BRAZIL: Pragmatism threatened by Petrobras turmoil, but quickly restored
President Jair Bolsonaro will talk the talk on ideological platforms but reelection in 2022 calls for pragmatism. There is increasingly little room for far-right policymaking. Stress with the arrest of a Bolsonarista congressman shows the limits of Bolsonaro’s capaci… Become a member to read the rest of this article Username or E-mail Password Remember […]
SOUTH AFRICA: Tito’s “no austerity” consolidation budget
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s 24 February budget benefits from better-than-expected revenue shortfalls but aims to hold the line on fiscal consolidation over the medium term. Above all, his plan to stabilize South Africa’s public finances will stand or fall by the gove… Become a member to read the rest of this article
ARGENTINA: Scandal over “VIP vaccines” has government worried
President Alberto Fernandez continues to fight a rearguard action to limit the political fallout from last week’s revelations about a group of officials, government allies, and the well-connected who secretly received Covid-19 vaccines in violation of eligibility rules. The very … Become a member to read the rest of this article
UK: Vaccination success leads to lockdown and fiscal debates
The country’s stellar vaccination performance has had two implications on the policy front. First, the provision of a first vaccine shot to the 15mn most vulnerable people has raised the expectations for an easing of lockdown measures, to which the government responded in its roa… Become a member to read the rest of this […]
RUSSIA: Vaccine diplomacy overshadows domestic immunization campaign
Russia is relying on vaccine diplomacy to bolster its reputation abroad amid deteriorating relations with the West and looming threat of sanctions. Low public trust in domestic vaccines from Covid-19, their production bottlenecks and Moscow’s focus on vaccine diplomacy h… Become a member to read the rest of this article
TURKEY: Erdogan’s diversions amid flagging support
President Tayyip Erdogan is more and more desperately trying to reverse the long-term decline in his public popularity. A gradual easing of Covid-19 restrictions will start in early March while the inoculation program is facing an increasingly urgent shortage of vaccines… Become a member to read the rest of this article
SPAIN: PSOE-Podemos coalition unlikely to break up
The infighting between the ruling center-left Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) and far-left Unidas Podemos has intensified in the last few days. While the most recent rift is allegedly due to differences over policy issues, the divisions result from PSOE’s attempts at preventing P… Become a member to read the rest of this article
EUROPE: Managing the pandemic – what we are watching
This updated weekly piece provides snapshots of how selected European governments are dealing with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you want to discuss any of the countries mentioned in more detail. Graph of the week Spain – The numbe… Become a member to read the rest of […]
JAPAN: Suga faces new obstacle as ministry reveals son’s ties with regulators
On Wednesday, 24 February, Internal Affairs Minister Ryota Takeda announced the results of an internal investigation that found that 13 current and former Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) officials had violated administrative ethics rules. The officials, 11 o… Become a member to read the rest of this article