The town hall in Svidník. Photo by Peter Zelizňák via commons.wikimedia.com, CC0 (public domain)

European Parliament Elections: Land of the Non-Voters

May 24, 2019 / Dariusz Kalan

Is there any hope that the forthcoming European elections will bring positive change for Slovakians? In fact, there is. This year marks the 15th anniversary of Slovakia’s EU accession. But in Svidník in northeastern Slovakia only a few people bother. Svidník is the main city of one of the poorest and least developed regions in […]

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US helicopter over Baghdad. Photo by The U.S. Army via commons.wikimedia.org, CC0

Stakes in Iraq: U.S. and Iran vie for power

May 13, 2019 / Alex Vatanka

The United States’ tough stance on Iran has left many nations in a fix. Iraq is among those most afflicted by the battle for influence – and it remains to be seen whether Iran or the U.S. will prevail. When it comes to American foreign policy, few publications are as gung-ho as the Wall Street […]

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Houcine Abassi, Secretary General of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT). Photo: Elma Okic via flickr.com, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Three Lessons Tunisia Can Teach Brexit Britain About Building Consensus

April 17, 2019 / Fabian Stroetges

Tunisia’s example offers three important lessons on how to solve divisive political issues like Brexit: consensus should incorporate societal interests beyond government; pressure is helpful, not harmful; and it takes prestigious personalities to mediate a solution. As deadline follows deadline over Brexit, the issue polarizes British society like few issues have for decades. The House […]

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Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi in Washington, D.C. Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. Amber I. Smith via flickr.com, CC BY 2.0
Somali Refugee Camp West of Massawa. Photo by Reinhard Dietrich via commons.wikimedia.org, CC0 1.0

Eritrea Chairs Dialogue on Migration: A Strange Partner

April 8, 2019 / Martin Plaut

In early March 2019, the Eritrean government has taken over the chair of the ‘Khartoum process’, in which Europe and states from the Horn of Africa discuss the critical question of migration – a strange partner. The “Khartoum process”, after the Sudanese capital in which the relationship was struck, is both influential and poorly understood […]

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Soldiers forming up. Photo by Menglong Bao on Unsplash.com
Presidential candidate and comedian Vladimir Zelensky. Photo by Ярослав Бурдовицин via commons.wikimedia.org, CC BY-SA 4.0
Argentine peso and US dollar bills. Photo by Henrik Dolle, stock.adobe.com

Argentina: Election Year to the Rhythm of the International Monetary Fund

March 1, 2019 / Pablo Nemiña

2019 could prove a fateful year for Argentina. To receive further financial aid from the International Monetary Fund, the government has to enforce drastic and unpopular measures ahead of the October elections. President Mauricio Macri is walking on very thin ice. Recently the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved the second review of Argentina’s 3-year Stand […]

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Nigerian snipers in prone position. A U.S. Army photo by Spc. Angelica Gardner via flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

Nigeria: Election in Times of Terrorism

February 15, 2019 / Eromo Egbejule

On 23 February, Nigerians will vote in presidential elections. Incumbent Muhammadu Buhari faces challenges similar to those of his predecessor Goodluck Jonathan, who was voted out of office in 2015 because the people no longer believed he could end the war against Boko Haram. In another striking similarity to 2015, the electoral commission postponed elections […]

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© Freepick.com / https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/close-up-of-magnifying-glass-on-map_2518218.htm

A Divided Continent

February 8, 2019 / Robert Schwarz

Africa is deeply polarized between political and economic extremes. Some of the clouds on the horizon may prove to have silver linings. The African Union has a key role to play in transforming the region into a continent of opportunity. At the 32nd Summit of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa on 10-11 February, […]

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Welcome to the blog of the Bertelsmann Stiftung's Transformation Index.

We share local insights from our network of BTI experts and journalists in developing and transition countries.

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