Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit
News
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Dirty election campaign with a good ending?
After ten years, the Czech Republic will have a new president: Retired General Petr Pavel clearly won the run-off election against former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. His victory is good news for the country's pro-Western development. After years of dividing society under outgoing President Miloš Zeman, who was known for his love of Russia and China, the new president will have his hands full in bringing together the currently highly polarised society and charting a new course.
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Long road to new government – Liberals in it for the first time
On 2 October 2022, Bosnia and Herzegovina held its ninth regular parliamentary and presidential elections amidst brewing crises, both domestic and international. The liberal party “Naša stranka” is poised to be the part of the new governing coalition. Despite some successes of progressive parties, the ethnic nationalist and conservative parties continue to dominate. All of this will make for a challenging environment in which liberals will have to manoeuvre, seeking to affirm the principles and values around which the party was built.
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China's Strategic Interests
Rising tensions among the great powers are contributing to uncertainty and the security dilemma in the Indo-Pacific region. This raises the question of possible policy alternatives amidst conflictual developments. The role of smaller powers within the region and extra-regional powers, such as European countries, offers the potential to cope with the growing rivalries. In particular, it is significant to examine the position and role of Indonesia, one of the most influential members of ASEAN. Cooperation within the region and with extra-regional powers is needed to ease tensions and guarantee sustainable cooperation.
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Malaysia-China Bilateral Relations
Small nations play a significant role in the regional security of the Indo-Pacific. They may act as mediators and provide a channel of communication for rival great powers. China has begun flexing its muscles and is demonstrating its strength. Malaysia maintains a balance and hedges to avoid being either entrapped or abandoned. By transforming its Armed Forces to a navy-based force and by balancing its relationships with stronger nations Malaysia may overcome its security dilemma and ensure territorial sovereignty without engaging in conflict.
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The Czech Republic is looking for a president
Since 2012, the Czech president has been directly elected by citizens in two rounds of voting. Czechs enjoy this right to vote and the last presidential election in 2018 saw the highest turnout in a national election in 20 years. Thus, the presidential election has become a great show that people discuss for months and years ahead, arousing great emotions. The bookmakers are sure about the winner of the election, the polls are groping in the dark and a third of the voters are still undecided. So what can we expect in the first and second rounds of the presidential election?
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Can we do it?
For a good two decades, Germany has been dominated by the basic green message of energy policy, which for dogmatic reasons does not allow any technological openness when nuclear energy is considered. The question is whether Germany is making a major mistake with technologically and economically fatal consequences if it shuts down all nuclear power plants "as planned" next April instead of continuing to operate them for at least a few more years and waiting to see where things go. One fact is clear: a modern infrastructure is needed, analyzes Karl-Heinz Paqué.
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The Foundation for Freedom in Germany and the World
Based on the principles of liberalism, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom offers political education in Germany and abroad. Our headquarter is located in Potsdam, and we maintain offices throughout Germany and in over 60 countries around the world.
With our events and publications, we help people to become actively involved in political affairs. We support talented young students with scholarships.
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Liberal Impulses for Europe's Future
The Treaty of Nice came into force 20 years ago today and increased the efficiency and legitimacy of the EU's bodies and prepared for the eastern and southern expansion of the EU. Today, the EU is more united than ever. But it is also facing a multitude of challenges in 2023: a war, EU membership applications, and the need to realign global supply chains. At the New Year reception of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in Brussels, Europe's liberals exchanged ideas for a future EU that is capable of action: shaping an open social market economy, fighting disinformation, redefining Europe's role in the world, and designing a future model of Europe by 2050.
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60 years of Franco-German Relations
The ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty has shown that both countries agree on the challenges of our time, but Franco-German relations could certainly be in better shape, at least at the highest political level. Even before announcing multi-billion investments in the French military, French President Macron stated that he would deliver light combat tanks (AMX 10-RC) vehicles to Ukraine, while also not ruling out the delivery of Leclerc battle tanks. The announcement can be interpreted as a signal to Chancellor Scholz for Germany to finally deliver Leopard 2 tanks.
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Life on the back burner: How Ukraine's food industry survives without light
The Russian missile attacks have left Ukraine's energy infrastructure in ruins. This is having a particularly severe impact on civilian life in Ukraine. However, Russia's new war doctrine also poses an existential threat to the Ukrainian food industry and the general food supply. Despite the danger to life and limb, the destroyed infrastructure, the interrupted logistics and the shortage of labour, the companies managed to adapt and work under these conditions, as an analysis by our experts Maximilian Luz Reinhardt and Tetyana Ustymenko reveals.
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Final assessment of the Czech EU Presidency
The last EU meetings under the Czech Presidency are taking place this week. It became clear now that the Czech Republic is a credible and reliable partner for other members states. During its EU Presidency, the country had to deal mainly with the crisis agenda, focusing on energy issues and negotiating very complex packages such as the climate package and support for Ukraine. Especially in the energy sector, the Czechs proved to be good negotiators, focusing on pragmatic compromises.
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"Liberalism needs Democracy"
The famous US political scientist Francis Fukuyama explains in an interview with freiheit.org why populists and nationalists will fail. The political leaders in these countries are transfiguring the past in a nationalistic nostalgia and not providing adequate solutions. How liberal is our international order? Why are we witnessing a new upsurge of anti-liberal forces right now? Even if there is no automatism for liberal democracy, it is still worth fighting for. Its foundation of human and moral truth , that all people have a minimum of freedom, that they are respected and treated fairly, is universal.
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Migration dispute between Berlin and Rome
The traffic light coalition in Berlin will in future fund private sea rescue in the Mediterranean with 2 million euros annually - until 2026. In conjunction with the still valid "Dublin III Regulation", which places the main burden of asylum procedures on the countries of first arrival in the EU, this has drawn some sharp criticism from Italy. The issue of migration is known to divide society here and has been a central theme in frequent election campaigns for years. The success of the right-wing government of Fratelli d'Italia, Lega, and Forza Italia in this September's elections can also be attributed in part to the heated migration debate.
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France's New Security Strategy
NATO foreign ministers are meeting in Bucharest today to discuss further action in the Ukraine war. The Atlantic Alliance expects further Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy supplies in the coming days and weeks. French President Emmanuel Macron, in presenting the new national security strategy, also ultimately prepared the French people for the possibility of a war into which France could be drawn. The country does not need to make a U-turn with its strategic military culture, as Germany has done with the "Zeitenwende" in its foreign and security policy.
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Resource Dependency from China: A Possible Way Out for Europe
After months of crisis experience with Russia’s manoeuvring in energy policy, Europe has learned the hard way: it is not advisable to rely majorly on one single partner when it comes to essential resources. This applies especially when the trust relationship with that partner has already been burdened by tensions and scepticism from the beginning. Now Europe is struggling desperately with the effects of the Russian attack on Ukraine and its economic consequences. There can only be one conclusion: Don’t rely on one partner only!
