Written by Elisa Garbil – 15.09.2025 In the late summer of 2025, Serbia finds itself at a pivotal juncture. Tens of thousands of demonstrators continue to flood Belgrade’s streets, joined increasingly by smaller towns across the country. At the heart of the mobilisation lies a deep frustration with entrenched corruption, economic insecurity, and the tightening grip of…
Saša Dobrijević is an international journalist and reporter based in Belgrade. He is a seasoned journalist with experience in Munich in Berlin and Luxembourg, with a beat across geopolitics, social movements, and the green-energy transition. He’s covered protests up close, interviewed decision-makers, and understands how narratives harden, and how they break. Saša is a Diplomatic Press…
Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil The student-led protests in Serbia have been going on for months. Today we have Saša Dobrijević on the podcast to discuss: Saša Dobrijević is an international journalist and reporter based in Belgrade. He is a seasoned journalist with experience in Munich in Berlin and Luxembourg, with a beat across geopolitics, social movements, and…
Paul Hockenos is a Berlin-based writer and political analyst who has been working in Germany and across Central and Eastern Europe since 1989. He is the prize-winning author of five books on European politics and culture, and was a fellow at the American Academy in Berlin. His work appears in The Nation, Foreign Policy, Foreign…
This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen welcomes Paul Hockenos to discuss the outcome of the latest German elections, analyzing the distribution of seats and the implications of the AfD’s growing presence as part of the political mainstream. Beyond domestic politics, we will examine Germany’s evolving role within Europe and on the global…
Author: Camila Mateos Betancourt Germany held its elections in late February, resulting in a victory for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its leader, Friedrich Merz, who is set to become the next chancellor. The CDU/CSU alliance secured 28.5% of the vote, reclaiming leadership. However, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) made significant gains, securing…
Germany’s recent federal election has ushered in a period of political upheaval, with significant implications for defense spending, fiscal policy, the risk environment, and international relations. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led by Friedrich Merz, secured a plurality with 28.5 percent of the vote, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) achieved a historic second…
As the Middle East navigates a year marked by upheaval—Syria’s post-Assad transition and Israel’s escalated conflict with Lebanon—another critical narrative unfolds with quieter urgency. Iraq, a nation of immense geopolitical importance, approaches its 2025 elections amid complex challenges that mirror broader global threats to democracy. Iraq’s precarious experiment with democracy, its lessons for post-conflict governance,…
Dr. Abdulhaleem Mohammed is a distinguished election and legal specialist with extensive experience in advancing democratic governance and electoral integrity. Currently serving with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) in Iraq, he provides technical and legal advice to the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) on electoral systems, legal frameworks, and the development of…
This week’s mid-week episode is between Dominic and Dr Abdulhaleem. They discuss the intricacies and difficulties of the electoral system in Iraq, including the significant corruption and voter apathy that has been ever present in its post-2003 electoral system, the numerous reforms that have been introduced and an assessment of the international risks posed by…
