On 13 October 2022, the German Ministry for Economics and Climate published draft key points for a future German Arms Export Control Act (referred to hereafter as ‘the draft’). Establishing such a law is one goal that the government defined in the coalition agreement. The draft contains several good points that can help make German arms export policy more restrictive and more closely aligned with peace, human rights and security policy goals. At the same time, the draft reveals some serious gaps that must be remedied to fully live up to this claim.
Bolivia: A New Battle over the Census. The 36-day Strike of the Santa Cruz Civic Movement against the Arce Government
In November, President Luis Arce in Bolivia faced one of the most turbulent moments of his government. In response to the postponement of the Population and Housing Census (initially scheduled for 2022) to 2024, mass protests in the country’s lowland region and the economic powerhouse of Santa Cruz effectively shut down Bolivia’s largest city. The strike was promoted by Governor Luis Fernando Camacho, who in 2019 led the movement that overthrew Evo Morales. The demand was to carry out the census in 2023 and request the redistribution of economic resources and parliamentary seats before the 2025 elections.
Der Ukraine-Krieg und das Völkerrecht. Ist das Gewaltverbot nun endgültig tot?
Der Einmarsch Russlands in die Ukraine erschüttert erneut das Vertrauen in das Völkerrecht: Er stellt einen besonders schwerwiegenden Verstoß gegen das Gewaltverbot der UN-Charta dar. Das Gewaltverbot untersagt Staaten die einseitige Androhung und Anwendung militärischer Gewalt außer zu Zwecken der Selbstverteidigung bei einem bewaffneten Angriff (Art. 2, Abs. 4 in Verbindung mit Art. 51). Dieses Verbot hat Russland gebrochen. Versetzt das dem bereits mehrfach totgesagten völkerrechtlichen Gewaltverbot endgültig den Todesstoß?
Here, There, and Everywhere: Feminist Resistance beyond the “Women, Peace and Security” Agenda in Post-Coup Myanmar
As a landmark in the movement to increase global attention to women’s critical role in participation, protection, prevention, relief and recovery in conflict settings, the UN Security Council’s resolutions on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) lend reference power to gender mainstreaming in all issues related to conflict resolution and peace governance – however, they fall short of effectively supporting women’s resistance in Myanmar.
Coherent Peace Policy: It’s the Content that Counts
That inter-ministerial competition doesn’t make for more successful foreign policy is a commonplace observation. However, it isn’t enough that all parts of government pull together, they must move together in the right direction.
Security Sector Reform in The Gambia – The Historic Roots of Current Challenges
After a democratic change of power in The Gambia in 2017, the country embarked on a transitional journey. The Gambian government identified Security Sector Reform (SSR) as one of the key priorities in its National Development Plan. Five years in, Gambian citizens express doubts about the government’s seriousness to move the process forward and the progress of SSR remains limited. In this blog post, we take a historical lens to examine current challenges and suggest a long-term perspective in both looking back and moving forward.
Have the Tables Turned? What to Expect from Kenya’s New “Hustler” President William Ruto
Kenya had awaited the presidential elections held on August 9, 2022 with bated breath. The elections were won by William Ruto, who defeated opponent Raila Odinga by just a few percentage points. Ruto succeeds Uhuru Kenyatta, who leaves office having served his two permitted terms. This Spotlight analyzes the reasons for Ruto’s success, and, reflecting on his political career, discusses what can be expected from his presidency. We argue that both his success and his career have been strongly influenced by Kenya’s political history and the power structures of political alliances—especially in the context of previous elections.
“For this Forced Heaven”: Women’s Rights as the Path to Democracy in Iran
Iran’s streets have been the scene of inspiring portraits created by women and young girls chanting “women, life, freedom” over the past six weeks. Starting as a reaction to the death of 22-year-old Zhina (Mahsa) Amini, who was killed by the so-called “morality police” for wearing her hijab improperly, the protests have now turned into a cross-class, women-led movement for democracy and rule of law. This post looks at the situation of women from a historical perspective after the Islamic revolution and argues that women’s rights are acting as a connector to unite different groups and social classes fighting for democracy and rule of law in the current protests.
Die Quadratur des Kreises: Friedensverhandlungen unter Feinden
Acht Monate dauert der Krieg bereits an, den Russland gegen die Ukraine führt, und immer noch sind wir weit von Friedensverhandlungen entfernt. Unmöglich und unerwünscht seien Verhandlungen, hört man in der öffentlichen Debatte. Nicht alle Argumente gegen Verhandlungen sind aber gleichermaßen stichhaltig und zu oft wird übersehen, dass es nicht nur um Verhandlungen geht und nicht nur zwischen den Kontrahenten, sondern zuallererst um Gespräche und zwar zwischen den Großmächten, die indirekt und direkt an diesem Konflikt beteiligt sind.
Brazil’s Presidential Election: How Far does the Populist Glow Reach?
The first round of Brazil’s presidential elections took place on 2 October 2022. The result was 43.2% for incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and 48.4% for ex-president (2003–2010) Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva. Given that none of the candidates achieved more than 50%, a final run-off is scheduled for 30 October. Pre-election polls predicted Lula would reach the critical 50% threshold. These polls also projected Bolsonaro would win around 36%. But in the end, his vote share was more than 43%. This result left the world searching for an explanation.
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