TURKEY: Erdogan’s pyrrhic victory?

TURKEY: Erdogan’s pyrrhic victory? 1

Even though the meeting of the Turkish cabinet is still ongoing (a press conference is expected at around 7pm local time), it seems that President Tayyip Erdogan will not follow through on his previous threat to declare ten Western Ambassadors “personae non gratae.” The pro-Justice and Development (AKP) media in Turkey has been in full […]

TURKEY: Expulsion of ten ambassadors not a given despite Erdogan’s threat

TURKEY: Expulsion of ten ambassadors not a given despite Erdogan’s threat 2

President Tayyip Erdogan stated on 23 October that he ordered to declare “persona non grata” the ambassadors of ten Western allies for seeking philanthropist Osman Kavala’s release from prison. Erdogan made these remarks during a rally in the western city of Eskisehir, while speaking without the support of a teleprompter to the supporters of his […]

EUROPE: Managing the pandemic – what we are watching

EUROPE: Managing the pandemic – what we are watching 3

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. United Kingdom – The seven-day average of new infections is now on a clear upwards trajectory again, […]

ITALY: Draghi’s “Black Friday”?

ITALY: Draghi's "Black Friday"? 4

All workers will be required to show a Covid-19 health pass from 15 October, one of the world’s toughest anti-Covid regimes that has already sparked riots and which may cause chaos in the days ahead. Around 2.2-2.5 million of the country’s 23 million workers are unvaccinated, and risk being denied access to the workplace. Road […]

EUROPE: Managing the pandemic – what we are watching

EUROPE: Managing the pandemic – what we are watching 5

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. United Kingdom – The seven-day average of new infections is increasing slightly again, rising above the mark […]

EUROPE: Managing the pandemic – what we are watching

EUROPE: Managing the pandemic - what we are watching 6

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. United Kingdom – With around 33,000 cases, the seven-day average of new infections keeps moving around the […]

ITALY: A noisier political backdrop but Draghi won’t lose much sleep over it

ITALY: A noisier political backdrop but Draghi won't lose much sleep over it 7

The main takeaway from the 3-4 October local elections is that the outcome will not cause any major problem to Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s government. The former ECB chairman, who enjoys approval ratings close to 70%, remains unchallenged. Draghi’s main source of strength, in addition to his personal standing and competence, is the weakness of […]

ITALY: Local elections – key issues

ITALY: Local elections – key issues 8

In Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s Italy, administrative elections will have no meaningful impact on the government. The lack of political leaders means that Draghi remains unchallenged. The elections will confirm that League’s Matteo Salvini risks becoming a spent political force and that Giuseppe Conte (M5S)’s new course is a non-starter. The PD could end up […]

TURKEY: Parliament set for a busy Q4 as Erdogan looks ahead to next elections

TURKEY: Parliament set for a busy Q4 as Erdogan looks ahead to next elections 9

A reform of the electoral system, a draconian social media law and the 2022 budget will be the main priorities for Turkey’s parliament after its summer recess. While noise about a new constitution is likely to re-emerge in the weeks ahead, the prospects for a new charter to be approved in 2022 are very limited […]

EUROPE: Managing the pandemic – what we are watching

EUROPE: Managing the pandemic – what we are watching 10

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. United Kingdom – The seven-day average of new infections has risen back above the mark of 30,000 […]