Long before disruptive populists became a feature of democratic politics, Argentinian voters had lived through multiple experiences with the type. Now, as the country prepares to choose a new president, a flamboyant new political bomb-thrower is vying for the top job. But corruption accusations could unravel his candidacy.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s approach to the War on Drugs has proven far less radical than he promised—and less intelligible as well. But despite the obstacles to a total overhaul of Bogota’s strategy, a confluence of circumstances in both Colombia and the U.S. may offer a unique opportunity for drug policy reform.
With the collapse of efforts to contain jihadist insurgencies in the Sahel, neighboring states are faced with acute dilemmas when it comes to the mass displacement engulfing West Africa. The plight of Fulani refugees in Ghana facing deportation back to Burkina Faso offers insights into how these conflicts have escalated so disastrously.
Some observers are worried that the U.S. decision to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine will damage the international norm against their use. But while there are many other good reasons to be concerned, the reputational impact of this decision will likely fall on the parties themselves for violating the norm, not on the norm itself.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s annual leaders’ summit in early July highlighted the group’s potential to be a potent force multiplier for both Russia and China, particularly in the context of great power competition. But it is still a work in progress, and many obstacles remain before it can realize its potential.
Spain’s right-wing People’s Party is poised for victory in Sunday’s elections, but to return to power, it will have to form a coalition government with the far-right Vox party. Though most associated with its anti-immigration stance, Vox is also hostile to Spain’s long-established consensus around gender equality and LGBTQ rights.
This week, the leaders of CELAC, comprising the states of the Western Hemisphere excluding the U.S. and Canada, will meet with their EU counterparts in Brussels to discuss the two regions’ relationship. Early indications suggest that differences over Ukraine could potentially hinder progress on other important topics at the summit.
Israel’s military operations in the West Bank have strengthened popular resistance and energized Palestinian armed groups, and last week’s invasion of Jenin’s refugee camp marked another dangerous escalation. With increasing numbers of Palestinians supporting armed resistance, a new uprising against Israel seems increasingly likely.
This week’s NATO summit was an opportunity for the alliance to take a clearer position on its own role in the war in Ukraine, while also setting the direction for NATO’s future evolution. But rather than paving the way forward, the summit indicated that the alliance members are only ready for more of the same.
When Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced last Friday that his government had collapsed, few people were surprised. The four-party coalition he led was an ill-fitting amalgamation of contradictory agendas. Rutte’s declaration that he would end his political career, however, sent a jolt through the country—and Europe.
In April, Indonesian security forces engaged in a shootout with Islamist militants belonging to Jemaah Islamiyah, the group that carried out the 2002 Bali bombings. Though Indonesia has had success in combating homegrown terror groups, it still faces an uphill task in keeping Jemaah Islamiyah—and the ISIS-affiliated JAD—at bay.
There is a general consensus in Washington that the Abraham Accords—the series of normalization agreements between Israel and Arab countries launched in 2020—have been an overwhelming success and that expanding them to include Saudi Arabia will only increase their benefits. That might be an overly rosy assessment.
When news of Yevgeny Prigozhin and Wagner Group’s march to Moscow broke, there was palpable shock among EU and U.S. officials. The extent to which Western governments were blindsided by a crisis that had been building for months was a reminder of how institutions in the U.K., EU and U.S. struggle to manage geopolitical risk.
The true danger for NATO is not the emergence of European defense capacity, but the lack of it. A rebalanced alliance will require a new paradigm based on closer NATO-EU cooperation with a stronger European pillar within NATO. That will only happen if Europe adopts, and the U.S. supports, a more ambitious European defense agenda.
When Mali demanded last month that the U.N. withdraw peacekeepers from its territory “without delay,” it sent a chill through diplomats in New York. Many observers have speculated over whether Mali’s move could presage the end of other U.N. missions in Africa, dealing a blow to the institution’s contribution to security there.
Last month’s Summit for a New Global Financing Pact in Paris solidified support for providing financial incentives to low-income countries to help address climate change. The summit represented a huge win for the developing world and especially for Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who has championed the issue for years.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the question of whether women make better leaders in a crisis gained prominence. Now, the near-absence of women from the world stage has returned to being something of a “So what?” issue. But with the world continuing to face numerous crises, women’s political leadership is more, not less, important.