From a wind of change to a whiff of disappointment – The implications of the elections in East Germany 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall

If in 1989, one were to ask the people of East or West Germany what separates the one from the other, the answer would have been robust and straightforward: The

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What is driving the EU NUTS?: Regional Competitiveness in the EU

On the 7th of October, the European Commission received the fourth edition of the Regional Competitiveness Index (RCI). This report concerns the competitive position of all regions in the European

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The Hard Reality of a Hard Border: Significance of a No-deal Brexit for Northern Ireland

Following the June 2016 referendum, rarely a day has passed when Brexit has not been of central discussion in the news. The referendum was predominately fueled by concerns about immigration,

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Poland and the LGBT Movement: A Clash

Over the past weeks, a clash between freedom of speech and laws banning hostility against religious beliefs has become evident in Poland. Being a predominantly Catholic country, the actions of

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Bastion of Meritocracy or Symbol of Elitism – The Issue of France’s ‘Grandes Écoles’

On 25 April, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a series of reforms as the product of national debates held with French citizens. In a response to the yellow vest movement,

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A Cursed Blessing: The Defining Role of Geography in Russian Foreign Policy

A train on the Trans-Siberian Railway departs Moscow, exchanging the sprawling metropolis for woodlands. It snakes through the mighty Urals, cuts across the endless Siberian steppe and winds past Lake

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A Soft Proposal that was Hard to Chew: the Brexit Chequer’s Proposal

At the Chequers meeting, Theresa May realistically faced two options: either continue down the path toward’s a ‘no-deal’ Brexit, or formulate a ‘soft’ Brexit option and hope for the best.

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Satire – A Humorous Means to Enhance Political Participation?

Satire has long been a tradition in many European countries. Historians describe caricature drawings of King Louis XVI of France having an impact on the French population on the eve

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Putin’s Power Politics – Why Putin Will Win This Sunday’s Election. And The One That Follows. And The One After That.

Tomorrow, the people of Russia will cast their votes in the Russian presidential election. Most observers agree that it is not doubtful whether Vladimir Putin will be reelected, but rather

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Misinformation & Uncertainty Ahead of Italian Election

Ahead of Sunday’s election in Italy, where a number of parties are vying for the top spot in a tight race, concerns about the dissemination of misinformation are high. Following

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