By “Look at the world from other people’s perspectives as well.” This is how former German Chancellor Angela Merkel concluded her brief farewell speech during a high-level military ceremony that was held for only two other chancellors in history. On December 2, Merkel was honored with a “Grand Tattoo” marking the
Bombs, Borders, and Blackmail – A look backwards and forwards at the turbulence in the Western Sahara
The Western Sahara, the territory on the Northwest coast of Africa which is sometimes called ‘Africa’s Last Colony’ due to its listing by the UN as a non-decolonized territory, has had an extremely turbulent year. From escalating violence in the South of the territory to diplomatic fights over international recognition,
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Fuelled the Fire of New Conspiracy Theories
Since the storming of the U.S. Capitol, QAnon has flourished as a widely-known conspiracy theorist cult. Its followers believe that paedophiles control media and politics and that a deep state – where a hidden government rules over the legitimate elected body – has been created in the United States. They
Eurovision: Politics Seeps In
On 18 May 2019, Duncan Laurence lifted the Eurovision trophy for the Netherlands. His ballad Arcade gave the Dutch their first win in forty-four years. The EBU (European Broadcasting Union) might have been hoping for a quieter contest in Rotterdam – but it looks set to be anything but. The
Rap, threats, and freedom of expression
On the 3rd of March 2021, the Swedish supreme court ruled that the musician and rapper Frej Larsson would not be convicted for threatening a public servant in his song “Då ska hon skjutas” (Eng.: “Then, she will be shot”). The song includes explicitly threatening lyrics about specific police officers,
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The Contradictory Journey of Alexei Navalny: Liberalism, xenophobia and a progressive attitude
Evgeniy Isaev, Flickr To oppose an authoritarian regime is dangerous but to be the de facto leader is a danger on a completely new level. The threat of being silenced, murdered or imprisoned are ever present. Alexei Navalny represents this struggle; as an opposition leader in Russia he is currently
Germany’s Super Election Year – What comes after Merkel?
Simon Varwell, Flickr The pandemic might have eclipsed some important upcoming political events, but with only six months left until the parliamentary elections to the German Bundestag, tension is mounting in Germany and amongst curious onlookers. The parliamentary elections on September 26th, 2021 will not only lead to a new
“Workers of the world, unite!” – A Look at Trade Unions in the EU
Terence McCormack, Flickr For many decades now, “workers” – or employees – have been organising themselves in unions in order to campaign for better working conditions. Today, trade unions are perceived by many as somewhat distant and top-down. It is sometimes unclear what their aims are and it can feel
Gibraltar urges London to “cancel Brexit”
Keep calm and carry on. Despite being easier said than done, that is exactly what the small British territory of Gibraltar is doing. With Brexit potentially jeopardizing their national identity, existential threats from Spain, and monkeys running wild, Gibraltar has nevertheless been out of the spotlight. The Perspective reports from
Belgium – record holder for longest time without a government
On Thursday the 1st of October Belgium’s new government was sworn in. The ceremony and the official presentation of the government were a bit different than usual because of the pandemic, but what was much more unusual about this new government is how long it took to form it; 494