CEEOL - Search Result

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Yellow Card for the CDU - Elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate

Author(s): Lidia Gibadło / Language(s): English

Keywords: CDU; Yellow Card; Baden-Württemberg; Rheinland-Palatinate;

The election winners in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate are the parties currently governing in the federal states - the Greens (32.6%) and the SPD (35.7%), respectively. The result of the vote was a defeat for the CDU, which recorded its worst result in the history of elections in both regions. The Greens have reasons for satisfaction, as they strengthened the party’s position on the German political scene. The shape of local governments tends to indicate the potential scenario for a coalition at the federal level after elections to the Bundestag, scheduled for later this year.

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Quad Summit - Reaffirming the Pivotal Role of the Format in the Indo-Pacific

Author(s): Patryk Kugiel / Language(s): English

Keywords: Quad Summit; Indo-Pacific; relations; policy; Australia; India; Japan; USA;

On 12 March, the first ever meeting of the leaders of Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S. in the Quad formula was held in virtual form. The leaders announced a joint vaccine initiative, as well as institutionalisation and expansion of cooperation. The summit confirmed that the Indo-Pacific is the most important direction in U.S. foreign policy and that the Quad is becoming a permanent element of the regional architecture.

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Pivot from Europe to the Indo-Pacific in the New British Global Strategy

Author(s): Przemysław Biskup / Language(s): English

Keywords: Europe; Indo-Pacific; UK; strategy; policy;

On 16 March, the first British global strategy after Brexit was published as the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy and entitled “Global Britain in a competitive age”. The document shows the increasing role of the Indo-Pacific region at the expense of Europe. This change may affect NATO’s Eastern Flank in particular.

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U.S. Secretaries of State and Defence Visit Japan and South Korea

Author(s): Oskar Pietrewicz / Language(s): English

Keywords: USA; South Korea; defence; policy;

On 15-18 March, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin visited Japan and then South Korea. The visits served to strengthen key U.S. alliances in the region within the U.S. concept of the Indo-Pacific. However, the visits also revealed discrepancies between the views of Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. on regional problems such as China’s growing power and North Korea’s nuclear programme.

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U.S-China Meeting - Monologues Instead of a Dialogue

Author(s): Andrzej Dąbrowski,Marcin Przychodniak / Language(s): English

Keywords: USA; China; monologue; foreign policy; dialogue;

The meeting of the U.S. and Chinese delegations, chaired respectively by Antony Blinken, U.S. secretary of state, and Yang Jiechi, secretary-general of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Central Committee of the CPC, which ended on 19 March, confirmed the mutual will to continue the confrontation. The U.S. presented - also on behalf of its partners - a catalogue of discrepancies. China, firmly rejecting the American accusations, tried to obtain an announcement of the lifting of economic sanctions.

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U.S. Secretary of State’s First European Visit

Author(s): Mateusz M. Piotrowski,Marcin Terlikowski / Language(s): English

Keywords: USA; State Secretary; Europe; visit; foreign policy;

On 23-24 March, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken participated in the session of the North Atlantic Council in the format of NATO states’ foreign ministers. He also held separate meetings with the Secretary General of the Alliance, his counterparts from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the countries of the Visegrad Group and the Baltic States, and representatives of European Union institutions.

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Results of the Early Parliamentary Elections in Israel

Author(s): Michał Wojnarowicz / Language(s): English

Keywords: Israel; parliament; elections; result;

The latest parliamentary elections in Israel (23 March) again did not reveal clear winners. Benjamin Netanyahu lacks enough votes to form a coalition outright, and if the opposition remains coherent and reaches a common position, the prime minister may be replaced.

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Formation of the Heger Government in Slovakia

Author(s): Łukasz Ogrodnik / Language(s): English

Keywords: Slovakia; government; Eduard Heger;

The resignation of Prime Minister Igor Matovič and the swearing-in of Eduard Heger on 1 April ended the conflict in the government caused by the purchase of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. The coalition of four right-wing parties, ruling from March 2020, will remain in power: Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OĽaNO), Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), and We Are Family and For People. It will adjust internal policy and will continue its foreign policy.

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Commission and Council Presidents Visit Turkey

Author(s): Karol Wasilewski / Language(s): English

Keywords: Turkey; commission; council presidents; EC;

On 6 April, the presidents of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen, and the European Council (EUCO), Charles Michel, met in Turkey with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The visit is a step towards establishing a new model of European-Turkish relations, based not on accession negotiations but on enhanced cooperation in the areas of the economy, political dialogue, people-to people contacts, and migration.

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Parliamentary Elections in Bulgaria - Anti-System Parties Succeed

Author(s): Jakub Pieńkowski / Language(s): English

Keywords: Bulgaria; parliament; elections;

On 4 April, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov’s party, Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria (GERB), won the parliamentary elections, but without coalition capacity. The newly elected anti-system factions also do not have a majority. If they maintain their opposition to cooperation with the parties of the current establishment, early elections are possible. The potential participation of new parties in the government would not cause a radical change in the directions of Bulgarian foreign policy.

