Serbia's 2008 parliamentary elections: domestic and regional dilemmas
Following the fall of the coalition government on March 7 over fundamental disagreements on Serbia’s European future – and only three months after President Tadić defeated radical leader Tomislav Nikolić in the presidential elections – Serbs will be asked again to choose between a pro-European agenda and a nationalist one in the parliamentary elections on May 11. A commentary examines the domestic and external political dynamics involved in the political campaign as well as the critical dilemmas that both Serbia and the EU will be facing in the aftermath of the elections.
Andrej Isakovic / AFP / Getty Images
Serbia's 2008 parliamentary elections: domestic and regional dilemmas
Further resources on Serbia:
- The Kosovo debate: beyond the headlines
- Can Democratic Elections Solve a Civil War? The case of Serbia and Kosovo
- Serbia's Troublesome Road to Democracy
EU's Eastern Dimension and the Balkans
Emerging powers: stabilisers or destabilisers?
By Susanne Gratius (30/04/2008)
The established international order began to change at the turn of the century with the rise of a number of new economic powers, most notably China and India, whose weight is still not reflected in the structure of international relations. It was the process of globalisation that changed the face of the international system. And as the process continues, a new economic international order is emerging around the poles of China and the US, although this transcendental change is yet to manifest on the political level.
Harmonisation & democratisation
The impact of aid policies on domestic democratisation processes: the case of Mali
By Hamidou Magassa, Stefan Meyer (28/04/2008)
Mali has all the characteristics that attract aid – high poverty rates, reasonable governance indicators and a difficult geographical environment. Whilst being formally democratic, not much success has been achieved in the alleviation of poverty and the construction of effective state institutions. Donors still set the agenda, but Malian actors gain influence in downstream implementation. This paper argues that, beyond technical adjustments, donors should analyse the political context of informal politics in Mali and take into account the strengthening of oversight mechanisms.
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Europe, Israel and Palestine: endgame?
By George Joffe (28/04/2008)
The Annapolis initiative last November is already doomed to failure as the Palestinians and Israel fail to engage and Hamas is deliberately isolated by Europe and America. Could Europe intervene instead? George Joffe argues that, having betrayed its own principles of normative power and constructive engagement, the European Union now has no viable alternative to offer.
International Criminal Justice & post conflict
Paramilitary demobilisation in Colombia: between peace and justice
By Felipe Gómez Isa (25/04/2008)
As Colombia seeks to resolve its long-running internal conflict, the country finds itself performing a precarious balancing act between the need for peace and the need for justice.
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This working paper explores the international legal framework with regards to justice, truth and reparation and asks to what extent Colombia’s very own tailor-made framework is in line with these parameters.
Freedom of association in the Middle East and North Africa
With the rise of transnational terrorism, recent years have witnessed freedom of association in many countries being suppressed in the name of national security. Recognising the fundamental significance of the civil society for the dynamics of democratisation, the Club de Madrid embarked on a project aimed at strengthening dialogue on freedom of association across the Middle East and North Africa region. FRIDE contributes to this project with a series of country reports, which identify outstanding challenges and civil society’s ideas on how to resolve them. The first two of them are already available:
Photo of FotoLibre.net
More on the project "Freedom of asociation in the Middle East and North Africa"
USA 2008: the Democrats, free trade and Latin America
By Robert Matthews (25/04/2008)
This article examines the views of the Democratic candidates for the US presidency, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, with regard to free trade. While the Democratic and Republican aspirants have radically different views on NAFTA and Latin American free trade, the two remaining Democratic contenders currently have strikingly similar positions on the issue. Yet, using their records and degree of candor and consistency as a guide, we will explore the differences between the two, to derive some insight into how each might act on the issue - as well as on related foreign policies - as president.
Food crisis in Haiti: exposing key problems in the process of stabilisation
By Amélie Gauthier (22/04/2008)
Haiti has been hard hit by the global food crisis, which has culminated in riots all over the country, an attempt to invade the National Palace, and the removal from office of the Prime Minister just weeks ahead of the upcoming International Donor Conference in Port-au-Prince. This Comment article explores the factors which led to this latest violent and costly episode in the stabilisation process and asks what lessons can be learnt by the UN mission there.
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Trends in democracy assistance: what has Europe been doing?
By Richard Youngs (21/04/2008)
This Journal of Democracy article assesses the recent evolution of European democracy support initatives, pointing to the advances made but also the enduring weaknesses of EU political aid.
The UN Stabilisation Mission in Haiti: analysis and recommendations for future mandates of the Mission
By Publicaciones FRIDE (16/04/2008)
On 28 January 2008, representatives of Haitian civil society, donor governments and the United Nations were brought together by FRIDE in collaboration with the Canadian Permanent Mission to the United Nations to discuss the future of the MINUSTAH stabilisation mission in Haiti. This report relates the key points of discussion and recommendations from this meeting, divided into three main areas: the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Haiti, state-building and regional cooperation.
No Middle East peace without tough love
By Henry Siegman (14/04/2008)
Instead of new European initiatives for “peace conferences” on the Israelí-Palestinian conflict, it is necessary to stop the violence from both sides –Hamas attacks and Israeli´s occupation– in order to recover some level of dialogue that must be based on the UN Resolutions and the 1967 Green Line.
European democracy: not so quiet on the Eastern front
In the context of the EU Foreign Ministers meeting, in Slovenia last weekend, three new publications examine the current state of democracy in Central and Eastern Europe. One Working Paper offers an in-depth analysis of the policies being adopted by the EU’s new member states, as they seek to foment the democratic agenda among their neighbours, while another delves into the apparent failures of the organisation’s Stability and Association Process in the Western Balkans. Finally, a background analysis explores the challenges facing Ukraine’s new leader, Julia Tymoshenko, as she pushes for greater international integration despite the familiar problems of parliamentary divisions and tensions with Russia over energy.
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