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Short political reports of the KAS offices abroad

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IMAGO / Bernhard Herrmann

Finland’s Response to Hybrid Threats in the Baltic Sea

Resilience through Comprehensive Security?

Finland’s decision to join the NATO alliance after decades of military neutrality in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has significantly acerbated relations with its Eastern Neighbour. The latest National Risk Assessment by the Finnish government emphasizes the dangers of hybrid threats, which could challenge Finland’s security environment. Its land border of more than 1,300 kilometres with Russia renders Finland particularly susceptible to Russian hybrid operations. Hybrid threats can take manifold shape, such as cyberattacks, disinformation, instrumentalized migration, or sabotage acts against critical infrastructure, including subsea electricity or data cables.

Lavinia Klarhoefer, Christine Leuchtenmüller
March 27, 2025
Country reports
Julian Tucker (KAS Regionalprojekt Nordische Länder)

Elections in Greenland

A Clear Signal Towards Independence

Greenlanders have elected a new parliament. The clear winner of the election is the liberal Demokraatit party (Democrats) with its leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen. They won by a surprisingly clear margin against the current left-wing coalition government of Siumut ( Forwards) and Inuit Ataqatigiit (Community of the Inuit). Nielsen's party pursues a conservative tax policy, is considered economically liberal and wants to achieve independence from Denmark in a step-by-step fashion. The second strongest party is the nationalist protest party Naleraq (Point of orientation). It was the only party to call for a swift exit from the Danish kingdom and rapprochement with the USA during the election campaign. The upcoming coalition negotiations could prove difficult in view of foreign policy upheavals. Nielson, former Minister for Industry and Minerals, announced his intention to talk to all parties. A broad-based alliance between Inuit Ataqatigiit, the party of previous Prime Minister Múte B. Egede and possibly with the Siumut party could form a stable government.

Larissa Stünkel, Christine Leuchtenmüller
March 18, 2025
Country reports
IMAGO / Panthermedia

Snap Elections in Iceland

A Turning Point for Iceland's Political Landscape

The result of the early parliamentary elections in Iceland represents a clear rebuke to the outgoing coalition. In particular, the Left-Green Movement, which had garnered over 17 percent at the beginning of the coalition, is now fighting for its survival after losing all its seats in parliament. The conservative Independence Party, which has been the strongest party in the Icelandic parliament since Iceland's independence in 1944 – with the exception of 2009 – has also achieved its historically worst result. The task of forming a coalition now lies with the Social Democrats, who will need to find at least two to three coalition partners.

Aino Esser, Oliver Morwinsky
December 3, 2024
Country reports
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V.

European elections 2024

Barrier-free?

The lack of equality for people with disabilities is still omnipresent in the European Union. For the 2019 European elections, a report by the European Economic and Social Committee showed that around 800,000 EU citizens from 16 member states were excluded from the right to vote in European elections due to national regulations because of their disabilities or mental illness. The European elections in June 2024 brought the issue back to the fore, as it is also about a lack of political participation. Here you will find a brief assessment by our KAS colleagues who have looked at the current conditions in their countries of assignment.

June 11, 2024
Country reports with a difference
2024 Halla Tómasdóttir

Iceland has a new President

With 80.8 % a very high voter turnout, 75% of the votes went to female candidates

A simple majority of 34.3% was enough to lead to the outcome on Saturday: Halla Tómasdóttir, 55 years old, a successful businesswoman with social commitment, becomes Iceland's 7th president since the country was founded in 1944. This year, Iceland celebrates 80 years since proclaiming independence from Denmark. All 12 candidates for the presidential election ran as independents, including Katrín Jakobsdóttir, until recently Prime Minister, crime writer and leader of the green-left movement, which is part of the current governing coalition. She only achieved second place with 25%, having long been the favourite for the position. She resigned from all her duties to run for president. The role of the Icelandic president is a representative one. In addition to appointing the prime minister and ministers, the president shares legislative power with parliament, as he has to sign laws and therefore has a veto. It is not the president's job to conclude agreements with foreign states. Nevertheless, he can open doors that facilitate agreements.

