Innovative forms of deliberative and participatory democracy from outside the West can inspire reform in European states.
EU integration has been propelled by both treaty change and improvised action. To continue to adapt and respond in this era of crises, the union should adopt limited treaty amendments that implement the conclusions reached at the Conference on the Future of Europe.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has dramatically altered the security and defense architecture of Europe. It also has the potential to reshape democracy support policies, changing practices of defending and extending democratic values and of interactions with autocratic states.
The war in Ukraine has given impetus to a new round of EU enlargement. Concerns about corruption, stagnation, and democratic backsliding tendencies may hamper the union's response but engagement with Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia must be sustained.
Despite the positive vote of confidence for Boris Johnson, public distrust of the British prime minister will negatively affect his party. To save face, the Conservative party should remove Johnson and replace him with a leader who is regarded as honest and competent.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s negative stance toward Finland and Sweden joining NATO jeopardizes further enlargement of the alliance amid great geopolitical insecurity. Breaking this stalemate will require a compromise from all sides.
Peace talks involving Armenia and Azerbaijan appear to be proceeding favorably with the mediation of the European Union. In spite of this breakthrough, questions remain regarding the role of Russia and the OSCE Minsk Group, as well as for the Armenians of Nagorny Karabakh.
Russia's setbacks in Ukraine have limited its capacity to project power in its neighborhood. With the EU as the main mediator between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the two sides should use this chance to seek an elusive peace.
Clashes between Turkey and the PKK have recently intensified. By ramping up confrontation with the Kurdish armed movement in Syria and Iraq, Turkish President Erdogan is likely to improve his chances of reelection in 2023.
The move to block Finland’s and Sweden’s bids threatens the relationship between Ankara and the West.
The Conference on the Future of Europe represented a positive first step in the innovation of European democracy. Policymakers will need to use the experience as a catalyst for broader change, well beyond the kind of citizen engagement pioneered during the conference.
The Conservative and Labour parties continue their face-off ahead of the midterm elections in the UK. The resulting outcome of seven councils will reveal the strengths and weaknesses of these two parties, as well as who is likely to win the next general election.
Recent elections in Europe may provide Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan with useful examples on how to undermine the integrity of the country’s democratic processes. These include the use of disinformation, media blackouts, and state resources to advantage the incumbent party.
ASEAN countries’ responses to the war in Ukraine have not been cohesive, largely due to the perceived selectiveness of the EU’s refugee policy. This disconnect is resulting in a breakdown of trust in the EU-ASEAN relationship, a partnership that is necessary in order to revive multilateralism.
The EU’s inward-looking response to the coronavirus pandemic has dented the bloc’s credibility in the eyes of the Global South. To rebuild trust, the EU must renew its efforts in building more equal partnerships.
The EU and NATO—and their efforts to support Ukraine—would immediately feel the effects.
The European Union must adapt its play from fair-weather conditions to great power competition. A more effective foreign policy requires changes to the bloc’s decisionmaking processes and institutional arrangements.
Aleksandar Vucic’s re-election as president will have important consequences for both Serbia and the wider region. Stuck between Russia and the West, Belgrade will likely continue its balancing act.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine strengthens the geostrategic case for the EU offering a membership perspective to Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. But it also calls for a more political approach to accession.
Given Turkey’s fears of Russian aggression, as well as the opportunity the invasion provides for Ankara to reassert itself as a diplomatic heavyweight, Erdogan’s motives to play intermediary between Kyiv and Moscow are clear. However, the odds of success in these negotiations are mixed at best.