All publications - Security – Innovation – Democracy
Asset Publisher
All publications
Asset Publisher
IMAGO / Xinhua
New government in Latvia: Four-party alliance under Kulbergs
JV remains security policy anchor
On 28 May 2026, the Saeima confirmed the new government under Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs. The 47-year-old businessman, economist and trained car mechanic from the centrist United List (Apvienotais saraksts, AS) takes over the duties of Evika Siliņa (Jaunā Vienotība, JV), whose cabinet collapsed on May 14 over a dispute over the replacement of the defense ministry after several drone incidents, including the impact on an oil storage facility in mid-May. President Edgars Rinkēvičs then tasked Kulbergs with forming a government. The new prime minister promises an "effective, professional and accountable government" and describes himself as a "realist". Kulbergs leads a four-party coalition.
Oliver Morwinsky
May 29, 2026
Country reports
AI and the Future of Digital Governance: Advancing Public Service Transformation in 2025
The proceedings on key discussions, policy insights, and challenges surrounding the transition toward digital government in the age of AI
The proceedings consolidate the key findings and discussions from the academic seminar entitled “AI and the Future of Digital Government: Advancing Public Service Standards 2025,” organised by the Institute of Democratization Studies on 24 November 2025, with support from KAS Thailand. They explored the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital platforms in strengthening state capacity, enhancing public-service delivery, and advancing digital governance in Thailand. Bringing together perspectives from policymakers, local authorities, and public-governance experts, the seminar particularly highlighted the cases of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and Nakhon Sawan Municipality, reflecting both the innovative potential and the structural limitations of Thailand’s ongoing digital transformation.
May 21, 2026
Single title
KALUZA+SCHMID
The Quiet Driver of Economic Success
Competition Policy with Backbone and Reform Ambition
Effective competition is a key prerequisite for Europe’s economic renewal, as it strengthens resilience and innovation. The study develops a three-part framework for policy action: the first part highlights the role of competition policy in strengthening democracy, safeguarding an open market order, and ensuring the integrity of the EU Single Market. The second part analyses the role of competition policy in times of geopolitical and economic disruption and industrial policy challenges. The third part formulates recommendations for the application and further development of competition law.
Jens-Uwe Franck, Martin Peitz
May 18, 2026
Single title
IMAGO/alterphotos
"A People Determined to Be Free Cannot be Stopped"
An Interview with María Corina Machado
At the beginning of 2026, the US intervened militarily in Venezuela, taking strongman Nicolás Maduro out of the country. However, the authoritarian regime in Caracas remained largely intact, now under the leadership of Delcy Rodríguez. Opposition leader María Corina Machado had been excluded from the 2024 presidential election by Maduro. Edmundo González, at that moment something of a political nobody and the candidate who ran in her place – nevertheless clearly won the election. However, the regime falsified the result and retained de facto power. Machado – who had been living in hiding in her own country – managed to leave Venezuela covertly, travelled to Oslo to receive the Nobel Peace Prize at the end of 2025, and has been living in exile ever since. In this interview with International Reports, conducted on 8 May 2026, Machado talks about the situation in her country, what should happen next, and why this also concerns us in Germany and Europe.
Dr. Sören Soika
May 11, 2026
International Reports
KAS
Ukraine, Nuclear Deterrence, and the New Proliferation Dynamic
Study
This publication explains why the global nuclear non-proliferation regime is coming under increasing pressure. As international norms and security guarantees lose credibility, debates over nuclear options are intensifying across different regions of the world.
Drawing on the cases of Ukraine, South Korea, and beyond, the study analyses the drivers of these developments and their global implications. It highlights why strengthening international norms and maintaining trust in the rules-based order are critical to preventing a new wave of nuclear proliferation.
Joshua R. Kroeker
May 6, 2026
Blickpunkt Ukraine
NATO, June 15, 2021 / flickr.com
Ukraine Air War Monitor Vol XVI
Analyses for the Protection of Ukrainian Cities and Infrastructure
The monthly newsletter “Monitor Air War Ukraine” provides in-depth analyses of current waves of attacks and long-term developments in Russia’s air war against Ukraine. It is based on a comprehensive database that has been documenting every recorded airstrike on civilian targets since autumn 2022. The aim is to formulate data-driven recommendations for short- and medium-term support for Ukraine.
The content is intended for political decision-makers, experts in security and military affairs, as well as specialized journalists. The Monitor is published by the Kyiv Dialogue in cooperation with OSINT and data analyst Marcus Welsch and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
Marcus Welsch
May 6, 2026
Blickpunkt Ukraine
IMAGO / Xinhua
Presidential Election in Benin in the Context of Democratic Backsliding in West Africa
Government Candidate and Former Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni Wins the Election
On 12 April 2026, the citizens of Benin elected a new president. Romuald Wadagni, the former Minister of Finance and candidate of the governing coalition, emerged as the clear winner with 94.05 per cent of the vote. His sole opponent, Paul Hounkpè, chairman of the opposition party Forces Cauris pour un Bénin Émergent, lagged far behind with just under six per cent. Given the exclusion of the main opposition party Les Démocrates, the outcome of the election was largely predictable prior to the vote. Against this backdrop, observation focused less on the electoral result itself and more on voter turnout.
Louisa Mendoza, O. Kevin Anvo
April 30, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / Kyodo News
Presidential elections in Peru
Keiko Fujimori heads to a run-off for the fourth time
Presidential and parliamentary elections were held in Peru on 12 April. The ongoing vote count suggests that Keiko Fujimori of the conservative Fuerza Popular party has won the election with 17 per cent of the vote. In light of this result, a second round of voting will be necessary on 7 June. It remains to be seen who will advance to this round as the runner-up: Left-wing candidate Roberto Sánchez and conservative candidate Rafael López Aliaga are locked in a neck-and-neck race, each with 12 per cent of the vote. One must wait for the final vote count. Election day was marked by disruption due to the delayed delivery of polling materials in the city of Lima. The opening of 13 polling stations had to be postponed until the following day. In the regions, initial reports suggest the elections proceeded in an orderly manner and without major incidents. Peru’s foreign policy has traditionally followed a long-term approach, and this is likely to continue under a new government of any political persuasion. Germany and the EU should continue to make constructive use of this openness in foreign policy.
Annette Schwarzbauer
April 16, 2026
Country reports
Ukraine Air War Monitor Vol XV
Analyses for the Protection of Ukrainian Cities and Infrastructure
The monthly newsletter “Monitor Air War Ukraine” provides in-depth analyses of current waves of attacks and long-term developments in Russia’s air war against Ukraine. It is based on a comprehensive database that has been documenting every recorded airstrike on civilian targets since autumn 2022. The aim is to formulate data-driven recommendations for short- and medium-term support for Ukraine.
The content is intended for political decision-makers, experts in security and military affairs, as well as specialized journalists. The Monitor is published by the Kyiv Dialogue in cooperation with OSINT and data analyst Marcus Welsch and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
Marcus Welsch
April 10, 2026
Blickpunkt Ukraine
Vlad Bereholschi, Imago
The Growing Success of Right-Wing Populists Is Exposing Democratic Deficits in Romania
Crisis of Confidence and a Disoriented Centre
The annulment of Romania’s 2024 presidential election and the rise of the right-wing populist AUR reflect a profound political and social crisis, in which historical wounds inflicted by the Securitate, current social tensions, and manipulative social media campaigns are inextricably intertwined. At the same time, societal fault lines and a politicised diaspora are shifting the balance of power ever further towards the fringes. What steps can traditional parties take to regain lost trust in the face of this gradual erosion of democracy?
