Europe
Albania’s CVE battle for ‘hearts and minds’ is not over
Albania’s massive crackdown on violent extremism is yielding positive results, but will the country prove resilient to Caliphate returnees?
Turkey’s elections: the long term risks of an Erdogan win
The result could be the final straw in a fractured relationship with the West that moves Turkey ever closer to Russia and illiberalism and away from its NATO allies and EU membership aspirations and might make Erdogan the most powerful leader since Ataturk.
The populist coalition in Italy and its impact on European politics
The populist coalition of the Five Star Movement (M5S) and League is likely to rattle Italian and European politics with a new approach to governance, and risks fracturing relationships with the dominant powers on the continent – namely France and Germany.
Will Brexit be the backdoor to a united Ireland?
Amid doubts over whether Theresa May can deliver a Brexit deal that avoids a hard Irish border, Winthrop Rodgers assesses whether the result will be a renewed push for a united Ireland.
Albania’s religious harmony endures in the face of new challenges
Last week, the leaders of each of Albania’s religious communities reaffirmed their commitment to continued interfaith dialogue. Such dialogue has been an important factor in Albania’s political stability, although the religious establishment will face challenges in mitigating new forms of extremism and division.
US antitank missiles risk escalating the Ukrainian conflict
The recent delivery of US antitank missiles to Ukraine risks escalating the ongoing conflict with Russian-backed forces in the east of the country. If not accompanied by a concrete strategy, US support also risks driving a wedge between Ukraine and the EU, generating weaknesses which Moscow can then exploit.
Britain’s black money crackdown: treading a fine line
The UK is getting tough on the proceeds of foreign corruption at a time of heightened tensions with Russia. Downing Street will be keen to limit any further fallout with Moscow by adopting the right punitive measures.
Disagreements on eurozone reform impact economic outlook
Emmanuel Macron’s ambitious plans to reform eurozone institutions received a further setback when German chancellor Angela Merkel toed her party’s line and rejected some of his bolder proposals when the two met in Berlin last week.
Elections in Hungary point to growing rift between East and West
With the re-election of Fidesz party leader, Viktor Orbán for a third term, Hungary joins Poland and Italy in the rising tide of right-wing governments.
The “Velvet Revolution” in Armenia: Cosmetic change or potential for democratic development?
On the 23rd of April, Armenian Prime Minister and ex-President Serzh Sargsyan unexpectedly resigned his post after almost two weeks of mass protests. People in the streets celebrated the change, but where will Armenia go from here?
