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Even after Brexit deal and election, UK will face hard questions

  “Even with a deal, even with an election, these Brexit questions will still need to be answered” By Helen Parr, courtesy of UK In a Changing Europe   Brexit seems deadlocked after the House of Commons voted in favour of Boris Johnson’s withdrawal agreement, but against the timetable to push the legislation through before 31 […]

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Macron hits brakes on EU enlargement

                      “Macron’s ‘Non’ to EU Enlargement” By Erwan Fouéré, courtesy of CEPS     “I am counting on you”. With these words, President Macron appealed to the citizens of North Macedonia to vote in favour of the Prespa Agreement in the referendum on 30 September […]

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Don’t worry about Serbia’s trade deals — democracy and rule of law are more pressing concerns

      By Mihailo Gajic, Head of Research, LIBEK & TES Contributor     On October 25th, Serbia will sign a trade deal with the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), a Russian-backed trade federation — a mostly symbolic move which has however  led to a widespread, and totally erroneous, belief that Serbia actually intends to […]

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China’s government fears Hong Kong-Taiwan axis

                    The Chinese government’s deepening paranoia about the protests in Hong Kong, which Beijing blames on meddling by outside powers (read: the U.S.), is unlikely to be relieved by the appearance of strengthening ties between Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and Taiwan, which has enjoyed full (if […]

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Trump can support Hong Kong protesters (if he wants to)

                  It remains to be seen if President Donald Trump has any interest in helping Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protesters — but if he does, there are a number of options available to him, write former GOP Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and Christine Whiton in an […]

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British politics spinning out of control even more, somehow

                    Combine an unwritten constitution, an apparently insoluble political problem and an unelected prime minister and what do you get? An unholy mess in the cradle of modern democracy, that’s what! Long regarded as the sensible sister, the UK is facing a political impasse over Brexit […]

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Hong Kong’s People Power Meets Beijing’s Paranoia Pathology

    By Dr. Alexander Görlach, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs     What is happening in Hong Kong concerns everyone who believes in a future for democracy and open societies. The autonomous region, promised fifty years of democracy free of interference by Beijing at the time of its handover from […]

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Nigerian democracy is in trouble

                    One of the most surprising and promising political developments of recent decades has been the rise of democracy across Africa, holding out hope that the rule of law, investment and economic growth would soon follow. But these young democracies remain fragile, and nowhere is the […]

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Conflict Is The Mother Of Innovation

  By Pietro Paganini TES Contributor   Once again, reason and science are being obscured by the ideologies and magical thinking that fuel populism and authoritarianism, but weaken innovation and the coexistence of free citizens.   The scientific method favours the maturing of ideas into knowledge, bringing more innovation and prosperity and reinforcing the individual […]