Q&A In Local Elections, Turkey’s Erdogan Looks to Avoid a Major Blow to His Legitimacy The Editors Monday, March 25, 2019 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his governing Justice and Development Party, or AKP, are engaged in a no-holds-barred campaign of threats and intimidation against opposition parties ahead of local elections planned for Sunday. In an interview, Sinan Ciddi explains what’s at stake for Erdogan.
Q&A A Fatal Accident in Zimbabwe Reveals the Costs of Informal Gold Mining Elliot Waldman Friday, March 22, 2019 Zimbabwe’s informal mining sector is in the spotlight after an accident at a gold mine killed at least 24 people last month. The deaths were entirely preventable, and another accident is likely if there is no long-term strategy to formalize Zimbabwe’s mining industry, Augustine Makoni says in an interview.
Africa Watch How State Security Forces Are Fueling Instability in Burkina Faso Robbie Corey-Boulet Friday, March 22, 2019 A report from Human Rights Watch documents 116 alleged killings by the gendarmes and other state agents in Burkina Faso. The violence, coupled with attacks by jihadist groups, has produced a full-blown security crisis. Read up on that and other stories from across the continent in our weekly roundup of Africa news.
Q&A A School Shooting in Brazil Complicates Bolsonaro’s Push to Ease Gun Laws The Editors Thursday, March 21, 2019 Last week, gunmen opened fire at a high school near Sao Paulo, killing eight people and casting a spotlight on the issue of gun control in Brazil. In an interview, Robert Muggah discusses Brazil’s polarizing debate over guns and how President Jair Bolsonaro’s policy initiatives might be affected by the shooting.
The Unlearned Lessons of Japan’s Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Elliot Waldman Wednesday, March 20, 2019 Last week, Japan marked the eighth anniversary of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that triggered one of the worst nuclear accidents in history. The process of seeking justice for affected citizens has been slow, and there are signs that Japan is not making the changes needed to prevent another nuclear disaster.
Q&A Pre-Election Political Infighting Drives Huge Public Sector Strikes in Portugal The Editors Tuesday, March 19, 2019 Public sector strikes in Portugal have put intense pressure on the government of Prime Minister Antonio Costa, who survived a no-confidence motion last month. This turmoil is largely a result of behind-the-scenes politicking by Portugal’s major political parties, Jorge Fernandes says in an interview.
Q&A After Khashoggi’s Killing, the EU Can’t Stay United on Saudi Human Rights Abuses The Editors Monday, March 18, 2019 Saudi Arabia was rebuked at the U.N. Human Rights Council for the first time earlier this month, in a statement co-signed by all 28 members of the European Union. But that was a rare show of European unity on Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, as Julien Barnes-Dacey explains in an interview.
Africa Watch Macron Covers New Ground in East Africa, but France’s Basic Message Is the Same Robbie Corey-Boulet Friday, March 15, 2019 French President Emmanuel Macron stressed familiar themes on recent stops in Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya, underscoring the priorities of a government that has no plans to fundamentally alter its role in Africa. Read up on that and other stories from across the continent in our weekly roundup of Africa news.
Q&A Why the SNC-Lavalin Scandal Is Such a Blow for Canada’s Trudeau The Editors Friday, March 15, 2019 In late February, Canada’s former justice minister testified before a parliamentary committee that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had pressured her to intervene in a criminal case against a prominent engineering firm. In an interview, Christopher Sands explains the scandal’s background and its implications.
As Benin Gears Up for Legislative Elections, the Opposition Is Left Out Robbie Corey-Boulet Thursday, March 14, 2019 Under new rules, only two political parties in Benin are currently allowed to field candidates for legislative elections scheduled for April 28, and both are aligned with President Patrice Talon. Critics say the rules represent an example of how Talon is trying to consolidate power while undermining his rivals.
China Note The EU Recalibrates Its Policy on China, a ‘Systemic Rival’ Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, March 13, 2019 A strategy paper released this week by the European Commission represents a recalibration of Brussels’ approach toward China. Over the past two years, China has gone from being hailed as a partner for Europe in preserving the global order to being described as an “economic competitor” that must be confronted.
Q&A Is Pakistan Finally Getting Serious About Cracking Down on Violent Extremists? The Editors Wednesday, March 13, 2019 Pakistani authorities announced last week that they had arrested 44 people affiliated with violent extremist groups. But it is too soon to tell whether this means Islamabad is finally taking meaningful steps to crack down on militant organizations that launch attacks from its territory, says Michael Kugelman.
