Dr. José Ramos-Horta, by Presidency Maldives, via flickr.com, CC BY-NC 2.0

“I Enjoy Sitting down with Common People”

August 17, 2017 / Robert Schwarz

BTI Blog spoke with José Ramos-Horta, former president of Timor-Leste and co-recipient of the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize, about the state of democracy in the country, socioeconomic challenges for the new government, and the role of the international community in post-conflict societies. BTI Blog: Timor-Leste has elected a new parliament on July 22nd, for the […]

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A woman holds up her stained finger after voting today in Timor-Leste, by UNMIT/Bernardino Soares, via flickr.com, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Revitalizing Democracy in Asia

August 11, 2017 / Robert Schwarz

How can reform-oriented political leaders utilize the rapid social change in Asia and Oceania for their democratic agenda? This question was at the core of a roundtable on “Next Generation Democracy” in Díli, Timor-Leste. As developing Asia struggles with consolidating their fragile democratic achievements, Timor-Leste is already reckoned by some as democracy’s new poster child […]

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The Bundeswehr is leaving. Photo by JouWatch via flickr.com. CC BY-SA 2.0
President Zuma attends the 40th Independence Celebration in Luanda, Angola, 2015. Photo by Government ZA via flickr.com. CC BY-ND 2.0

Angola at a Crossroads

July 24, 2017 / Sylvia Croese

The announcement of Angolan longtime president José Eduardo dos Santos not to stand for reelection has shaken up the country’s political scene. Sylvia Croese looks at Angola ahead of the 2017 legislative elections and at the “president in waiting”. General elections in Angola will take place on the 23 August 2017. These are the third […]

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Photo by ITU Pictures via flickr.com, CC-BY-2.0

Presidential Elections in Rwanda: No Level Playing Field

July 17, 2017 / Filip Reyntjens

Unlike in 2003 and 2010, even the semblance of a competitive electoral process has disappeared in the run-up to this year’s presidential poll in Rwanda. Filip Reyntjens looks at President Paul Kagame’s electoral campaign and the latest measures his regime is mounting against the opposition. “More of a coronation than real contest.” That is what […]

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Photo by PACA via flickr.com, CC-BY-2.0

The End of Malaysia’s Multi-Ethnic Coalition?

July 12, 2017 / Stephan Giersdorf

For decades, the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional has narrowed the ethnic and religious divides in Malaysia. In the run-up to the next general elections, however, Prime Minister Najib Razak is intensifying cooperation with the Islamic party PAS, alienating large parts of his coalition and the population. The first quarter of 2017 indicated that Malaysia’s economy […]

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Family photo of G7 leaders and EU representatives. Photo: Italian G7 Presidency 2017 - G7 Summit on g7italy.it / Wikimedia Commons - CC BY 3.0 it, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/it/legalcode

‘My Country First’ Approach Threatens Achievement of Global Goals

July 06, 2017 / Robert Schwarz

Two years after the Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by all UN member states, leaders at the G20 summit in Hamburg must strengthen the commitment towards these historic global goals. A rising “my country first” approach by many heads of government threatens the realization of the goals. Even worse: International spillover effects caused by many […]

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EU2017EE, Estonian Presidency via flickr.com, CC BY 2.0
by alexeyklyukin via flickr.com, CC BY-SA 2.0

Talking Truth to Turkey

June 21, 2017 / Ludwig Schulz

How scientific analysis can help countering President Erdogan’s fake narrative of Turkey’s thriving democracy and why the European Union should reconsider its policy towards EU accession countries. In his official message for Europe Day on 9 May 2017, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that his country “which has been a part of Europe historically, […]

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Resist Trump Ralley, January 30, 2017. By Joe Crimmings via flickr.com. CC-BY-2.0

As Populists Rise in the West, Arab Autocrats Rejoice

May 19, 2017 / Jan Claudius Völkel

The decay of democratic norms in European and U.S. policy-making plays into the hands of autocratic leaders in the Middle East and North Africa. While Prime Minister Theresa May officially announced the United Kingdom’s intention to leave the EU on 29 March 2017, and constant leaks and news from the White House about President Donald […]

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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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