Politics
Yellow Vests and the threat to Macron’s Presidency
Protesters labelled the ‘yellow vests’ have challenged the fuel tax policy put forth by President Macron, resulting in riots and violence. What is the outlook in the near term?
Saudi Arabia can manage Turkey’s Khashoggi pressure campaign
President Erodgan has used the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to discredit his rival, the Saudi Crown Prince. How will Erdogan continue to leverage this incident?
Why is there a Brexit flare-up over Gibraltar?
During the United Kingdom’s negotiations of leaving the European Union, questions about Gibraltar have often been superseded by concerns about the Northern Irish border and its backstop agreement. Why have tensions suddenly flared in recent weeks and what does it mean for the Brexit process?
Sri Lanka: economic and political fragility
The Sri Lankan democracy has recently been burdened by a presidential coup. President Sirisena has overstepped his constitutional limits to sack the sitting Prime Minister and unilaterally appoint a new one. Instead of seeking parliament’s approval, he dissolved the House and announced snap elections for January 2019.
India’s Bid for the Nuclear Suppliers Group
Becoming a member of the exclusive Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) would be a major coup Modi as his government heads into general elections in 2019. While most of 48 members have endorsed the Indian bid, China continues to veto India’s ability to join the Group by stating it is not an Non-Proliferation Treaty signatory.
What to expect from López Obrador’s public consultations
Leftist Mexican President Elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who takes office in December, recently held a controversial public consultation to cancel Mexico City’s new multibillion-dollar airport. He is organizing another one over the building of a high-speed railway on the Yucatán Peninsula. Opponents accuse him of using consultations to bypass existing rules and institutions and have raised concerns that doing so could lead to a democratic deficit and generate uncertainty for investors over the medium term.
Ukraine-Hungary: Beyond passports and languages
Relations between Hungary and Ukraine are at a low point. Diplomats have been expelled from both countries following arguments of Ukraine’s language law and Hungary’s issuance of passports in Ukraine. The dispute has implications that go far beyond the two countries’ bilateral relations.
The Energy Briefing: AMLO’s nationalist agenda clouds future for Mexico’s energy sector
Leftist candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s victory casts a shadow over the future of Mexico’s ongoing energy reform. Will the country’s new preident find the right balance between pragmatism and ideology?
Serbian visas as diplomacy
Serbia has ensured that its passport holders have visa-free access to a wide range of countries, from Belarus to Indonesia. Many new visa waiver agreements have been signed in the past 5 years, but the most recent agreement, with Iran, was cancelled after one year alone. The failure of the Iran agreement highlights the unique role that visas play in Serbian diplomacy.
Nikol Pashinyan and the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict
Earlier in 2018, Nikol Pashinyan made a historic entrance into the helm of Armenian politics after Serzh Sargsyan resigned in the face of large protests. While Pashinyan is making continued efforts to improve Armenia’s image abroad, an important question remains about his leadership towards the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict.
