Why a Parliamentary Deadlock in Sofia will only benefit Moscow

In August, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev announced that another election would be conducted on October 27 after a majority failed to be produced in June. This stagnant state of affairs in Bulgaria’s parliament not only creates political fatigue for Bulgarians nationwide but enables a much desired neutrality for Russia in its war in Ukraine.

Russia & FSUBy Joshua MarshNovember 4, 2024Bulgaria, Europe, EU, NATO, Russia, Ukraine, Elections

Echoes of the Past: the AfD’s “Historic Success” in Germany

For the first time in post-World War II Germany, a far-right political party has won a state election. The openly extremist right-wing Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) achieved a “historic success” in the eastern state of Thuringia on September 1. This victory serves as a grim reminder of the first Nazi state election win in 1930, which also occurred in Thuringia.

EuropeBy Sarah BoresOctober 8, 2024Germany, EU, Immigration, Right-Wing, Extremism, Nazism, Populism

Why Has Ilham Aliyev Called Early Elections in Azerbaijan?

In late 2023, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called early presidential elections for February 2024, a year earlier than the end of his term. However, given that Azerbaijan is an extremely authoritarian state with staged elections, many have wondered why Aliyev would want to hold the vote a year early, especially since he would likely rig the elections regardless if they were to be held in 2024 or 2025.

Russia & FSUBy Edward KhatchatrianFebruary 1, 2024azerbaijan, elections, freedom, EU, Nagorno-Karabakh, authoritarianism, caucasus

Artificial Intelligence On The Global Stage: EU Adopts First AI Act

The European Union (EU) has been at the forefront of innovative AI legislation. The EU began to address the gap in legal regulatory structures for AI beginning in 2019 with the European Commission’s outline for AI in Europe which resulted in the publication of an ethics guideline for trustworthy AI.

EuropeBy Sarah BoresNovember 28, 2023AI, EU, legislation, international affairs, congress, UN

Kosovo-Serbia License Plate Dispute Gives Insight into Russian and Western Ties in the Region

Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo remain high as Serbia allegedly violated an agreement reached in November 2022 to stop issuing license plates with Kosovo cities' denominations. The issue represents the larger conflict of Serbia's refusal to recognize Kosovo's independence, which is complicated by the involvement of Russia and the West in the region.

Impact of Italy-Libya Relations on Human Rights in the Migration Crisis

Within the EU, Italy has been on the forefront of combating irregular migration to Europe through the Mediterranean. However, concern over grave human rights violations in Libya have led to calls for Italy to discontinue partnership with Libyan authorities.