Protests could shift Albania towards authoritarianism

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Prime Minister ◽  
European Council ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
Business Activity ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Student Protests ◽  
The City

Significance Student protests demanding fundamental reform have resumed with the new term and are spreading beyond Tirana to other groups, including -- worryingly for Prime Minister Edi Rama -- miners and other workers. Rama’s sacrifice of senior ministers has failed to quiet the street protests, the largest since the demise of communism. Impacts Thousands of protesters and the closure of roads into the city will interrupt business activity in central Tirana in the short term. A new cabinet with little experience and under close prime ministerial control will depress the quality of policymaking. An escalating political crisis would reduce Albania’s chances of being asked at the June European Council to open accession negotiations.

Creeping authoritarianism is a real risk in Tunisia

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
The United States ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Real Risk ◽  
Chief Prosecutor ◽  
Moderating Role ◽  
The Eu

Significance He did not name a new prime minister. Over July 25-26, Saied dismissed Prime Minister Hicham Mechichi, dissolved his government, suspended parliament for 30 days, lifted parliamentary immunity and declared himself chief prosecutor, triggering Tunisia’s worst political crisis in a decade. Impacts The Ennahda party could be persecuted once again, this time on corruption charges, as the reconciliation offered excludes its members. Tunisia may become a new ideological battleground, pitting Turkey and Qatar against the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The EU, the United States and Algeria have some influence on Tunisia and could perhaps play a moderating role.

Tourist scams in the city: challenges for domestic travellers in urban China

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 294-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Li ◽  
Philip Pearce
Keyword(s):  
Social Situation ◽  
Urban China ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tourist Attractions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Quality Of Products ◽  
The City ◽  
Directing Attention

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify dominant scams against domestic tourists in popular tourism cities in China. There are two questions of concern: what types of scams do domestic tourists experience and are the patterns of scams different between the capital and regional cities? The social situation framework was employed to interpret the outcomes. Design/methodology/approach A content analysis facilitated by Leximancer software was applied to 102 Chinese travel blogs reporting experiences of being scammed in Beijing, Hangzhou, Xi’an, Sanya and Guilin. Clear themes and concepts emerged from the analysis of these travel reviews and differences in scamming patterns between Beijing and regional cities were identified. Findings The most frequently reported scams in the capital Beijing were linked to the chaotic environment at tourist attractions and the misbehaviours of tour agents. By way of contrast scams involving manipulating the weight and quality of products purchased were more common in regional cities. The differences between Beijing and other locations may lie in the greater monitoring of fraudulent practices in the capital. Additionally, the role of shills (confederates of the scammer) was highlighted in many of the scams studied. Originality/value Scams include a slightly less serious but still troublesome set of problems accompanying major crimes and assaults. Rare research specifically focussed on tourist scams despite substantive work discussing crimes against tourists as general. Implications of the present study lie in enriching the literature on scams against tourists. The analysis of scams as a special type of social situation proved to be insightful in directing attention to facets of the interaction thus providing connections to previous work and directions for further study. It is also promising to be developed to inform strategic approaches to creating a safer tourism environment in cities.

Slovenia will remain polarised, whatever Jansa’s fate

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Democratic Party ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
European Council ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Government ◽  
Council Presidency ◽  
The Eu

Significance The government led by the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) is under mounting pressure as Slovenia prepares to take over the European Council presidency. This is due mainly to hostility in parliament and society to Prime Minister Janez Jansa, who promotes a popular but divisive form of national conservatism. Impacts A successful no-confidence vote in the government followed by early elections would complicate Slovenia’s handling of its EU presidency. The fall of the current government and its replacement by the centre-left would improve Slovenia’s relations with the EU and United States. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban would lose an ally at EU level if Jansa lost office.

The effect of CSR commitment on firms’ level of internationalization

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 1415-1432
Author(s):  
Morteza Khojastehpour ◽  
Md Abu Saleh
Keyword(s):  
Host Country ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
General Terms ◽  
Regulatory Quality ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has received considerable research attention globally over the past decade. Although a growing number of prior studies have investigated the various dimensions of CSR in general terms, few studies have investigated the critical role that CSR can play in the internationalization process of firms. Design/methodology/approach Using S&P 500 companies during 2004-2014, the authors found that the level of CSR commitment raises the level of reliability of firm and allows further international penetration. Moreover, better regulatory quality of host country is at actual support of internationalization only when considering the short term. Findings Better regulatory quality of host country is at actual support of internationalization only when considering the short term. Originality/value The authors build on internationalization theory and CSR and examine the relationship between firms’ level of internationalization and CSR commitment.

