BTI Blog | Transformationsindex BTI 2016

Protests against a new trade agreement between Taiwan and China, Taipei, March 2014 © Tenz1225 via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Walking the Line of Rapprochement

September 15, 2014 / Justine Doody

After more than six decades of conflict over the political status of Taiwan, Beijing and Taipei are normalizing their relations. Yet, how much Chinese influence can the island state’s democracy tolerate? On 25 June 2014, for the first time in over 60 years, China sent a ministerial-level figure on an official visit to Taiwan. Zhang Zhijun, head […]

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The centre of Yangon, Myanmar's largest city © Francisco Anzola via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Is Myanmar’s Progress about to Unravel?

August 20, 2014 / Roma Rajpal Weiss

Buddhist monks who incite hatred against Muslims are gaining political ground in Myanmar as President Thein Sein and his administration continue to turn a blind eye to the worsening conditions of the Rohingyas, an ethnic group and a Muslim minority, living mainly in the state of Rakhine. Some fear a proposed set of laws will […]

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Ralf Breth, the Head of OSCE Mission to Skopje, during a conference on good practices for political party and campaign financing in Skopje, October 2013 © OSCE/Silke Tittel (CC BY-ND 4.0)

Too Small, Too Personal

August 06, 2014 / Sally Broughtom Micova

Media laws in Macedonia and Slovenia are largely in line with international standards. Yet to guarantee a transparent system and independent reporting this is not enough. In April 2014 the Republic of Macedonia held its fourth general parliamentary election in the last 8 years along with a regularly scheduled presidential election. As usual it was […]

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Hery Rajaonarimampianina, President of the Republic of Madagascar, at UN Headquarters in New York © UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Madagascar’s Rocky Path to Democracy

July 26, 2014 / Peter Hille

After five years of political turmoil and economic standstill, Madagascar seems to be headed for recovery. The new democratic government wants to restore rule of law, tackle poverty, and foster growth. Yet the island remains burdened by a legacy of power struggles and corruption. The men open the heavy steel door of the container. This […]

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Progress and Roll-Back of Europeanization

July 09, 2014 / Craig Willy

Ten years after their accession to the European Union, Poland is seen as a model of development while Hungary is turning to a populist, in some ways illiberal, nationalism. These diverging trends highlight how fragile attachment to Western orientation and institutions potentially is. The nations of Central-Eastern Europe provide an interesting case study of the […]

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Narendra Modi addresses victory rally in Ahmedabad © Narendra Modi via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Can Narendra Modi Undermine Indian Secularism?

July 01, 2014 /

India’s new Prime Minister is one of the country’s most divisive political figures. Does Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist politics and his development agenda threaten religious pluralism and secularism in India? Now that Hindu nationalist politician Narendra Modi has assumed power in the world’s largest democracy as its 15th prime minister, it’s pertinent that some questions […]

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Protester in Istanbul, September 2013 © Tophee via Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Judicial Defense

June 20, 2014 / Hakan Demir

Turkey is deeply split between supporters of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the opposition. The constitutional court remains one of the few buffers between them. But is this enough to uphold democracy? In Turkey’s local elections at the end of March, the ruling Development and Justice Party (AKP) won a landslide victory gaining 45.6 […]

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Kick it like Rousseff © Roberto Stuckert Filho/PR

Three Strikes: Why Brazil’s Government is Better Than What the Media Tells You

June 10, 2014 / Hauke Hartmann

Current media coverage of the protests in Brazil has missed a key point. The progressive Lula and Rousseff governments’ efforts to empower the new “lowest middle class” socially and politically are bearing their fruits. In football-crazy countries like Germany, media attention these days is focused of course on Brazil. This year’s host for the World […]

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The Conflict between Demands for Two Resources

June 05, 2014 / Antonia Sohns

How can transition countries best identify synergies and quantify tradeoffs between energy development plans and water use? A World Bank initiative tries to give some answers. Competition for water resources is on the rise in many regions on earth, as supplies become more variable in the wake of climate change and increased demand across diminished […]

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Tymohenko supporter in Kiev © Ivan Bandura/Flickr

On a Path to Decentralisation?

May 26, 2014 / Justine Doody

Without legitimate elections and a new constitution, Kiev cannot hope to restore stability. Devolution of power to the regions is likely to be one result of the new constitution and of the current instability. But will this be enough to placate Moscow? Ukraine is set to hold presidential elections on 25 May, to remove its […]

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Walking the Line of Rapprochement

Is Myanmar’s Progress about to Unravel?

Too Small, Too Personal

Madagascar’s Rocky Path to Democracy

Progress and Roll-Back of Europeanization

Can Narendra Modi Undermine Indian Secularism?

Judicial Defense

Three Strikes: Why Brazil’s Government is Better Than What the Media Tells You

The Conflict between Demands for Two Resources

On a Path to Decentralisation?

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