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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Protests in Caracas, Venezuela. Photo by andresAzp via flickr.com, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Dark Days for Democracy?

February 4, 2019 / Craig Willy

Democracy and the rule of law are suffering in many countries, with the rise of “illiberal” democracies or even outright dictatorships. Why is that? And what makes it a cause of serious concern for the global community? News-watchers are by now long-familiar with the narrative of the steady rise of populism in Western countries. What […]

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© Shutterstock / Wead

Post-Conflict Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia: Hostility is still Looming

January 28, 2019 / Maja Bovcon

After the International Criminal Court in The Hague acquitted Laurent Gbagbo, former president of Côte d’Ivoire, of crimes against humanity and war crimes, the fear of renewed violence is growing. Can the West African country as well as neighbouring Liberia still progress on the path towards a lasting peace? The roads to peace in Côte […]

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The main street in Cojutepeque, El Salvador. Photo by LI1324 via commons.wikimedia.org, public domain (CC0)
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha walks into a meeting with Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford. Photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Dominique A. Pineiro via flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

Military Set to Retain Influence despite Thai Vote

December 21, 2018 / Pavin Chachavalpongpun

This time round, Thailand’s elections, slated for February 2019, look like they will actually materialize. But can they rescue its troubled democracy? More than four years after the May 2014 coup, the Thai junta has set a new date for elections: February 2019. Although the military government has frequently postponed elections in the past, it […]

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Peace on Earth? The quality of conflict management is in decline

December 16, 2018 / Hauke Hartmann

No peaceful Christmas again this year. On the contrary: Not only are wars, civil wars and massive political violence widespread worldwide, but – as explained in the previous blog post – the level of polarization and the intensity of conflicts have, on global average, even increased in recent years. Which factors are driving the marked […]

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Libya’s Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj. Photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brigitte N. Brantley. via commons.wikimedia.org, CC BY 2.0

Elections in Libya: The Difficult Way Ahead

December 13, 2018 / Amal S. Obeidi

The Libya conference in Palermo has ended in a renewed push for elections in the crisis-ridden country. But is Libya really in a fit state to deliver on this commitment? Since the fall of Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, Libya has had three distinct electoral experiences, which have in turn given birth to three political institutions: […]

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Banksy Peace Dove Photographer Pawel Ryszawa

Peace on Earth? Conflict intensity on the rise worldwide

December 10, 2018 / Hauke Hartmann

Every year it is an unfulfilled Christmas promise, not only for the approximately 30% of the world’s population of Christian faith: that conflicts may rest and peace may return. However, not only do wars, civil wars and political violence continue to be widespread throughout the world. Measured by long-term trends, the number of war and […]

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Zeran Power Station, Poland. Photo by Adrian Grycuk via commons.wikimedia.org, CC BY-SA 3.0 pl

Poland’s Difficult Balancing Act

December 3, 2018 / Piotr Buras

Paris Climate Agreement stakeholders are convening in Poland to set the speed of the world’s response to climate change. But can Poland balance its appetite for coal with the international push for decarbonization? From December 03 to 14, Poland will host the 24th Conference of the Parties (COP24), the key meeting of the stakeholders of […]

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