Europe
Rise of Sinn Fein: Prospect of a United Ireland
The surprisingly strong showing of Sinn Fein, the left-leaning Irish republican party is yet another profound political development for the British Isles in the period since Brexit.
EU: Migrant crisis anew?
A mass gathering of migrants at the Greek-Turkish border has brought back memories of the refugee crisis of 2015. Although the EU is reacting differently in 2020, the underlying causes and potential implications remain the same.
Germany: Race for Merkel’s Succession
The dominance of the German people’s parties has waned considerably in recent years. Growing fragmentation in the political landscape and within parties has increased the risk of political instability.
Russia and Ukraine: Nothing good lies ahead?
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s decision to sign the Steinmeier formula has allowed peace talks between Russia and Ukraine to resume. However, a few months after the Normandy Four summit, the chances of reaching a solution for the protracted conflict in eastern Ukraine remains unlikely.
Malta: Challenges for the new Prime Minister
Malta elected a new prime minister in January, Robert Abela of the Labour Party, and he has a daunting task ahead in trying to unify the country and uphold the rule of law.
Bosnia: Humanitarian crisis and EU aspirations
Human rights NGOs and international organisations have raised flags that increasing migration flows along the Western Balkans route may soon constitute in a humanitarian crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is likely that this crisis may damage Bosnia’s already fragile EU accession aspirations.
Parliamentary elections in Kosovo
On 7 October Kosovo went to the polls. Vetëvendosje was the single largest party. Meaning ‘self-determination’, Vetëvendosje has a history of being a protest movement that has criticised the role of the international community in Kosovo.
Western Balkans: A ‘Mini-Schengen’ Zone
Leaders of Albania, North Macedonia, and Serbia declared they would implement a mini-Schengen zone with free movement of goods, capital, services, & people
Population decline in Central and Eastern Europe
Data from the United Nations Population Prospects has reiterated previous fears of a longstanding shrinking in the population of eastern, south-eastern and central Europe.
EU-Mercosur FTA: Threats and Challenges
When the European Commission announced the signing of the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement, it sounded like a done deal. However, the provisional text must be ratified by all the parliaments of adhering countries, including the European Parliament and Council.