayrou's resignation quickly became a symbol of the growing instability under President Emmanuel Macron. The new prime minister is now supposed to build bridges, secure budgetary majorities and calm the country – but instead, it is becoming clear how fragile the political foundations of the Fifth Republic have become. Lecornu II is less a new beginning than a tactical manoeuvre: a temporary government without solid backing.

Flawed elections: The Syrian People’s Assembly of October 2025

by Assaad Al Achi

Syria witnessed a major historical defining moment on December 8, 2024. After 14 years of conflict and 54 years of rule, the Assad regime finally fell. What seemed impossible just a week before has finally happened and Syria is finally free.

Global Gateway Summit - New impetus for pragmatic partnerships

The second summit of the EU's Global Gateway infrastructure initiative courts partner countries and the private sector

The second Global Gateway Forum on 9/10 October provided the EU with an opportunity to publicly promote the infrastructure initiative “Global Gateway”, launched in December 2021, announce initial successes and unveil several new projects with various partner countries around the world (including in the areas of infrastructure, renewable energies and electricity grids). At the same time, the Commission wanted to address some of the criticisms that had been voiced since the initiative's inception, including through a demonstratively strong presence of the private sector, which had been less involved at the start of the initiative. Despite the initiative's bumpy start, the high-level participants from numerous third countries showed great interest in closer cooperation with the EU within the framework of the initiative. Other partner countries, however, were irritated by the rules for participation.

Reactions and expectations in the Middle East and North Africa

Hostage release, ceasefire and peace summit

Two years after the brutal attack on Israel by the terrorist organisation Hamas and other Islamist groups on 7 October 2023, and following the subsequent Gaza War, a ceasefire came into effect on 10 October 2025. This was achieved primarily on the basis of Trump's 20-point plan and was accompanied by negotiations and an agreement between the US, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey. How do the states in the Middle East and North Africa view this important progress in the crisis-ridden region: the release of the living Israeli hostages and the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip? What are the expectations for the peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh and what demands are being made of the EU and Germany in particular, especially with regard to the future of the Gaza Strip? The heads of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation's offices in the Middle East and North Africa provide an overview.