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Closing a Chapter - U.S. to Withdraw from Afghanistan

Author(s): Patryk Kugiel / Language(s): English

Keywords: Joe Biden; Afghanistan; withdrawal;

U.S. President Joe Biden announced on 14 April the complete withdrawal from Afghanistan of the remaining 3,500 American troops before 11 September 2021, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Simultaneously, NATO will end its mission, starting withdrawing forces even in April. This marks the end of the longest armed conflict in U.S. history, but increases the risk of an escalation of the Afghan civil war and the eventual seizure of power by the Taliban.

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Crisis in Czech-Russian Relations Seven Years after the Explosions in Vrbětice

Author(s): Łukasz Ogrodnik / Language(s): English

Keywords: Czechia; Russia; Vrbětice; explosions; foreign policy;

The Czech government on 17 April announced the expulsion of 18 Russian diplomats identified as spies. This is the outcome of an investigation by Czech intelligence that revealed Russia was involved in two explosions at munitions depots in Vrbětice in southern Czech Republic in 2014.

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The Death of Chad’s President - a Challenge for the Stability of the Sahel

Author(s): Jędrzej Czerep / Language(s): English

Keywords: Chad; President; Death; Sahel Stability;

On 19 April, Chad’s President Idriss Déby died from wounds sustained in a clash between antigovernment rebels and the troops he was visiting. The military took power and named the president’s 37-year-old son as the new leader. The state is threatened with destabilisation, which would reduce the ability of the Sahel G5 forces to act against jihadist militants in the region.

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Almost Coalition Partners - CDU/CSU’s and the Greens’ Candidates for Chancellor of Germany

Author(s): Lidia Gibadło / Language(s): English

Keywords: CDU; CSU; Germany; Chancellor;

In September’s Bundestag elections, party leaders Armin Laschet and Annalena Baerbock will be the CDU/CSU and Greens candidates, respectively, for the position of German chancellor. Their nominations will be key factors determining whether the politicians’ internal party leadership will strengthen. The indication of Laschet and Baerbock also brings closer the prospect of creating a coalition of CDU/CSU and the Greens at the federal level.

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Belarus-Russia Integration Talks

Author(s): Anna Maria Dyner / Language(s): English

Keywords: Belarus; Russia; integration; talks; foreign policy;

Over the last several days, numerous Belarusian-Russian meetings at the highest level took place. The main topic of the talks was agreeing on the integration plans of both countries. The signing of a package of integration documents this autumn will seal Belarus’ limited sovereignty.

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Leaders Summit on Climate

Author(s): Zuzanna Nowak / Language(s): English

Keywords: Environment; Climate; Climate Change; Summit; Policy;

The Leaders Summit on Climate was organised by the U.S. President Joe Biden on 22-23 April. This virtual meeting was attended by the heads of 40 states (including the Pope), representatives of international organisations and business, experts, and activists. The choice of date was not accidental - 22 April was International Earth Day and the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Paris Agreement.

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President of Moldova Dissolves Parliament and Calls Early Elections

Author(s): Jakub Pieńkowski / Language(s): English

Keywords: Moldova; President; Parliament; Elections;

On 28 April, the Constitutional Court of Moldova lifted the state of emergency, declaring procedures were violated when introduced by parliament, dominated by the Russian-oriented Party of Socialists (PSRM) of former President Igor Dodon. The court’s action allowed President Maia Sandu to issue a decree dissolving the chamber and call early elections for 11 July. The results of the elections may radically change the balance of power in Moldovan politics and allow the establishment of a pro-Western government.

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EU27-India Summit: Partnership Against Common Challenges

Author(s): Patryk Kugiel / Language(s): English

Keywords: EU; India; economic policy; EU27;

The first-ever meeting of the leadership of the EU and its Member States with the Indian prime minister, held on 8 May in virtual form, resulted in a decision to resume negotiations on economic agreements. The officials launched the Connectivity Partnership and announced enhanced cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Return of the European Army Idea?

Author(s): Marcin Terlikowski / Language(s): English

Keywords: Europe; EU; European Army; Military Policy;

A day before the meeting of the Council of the EU on 6 May, the media revealed that 14 Member States proposed to establish a joint, European military force. This concept does not assume building a supranational European army, nonetheless it will add dynamics to the debate on the EU military level of ambition, and about the size and character of EU’s autonomous military capabilities in particular.

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Labour’s Electoral Underperformance Opens the Way for a New Scottish Independence Campaign

Author(s): Przemysław Biskup / Language(s): English

Keywords: UK; Scotland; Wales; elections;

On 6 May, a series of council, mayoral, Scottish, and Welsh parliamentary elections took place, as well as the House of Commons by election in Hartlepool. Campaigning covered all constituent parts of Great Britain. The elections provided the first test of support for political forces after the outbreak of the pandemic and Brexit. The clear victory of the Conservatives in England and the nationalists in Scotland seems to confirm electoral shifts occurring since 2016 and the slim prospects for the return of Labour - until recently the largest party with strong footholds in all parts of Great Britain - to power within the next decade.

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