Gabriele Baumann, Sophia Nagengast
June 4, 2024
Country reports
IMAGO / Lehtikuva

Finland Relies on Popular Politicians in Times of Crisis

Alexander Stubb in first place after the first round of the presidential elections

Finland has enjoyed special attention in the security policy context at least since the country joined NATO in April 2023 and due to its comprehensive strategy of defensive democracy ("total defense"). Hybrid attacks from the Russian side have increased since Russia's attack on Ukraine. Finland recently had to close its border posts in the east due to migration controlled by Russia. The Finnish president, who is directly elected every six years, is the commander-in-chief of the army and is responsible for enacting laws, appointing ministers and foreign and security policy. Sauli Niinistö, who is still in office, negotiated the path from his country's application to NATO membership prudently and purposefully with an overwhelming vote of the Finnish population and thus also received a great deal of international recognition. Alexander Stubb, like Niinistö from the conservative Rally Party, is now likely to succeed him. He received 27.2% of the vote on election night, but was closely followed by Pekka Haavisto, former Green Foreign Minister in the Marin cabinet, with 25.8%.

Gabriele Baumann
January 29, 2024
Country reports
Ninni Andersson/Regeringskansliet

Challenges for Sweden one year after forming the government

Government loses support, Sweden Democrats make gains

The Kristersson government has been in office for a year with the support of the right-wing nationalist Sweden Democrats under the Tidö-Agreement.

Dominik Hauser
December 12, 2023
Country reports
IMAGO / Lehtikuva

Government work involving right-wing nationalist parties

Current experiences from Sweden and Finland

Since the fall of 2022, Sweden has had a conservative minority government made up of the Moderates, Christian Democrats and Liberals, supported by the right-wing nationalist "Sweden Democrats" (SD) via a cooperation agreement, the so-called "Tidöavtalet." While cooperation on issues such as fighting crime, expanding nuclear power, as well as in economic and budgetary matters seems to be working, the SD's rhetoric on the EU, migration and Islam has become increasingly strident in recent weeks. Although the Sweden Democrats have officially endorsed Sweden’s membership in NATO in the wake of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the party’s action about Koran burnings has complicated the ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership by Turkey and contributed to the destabilization of Sweden’s domestic security situation.

Since June 2023, Finland has also had a conservative government, which – unlike in Sweden - brought the right-wing nationalist Perussuomalaiset (PS) into government as a coalition partner with a portfolio covering 8 ministries. Within just a few days of the formation of the government, however, cracks began to show - the PS's economy minister was forced to resign over ties to neo-Nazi circles, and two other PS ministers had to publicly apologize for making racist comments. The finance minister and PS party leader is also under pressure after a violent, xenophobic blog post she had written surfaced. Leader of the conservative National Coalition Party and Prime Minister Orpo has now invited the leaders of the governing parties to an internal debate about racism and discrimination immediately following the summer break. As a result, there is a high degree of confidence that the work of the government can progress. This process was important for the continued viability of the coalition, as the increasing number of scandals surrounding right-wing PS politicians, or their statements put the three other coalition members under immense political pressure.

Gabriele Baumann, Lukas Mugele
August 23, 2023
Country reports
Flickr / President Of Ukraine

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.

Charlotte Storch, Julian Tucker
June 5, 2023
Country reports

Elections in Finland

Voted to remain happy? With the election victory of the Conservatives, Finland is facing a change of government

A high quality of life, gender equality, the closeness of people to nature, the absence of corruption and the importance of democratic values form the cornerstones of how Finnish society perceives itself. For the sixth year in a row, the United Nations World Happiness Report has named Finland the country with the happiest and most content people in the world based on these criteria.

Gabriele Baumann
April 3, 2023
Country reports

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About this series

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung is a political foundation. Our offices abroad are in charge of over 200 projects in more than 120 countries. The country reports offer current analyses, exclusive evaluations, background information and forecasts - provided by our international staff.

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Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V.