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Voter’s in Germany’s largest eastern neighbour will be called to the polls this autumn. This election will decide on both chambers of parliament, the Sejm and the Senate. The opposition parties see this as a chance to vote out the PiS-led national conservative government. Although the year has only just begun, Poland’s focus is centered on the upcoming election campaign and the possibility of a change in power. Against this background, the analysis focuses on the polish opposition and explores scenarios for internal cooperation.
Para avanzar en la construcción de democracias plenas debemos dejar de limitarnos a aceptar con resignación nuestras prácticas e instituciones actuales. No hay nada de natural ni de inexorable en la política tal como la conocemos hoy. Los intelectuales están convocados al foro para dejar su testimonio. Las ciencias sociales, en general, especialmente la ciencia política, están demasiado orientadas a buscar explicaciones sobre lo que existe y muy poco orientadas a elaborar soluciones. Hay que recuperar o, mejor dicho, seguir recuperando el espíritu crítico y volver a desarrollar la reflexión normativa.
Traditionally, the relevant Canadian polling institutes present the results of their most important, latest surveys at the beginning of the year. They serve as a barometer of the population's mood on key issues for the coming twelve months. At the beginning of 2023, probably the most important finding from the wealth of data is that Canadians feel that they and their country are in a permanent crisis. The reasons for this are manifold and have both geopolitical and domestic political backgrounds. Politicians seem to have failed so far to effectively counter the pessimistic trend, neither through people nor through policy designs. However, the survey results also contain some paradoxes.
In a representative survey, attitudes towards the perception of gender equality, stereotypes and gender roles were examined in Germany, Italy, Croatia, Poland and Sweden. The study shows the perspectives of different national populations on women's representation and participation. The results enable classifications, comparisons and conclusions on strengthening the role of women in politics and society.
There was no lack of dire prophecies when the Fratelli d'Italia under Giorgia Meloni, which emerged from neo-fascist movements, clearly won the parliamentary elections on 25 September 2022. But in the first 100 days since taking office, the new right-wing government has been emphatically moderate. Not a few had expected Prime Minister Meloni to slip at the first opportunity on the international stage. But it is not only her outward appearance that has become very smooth. Thematically, she never misses an opportunity to make a clear commitment to Italy's obligations in NATO and the EU. On the subject of Ukraine, Rome is in the front line. And the scandal with France over the landing of refugee ships remained a single anti-European uproar. Without any ambiguity, Meloni has clearly distanced herself from the neo-fascist roots of her party on several occasions and has condemned Mussolini's racial laws, which led to the deportation of Jewish Italians to the extermination camps from 1943 onwards. In opinion polls, the Fratelli d'Italia are currently at 30-32 per cent. And more and more observers are wondering whether Meloni wants to move her hitherto strictly nationalist party to the centre-right in order to lead a new conservative party in Italy in the future.
After the peaceful inauguration of President Luiz Inácio "Lula" da Silva (Partido dos Trabalhadores, PT) on 01 January 2023, the "return to democracy" was overshadowed by violent terrorist attacks on Brazil's democratic institutions. However, even though the buildings and installations have been vandalised by extremists, their functioning has so far remained unaffected. Lula now faces the challenge of continuing to guarantee public security, overcoming polarisation, targeting extremism and implementing his government plans despite the minority in Congress and budget constraints. In this, the international community is backing him. But even though many embraced him joyfully after his inauguration, relieved about the change of government, one has to ask whether the enthusiasm still lasts when it comes to topics such as Ukraine or the EU-Mercosul agreement.
Am 30. Dezember 2022 beschloss die Nationalversammlung Venezuelas von 2015, laut eigenem Verständnis weiterhin das legitime Parlament, die Beendigung der Interimsregierung um Juan Guaidó. Mit Abschaffung der fast vierjährigen Interimsregierung trägt die Opposition den mangelnden Erfolgen dieses Instruments sowie den geänderten Realitäten im In- und Ausland Rechnung und geht in eine neue Etappe. Das Bündnis Plataforma Unitaria (Einheitsplattform), die Vertretung der Opposition im sogenannten Mexiko-Dialog mit der Regierung, und weitere oppositionelle Kräfte gewinnen nach Ende der Interimspräsidentschaft an Bedeutung. Für die Opposition gilt es, im Mexiko-Dialog neben Maßnahmen zur Verbesserung der humanitären Lage die bestmöglichen Bedingungen für die Präsidentschaftswahlen im Jahr 2024 auszuhandeln.
In den vergangenen Tagen war viel von Südafrika die Rede. Präsident Ramaphosa werden Rechtsbrüche und Verstöße gegen seinen Amtseid vorgeworfen. Gleichzeitig machte die Reise von Wirtschaftsminister Robert Habeck auf Südafrikas Stellung als führende Wirtschaftsmacht auf dem afrikanischen Kontinent aufmerksam und die damit verbundene Hoffnung, grüne Energieträger zugunsten des Kontinents und auch Deutschlands massiv auszubauen. Wir sprechen mit Gregor Jaecke, der in Kürze als Auslandsmitarbeiter der Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung seinen Posten in der Republik Südafrika antreten wird, und nutzen die Gelegenheit, um über die allgemeine politische und sozioökonomische Lage sowie über die zahlreichen Herausforderungen, denen das Land am Kap gegenübersteht, zu reden.
Andreas Biefang / Dominik Geppert / Marie-Luise Recker / Andreas Wirsching (Hrsg.): Parlamentarismus in Deutschland von 1815 bis zur Gegenwart. Historische Perspektiven auf die repräsentative Demokratie, Droste Verlag, Düsseldorf 2022, 476 Seiten, 49,90 Euro. Ines Soldwisch: Das Europäische Parlament 1979–2004. Inszenierung, Selbst(er)findung und politisches Handeln der Abgeordneten, W. Kohlhammer Verlag, Stuttgart 2021, 302 Seiten, 59,00 Euro.
The 2021 South African local government elections continued a trend of dissipating turnout among young voters. How should we assess this development?
