Publications on the topic of “Democracy needs Participation”

KAS

Jahresbericht 2022

Einblicke in das Jahr 2022 der Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung

Vor dem Hintergrund des Krieges haben sich unsere Kernthemen – Sicherheit, Innovation sowie Repräsentation und Partizipation – im vergangenen Jahr abermals in höchs­tem Maße bewährt. Sie haben unserer Arbeit die notwendige Orientierung in unruhigen Zeiten gegeben. Wir konnten unsere Positionen schärfen und gezielt der Öffentlichkeit vermitteln.

Why Georgia is important

Georgia looks west, Europe should look east

Federal Foreign Minister Baerbock travels to Tbilisi. The visit comes at an important time: last July, the EU held out the prospect of candidate status to Georgia and made it conditional on Georgia's compliance with twelve recommendations, primarily in the areas of the rule of law and the fight against corruption. The most important point related to the depolarisation of the political debate in the country, which escalated in early March with mass protests against a law on agents planned by the government. Once again, Georgians demonstrated impressively that they want to join the EU. For Europe, the country is an important ally in a complicated region surrounded by authoritarian-ruled states (Russia, Iran) and semi-authoritarian-ruled states (Turkey). Georgia is also a key country in the so-called Middle Corridor, an alternative transport link for the movement of goods between East and West that has become crucial to global supply chains as Russia has become isolated.

IMAGO / allefarben-foto

Nach der Reform ist vor der Reform

Droht eine dauerhafte Politisierung des Wahlrechts?

Die Reform des Wahlrechts zur Verkleinerung des Bundestages, die von der Ampelregierung verabschiedet wurde, hat eine hitzige Debatte ausgelöst. Professor Grzeszick äußert sich im Interview zu der Frage, wie es jetzt weitergeht und ob wir uns auf „amerikanische Verhältnisse“ einstellen müssen.

Adobe Stock/ Tortsen Pursche

The Taliban’s Takeover in Afghanistan

Effects on Global Jihad

Almost two years after the collapse of the government and the takeover by the Taliban in Kabul, the situation in Afghanistan has worsened drastically and is of grave concern to the international community. With millions of people needing humanitarian assistance and severe human rights abuses, the security and terrorist dimension of this development, should not be underestimated. The following publication addresses this complex of issues from different perspectives: The situation in Afghanistan, the effects in the regional and international context, and the consequences for Germany and the European Union.

Pressebüro Nikos Christodoulides

New start in Cyprus: Nikos Christodoulides is the island's new president

Cyprus after the election

On the last day of February 2023, Nikos Christodoulides was officially sworn in as President of the Republic of Cyprus. Two days earlier, he published the members of his government. Cyprus experienced an election campaign unprecedented in decades, which brought a surprise in the 1st round and the danger of erosion for the previously ruling party DISY.

Reuters / Irakli Gedenidze

Protests escalate in Georgia against Russian agent law

First the Georgian government introduces the so-called agents law, then it withdraws it after massive protests. But this seems to be a play for time.

In Georgia, 8 March is a holiday on which women in particular are traditionally given flowers. This year it was different in the capital Tbilisi: Instead of flowers, many young Georgian women received tear gas and water cannons. A large, peaceful demonstration, carried mainly by students, was violently broken up during the night by a brutal intervention of special police units. Apparently surprised by the massive pressure from the street, the ruling party withdrew the law, but the "red line" may have already been crossed.

Maurice Koop / flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0

Vietnam elects new President

Van Thuong is the youngest head of state to date in the one-party state and is considered a confidante of the Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam

In mid-January, shortly before the traditional Vietnamese New Year festival of Tet, news of the resignation of former President Nguyen Xuan Phuc drew some political attention to the one-party state, which is otherwise characterized by political stability and economic dynamism. The resignation of the president, apparently in the context of an anti-corruption campaign, made it necessary to appoint a new head of state. On March 2, Vietnam's National Assembly confirmed 52-year-old Vo Van Thuong as the new president with 487 out of 488 votes in an extraordinary session. Thuong, a dyed-in-the-wool communist, is said to be a confidant of Nguyen Phu Trong, the 78-year-old general secretary of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).

Centrul FILIA

On 8 March: Women's Day in Romania

There is still a long way to go for equal opportunities and equal rights

Women's Day is traditionally celebrated in Romania on 8 March. The lack of equal opportunities and equal rights for women in Romanian society is a topic discussed on this day. In addition, this day is also celebrated as Mother's Day. Children paint, do handicrafts and sing for their mothers. There are flowers, chocolates and recognition from family, friends and colleagues. In our report, we focus on the socio-political aspects of Women's Day. Unfortunately, the situation of women in Romania is not rosy.

Reuters / Yves Herman

Parliamentary elections in Estonia 2023: Tailwind for Kaja Kallas - but how stable is the country?

Estonian reform party wins elections with 31.1 percent

At the beginning of March, a new parliament was elected in Estonia. The election campaign was largely determined by the war in Ukraine and security policy issues. The Estonian Reform Party won the elections with 31.1 per cent of the vote. Kaja Kallas, the party's leader and prime minister, was confirmed in office. However, the real winner of the election is Eesti 200, which will enter the Estonian parliament for the first time. Overall, voter turnout increased compared to the 2019 elections. Never before have so many votes been cast online as this year; a new method of calculating votes was also used for the first time. Politically, the result provides a basis for a possible deepening split in Estonian society - especially in the north-east of the country.

Reuters / POOL New

Israel im Schatten der Justizreform - aktuelle Herausforderungen für die Demokratie

Steht die Gewaltenteilung auf dem Spiel?

„We are no longer in a political debate, but on the brink of constitutional and social collapse“ - Israel am Rande eines verfassungsrechtlichen und gesellschaftlichen Zusammenbruchs - so der israelische Staatspräsident Jitzchak Herzog in einer emotionalen Fernsehansprache vom 12. Februar, die die Dramatik der aktuellen innenpolitischen Situation in Israel verdeutlicht. Anlass dieser - für israelische Staatspräsidenten eher ungewöhnlichen - Rede an die Nation war die andauernde Debatte um die von der Regierung Benjamin Netanjahu geplante Justizreform. Diese hat das Land in eine historische Verfassungskrise und Krise der inneren Verfasstheit gleichermaßen gestürzt und stellt die Demokratie vor große Herausforderungen.