For over sixty years the Eurovision Song Contest has brought Europe together for an extravagant celebration of its cultural diversity and shared identity. It remains the most watched television broadcasting in all of Europe with over 100 million viewers in more than 40 countries. Despite this, the contest has also faced numerous challenges. The event often turns political, as exemplified ... Read More »
The island in the Caribbean has in fact little to do with a political development in central Europe. Late on Sunday evening news from the coalition talks in Berlin shocked the German population and beyond: 8 weeks of continuous and long coalition talks after the German parliament elections came to an abrupt end. The parties that attempted to form a ... Read More »
Despite the dramatic partisan polarisation the United States has seen over the past two decades, there is one thing on which all US politicians seem to agree: America is the Greatest Nation on Earth. Their interpretations may differ – from Reagan’s proud Shining City on a Hill to Obama’s unique brand of modest, self-critical belief in American potential – but ... Read More »
Does your next-door-neighbor-democracy have elections coming up, but you are not convinced that they will make a choice that best benefits your country? Don’t worry! Interference in democratic election processes is widely used tactics to get your most-favored candidate to power without caring about international principles such as ‘equal sovereignty’ or ‘par in parem non habet imperium’. These tactics are ... Read More »
Back in the beginning of 2017, the popularity of prime minister Shinzo Abe and his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was at an all-time low. Many Japanese had grown tired of the economic recession and government stagnation. Abe’s unpopularity with the public culminated even more when his name was mentioned in a series of corruption cases. His disgrace led to the ... Read More »
Although Venezuela has been characterized by political turmoil in much of recent history, many claim it is currently experiencing its lowest point in the century. The land gifted with the largest petroleum reserves is now caught up in the middle of a crisis that comprehends every aspect of life in the country. The situation in Venezuela encompasses much more than ... Read More »
It has been over two weeks since Easter has finished. Normally, Easter greetings are coming from the conventional authorities, like the Pope (in 65 languages) or country leaders of the Western world. North Korea can be listed on the bottom in terms of likelihood to receive Easter greetings from, somewhere in between Syria and Saudi Arabia. Therefore, it seemed to ... Read More »
In American political rhetoric, the oft-repeated phrase “reaching across the aisle” refers to the bipartisan cooperation, a nod to the physical separation in Congress between the members of the two major political parties, and the political terms “left-wing” and “right-wing” have their origins in the seating arrangements of the National Assembly during the French Revolution of 1789. The relationship between architecture ... Read More »
For several decades, the French presidentials have been one vested in traditions – From the different party preliminaries to the massive meetings in the weeks before the first round of the presidentials. At first glance this year’s French elections did not seem to make up for a very different campaign. However, when the all too common countdown moment was set ... Read More »
Have you ever wondered what you can do with an IRIO degree after you graduate from University? Bob Deen, who has worked in NGOs, with the OSCE and is now running for the Dutch parliament, offers you a unique perspective on the manifold possibilities that open up in life after IR. By Bob Deen: When I grew up in ... Read More »
Checks&Balances Checks and Balances is the magazine of the Study Association Clio from the program "International Relations and International Organization" at the University of Groningen. Topics include international politics, ethics, conflict and development