We must fight side by side with the citizens of Turkey for what the Turkish civil society and pluralist political forces are struggling for: a European Turkey.

Different approaches to the crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean from Paris and Berlin showcase quite well how both capitals have moved apart rather than closer together when it comes to foreign policy. Interview with Dr. Dorothée Schmid and Kristian Brakel What are the different perspectives in France and Germany and where do we see ground for future convergence? Dr. Dorothée Schmid (ifri) and Kristian Brakel (hbs Istanbul) have answered our questions.

Turkey’s entry into the European Union is no longer on the agenda, but the question of its relations with the EU remains on the table.

Ankara’s democratic backsliding and its ambitious foreign policy remain a concern for many within the EU. At the same time, the EU’s political class is also aware that a functioning relationship with Turkey is not a choice but inevitable.

The causes of the current global gas crisis are now well understood. Europe finds itself the convergence zone of two supply challenges, related to a shortfall of pipeline supplies and simultaneously an inability to attract deliveries of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Consequently, going into winter storage levels are low, and prices are extremely high. But the UK has been singled out as being more vulnerable than most, why is this so and what lessons can be learnt from the current situation?

COP26 takes place against the backdrop of nationalist health policies with daunting consequences, failed promises to adequately scale up climate action and financial support, and an unprecedented push for false solutions that divert global attention from the urgent need to phase out fossil fuels.

CAN – the Climate Action Network - is the largest international civil society network, that has monitored the UN climate negotiations for many years. Whether at national or international level, how can civil society participation be ensured at all in times of pandemic? What does this mean for the capacity for action and strategy of a global network like CAN? A conversation between Tasneem Essop, Executive Director of CAN International and Barbara Unmüßig, President of the Heinrich Böll Foundation

Following the recent parliamentary elections, many Czechs celebrated the opposition parties’ victory over the business magnate and incumbent Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. However, the new center-right governing coalition must be careful not to return to the previous status quo that helped Babiš to power eight years ago.

Several cities and provinces in Vietnam are reopening after a so-called tragic fourth wave of COVID-19. Along with societal and economic losses, waste generated from daily routines and medical facilities has become a huge consequence and the country must learn how to deal with the overwhelming waste.

Disinformation has become a regular plague of democratic elections. Is regulation able to tackle this problem? How promising are other initiatives by civil society and industry actors? What should be the role of the state in a new media and information order? And how do people decide what to believe or not? A diversity of information and a plurality of communities are essential to rebuild trust in public communication.