Economics
Germany Has Voted. For the First Time in Sixteen Years, Merkel Wasn’t Really on the Ballot.
That feels significant beyond Germany. Merkel became chancellor in 2005, which means an entire generation of Europeans has grown up knowing only one German leader. She governed through the global financial crisis, the eurozone crisis,…
Guinea’s President Changed the Rules to Stay in Power. Then the Army Changed Them Again.
On 5 September, gunfire erupted around the presidential palace in Conakry. Hours later, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya appeared on television surrounded by members of Guinea’s special forces and announced that President Alpha Condé had been removed…
The Taliban Won the War. Now It Has to Govern.
Afghanistan’s government disappeared with astonishing speed. President Ashraf Ghani fled. The Taliban occupied the presidential palace. Twenty years of American-backed government effectively ended. This week, the images have changed. The battlefield has been replaced by…
Tunisia’s Democracy Survived the Arab Spring. Can It Survive Its Own Failure to Govern?
President Kais Saied announced this evening that he is dismissing Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, suspending parliament for 30 days and assuming executive authority with the assistance of a new prime minister whom he will appoint.
Cuba Is Protesting. The Argument Over Why Is Almost as Political as the Protests.
What began in San Antonio de los Baños spread into demonstrations across towns and cities, including Havana. Protesters complained about food shortages, medicine, electricity cuts and the government’s handling of COVID-19. Some shouted “Patria y…
Can Governments Finally Catch Up With Global Companies?
But the agreement reached by the G7 this weekend could eventually change how some of the world’s largest companies are taxed and, more importantly, says something fascinating about a problem governments have created for themselves.
Belarus, Sanctions and the Limits of International Power
Ryanair Flight 4978 was travelling from Athens to Vilnius when Belarusian authorities informed its pilots of an alleged bomb threat and the aircraft landed in Minsk. Once it did, Belarus arrested opposition journalist Roman Protasevich…
The Limits of Moral Diplomacy
This week’s developments across West Asia and Europe reveal a persistent contradiction at the heart of contemporary international politics: the growing invocation of law, norms, and accountability without a corresponding willingness to impose consequences on…
Climate, Credibility, and the Reassertion of Diplomacy
This week, international politics reflects a discernible shift from rupture to recalibration, as several states signal renewed commitment to multilateralism, diplomacy, and institutional authority. The most consequential development unfolds in Washington, where the inauguration of…
Power, Perception, and Control in a Week of Global Politics
This week, international politics unfolds through a series of events that collectively underscore how power consolidation, strategic signaling, and domestic pressures shape state behavior across regions. I observe a recurring pattern: governments navigating moments of…
Stability and the Signals of Influence
This week, I notice how stability in international affairs increasingly relies on signals rather than sheer power. The global landscape appears calm on the surface, yet I observe that much of what sustains this calm…
Contours of Cooperation and Credibility
This week, what I observe is how cooperation and credibility interact to shape global affairs. The world seems quieter than during moments of overt crisis, but beneath that calm lies a web of strategic positioning.