Politics set to slow Pakistan's divestment drive

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Economic Reform ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Structural Reforms ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reform Agenda ◽  
Political Patronage ◽  
The Government ◽  
Core Condition

Subject Pakistan's divestment drive. Significance Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's government describes divestment of public sector enterprises (PSEs), involving 69 firms, as an essential part of its 2013-18 economic reform agenda. Progress thus far is limited, but the government faces rising pressure from the IMF, which made divestment a core condition of its 6.6-billion-dollar, three-year loan in September 2013. Impacts Another government led by Sharif would continue gradual divestments after 2018. Since PSEs are an important vector for distributing political patronage, structural reforms will face stiff resistance. Divestment of profitable PSEs defeats the purpose of the exercise, but the government will use them for a short-term cash boost.

Economic reform will falter with new Turkish cabinet

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Monetary Policy ◽  
Economic Reform ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Job Creation ◽  
Domestic Demand ◽  
Election Campaign ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Risks ◽  
Financial Difficulties

Significance Presenting his government's programme on November 25, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu promised to keep his election campaign pledges, complete major infrastructure projects, maintain fiscal stability and implement structural change. Impacts Domestic demand will strengthen in the short term. However, firms in labour intensive sectors may face financial difficulties, and new job creation may be slow. Currency and capital markets are likely to remain volatile and overreact to trends in monetary policy and the current account. Opportunities exist for those investors able to tap into the government's priorities and avoid political risks.

Opposition boycott tactics are destabilising Albania

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Political Institutions ◽  
Democratic Party ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Socialist Party ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
The Political ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Eu Integration

Significance The governing Socialist Party (PSSh) under Prime Minister Edi Rama is expected to win again. This implies policy continuity by what has hitherto been a successful reformist government. However, the decision by the opposition Democratic Party (PDSh) to boycott the elections creates significant uncertainty about the process and aftermath. Impacts PDSh’s boycott of parliament is blocking the completion of judicial reforms that require approval by a two-thirds majority of deputies. A PDSh boycott of elections would constitute a failure of political institutions and halt Albania’s progress towards EU integration. Disenfranchising a large constituency would escalate the political crisis and could lead PDSh supporters to resort to violence.

Gulf pressure will force southern Yemenis to deal

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Living Conditions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Will Force ◽  
The City

Significance The fighting started on January 28, when the secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC) acted on its threat to topple the Saudi-backed government, taking control of most of the city and besieging the prime minister. The STC draws support from militias including salafi fighters recruited, trained and equipped by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Impacts The STC will struggle to build its support outside Aden in areas such as Abyan. STC efforts to put forward a political programme could create disunity, given the wide range of ideologies among its supporters. The Saudi-led coalition will invest more resources in improving living conditions in southern Yemen. Crisis contained, the coalition will refocus military efforts to capture the long-disputed central town of Taiz.

Bangladesh’s drug war helps ruling party in short term

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Prime Minister ◽  
Refugee Camps ◽  
Illegal Trade ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Drug War ◽  
Content Type ◽  
North East ◽  
Security Personnel ◽  
High Commissioner ◽  
Ruling Party

Subject Bangladesh's narcotics crackdown. Significance Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is overseeing a ‘drug war’, with security personnel targeting illegal trade in yaba (methamphetamines). The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has criticised the campaign, in which an estimated 150 people have been killed and at least 13,000 arrested since mid-May. The ruling Awami League (AL) is expected to retain power in the general election, due by late December. Impacts The yaba trade will worsen social conditions in Rohingya refugee camps. India’s north-east could face an increasing problem of yaba trafficking. Bangladesh’s election campaign is likely to involve widespread use of undeclared money.

Lebanon’s new electoral law favours sectarian parties

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Prime Minister ◽  
Border Security ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
Government Performance ◽  
Political Movements ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Syrian Refugee ◽  
The Law ◽  
Electoral Law

Significance Parliament on June 16 ratified a new electoral law, averting the looming political crisis that threatened to leave the country without a legislature. Impacts New, non-sectarian political movements could launch street protests against the law, as they plan a strategy for the 2018 elections. Redistricting could incentivise collaboration between the larger Christian parties. Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri will try to boost his re-election prospects through improved government performance. Border security, Syrian refugee fears, infrastructure spending and rubbish collection will be key areas of focus. Only a major regional crisis such as war between Israel and Hezbollah would be sufficient to postpone elections again.

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