Politics
Peru: A plot against the Anti-Corruption President?
A contract made by the Ministry of Culture and a suspected bribe began two impeachment proceedings into President Martin Vizcarra within as many months. The first set of proceedings were swift and cleared Vizcarra, the second was much more decisive. The initial impeachment may have highlighted members of Congress’ intent towards a coup, the second furthers these claims.
Lebanon – Can France Resolve the Country’s Multiple Crises?
While Lebanon has been doubly afflicted by its economic crisis and the COVID pandemic, the fatal blow of Beirut’s port explosion heightened uncertainties concerning the country’s capacity to recover from its multiple troubles. Amid sporadic and hesitant foreign aid packages, France stood up as the figurehead of the country’s reconstruction. Nonetheless, the question remains: to what extent will Paris be able to bring about the changes Lebanon desperately needs?
Kuwait – Will the Kuwaiti Emir’s Death Bring More Turbulent Relations to the Middle East?
Kuwait’s Emir Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah’s death on the 29th of October 2020 raises questions about the future of diplomatic talks within the region. Celebrated as the “Wise Man of the Region”, Sheik Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah was pivotal in mediating amid countries in the Middle East. One week before his death, US President Donald Trump gave Sheik Sabah a prestigious award honoring his “tireless mediation of disputes” which re-emphasized the important role Sheik Sabah plays in mediation efforts within the Middle Eastern region.
Bolivia: Mas strikes back: wider implications for the region
In early October, Bolivia’s Movement towards Socialism (MAS) won a landslide victory against opponents in the state’s most general recent elections, with presidential candidate Luis Arce clasping victory in the first round.
The Eastern Partnership May Need Reform Given Change in US Foreign Policy
The crisis in Belarus and the outbreak of conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh are testing the European Union’s capability to act as a source of regional security. Political instability, violations of human rights and ethnic conflict within members of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) is calling into question Brussels’s foreign policy strategy to further integrate six former Soviet states with the EU.
The EU tries to revive Western Balkan Enlargement in Midst of a Pandemic
Russia, China, and the EU have tried to use the Covid pandemic as an opportunity to strengthen their influence in the Western Balkans. An Economic and Investment Plan announced by the European Commission is an attempt by the EU to revive the enlargement process after stalling following the French veto of accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania. The risk for the EU lies in whether the Investment Plan will be enough to help resolve the region’s issues of corruption and internal disputes as well as meet the geopolitical challenge presented by Russia and China.
The Curse of the White Elephant: The Pitfalls of Zambia’s Dependence on China
Zambia appears to be the first African state that has defaulted on its international debt payments as a consequence of Coronavirus. The Zambian government potentially owes the Chinese government in excess of $23 billion in loans, project money and infrastructure. This article explores some of the problems concerning the Sino-Zambian relationship.
When pandemics fuel aborted revolutions: Serbia’s hot summer and what comes next
The failure of a surge of popular protests in Serbia to halt President Aleksandr Vucic’s apparently irresistible steer towards a demokratura could mark a milestone in the country’s path in the shadow of a global pandemic.
Sudan: Rising Tensions a Year and a Half after the Revolution
The Sudanese Revolution of December 2018 promised freedom, peace, and justice but a year and a half later people are struggling to survive. The impact of COVID-19, climate change, inflation and a precarious relationship with the United States leaves Sudan in a socio-economic and political situation that is not too different from the context people protested against in December 2018. The question remains, can Sudan deliver on its revolutionary promise with all these odds stacked against it?
Poland: New Restrictions on Abortion – Catholic Influence or a Populist Agenda?
Poland as a majority Catholic state traditionally has maintained a hard stance against abortion – similarly to Malta (which has the toughest abortion laws in Europe) and Northern Ireland (where prior to 2019 abortion was criminalised). Other Catholic-majority states across Europe have also been contemplating tightening restrictions, evident in the recently unsuccessful proposal in Slovakia.Thus, a link between the politicisation of family planning and Catholicism as a state religion seems undeniable, albeit it being more pronounced in counties where the separation between church and state is blurred.
