Russian election meets sole aim of Kremlin validation

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Minister ◽  
Vote Share ◽  
The Political ◽  
The West ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Right ◽  
Limited Choice ◽  
Better Than

Significance The result comes despite United Russia's limited popularity and support base. The Communists performed better than in 2016, though they believe their real vote share was manipulated downwards. The political establishment appears content that this exercise in limited choice went the right way, thanks to manipulation before and during the polls. Impacts Moscow will dismiss external criticism and accuse the West of election interference. United Russia will fade back into the background, rubberstamping legislation but inactive on the ground. United Russia candidates Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reportedly plan to renounce their Duma seats.

Jurisdiction and Justiciability

2021 ◽  
pp. 29-40
Author(s):  
David Kretzmer ◽  
Yaël Ronen
Keyword(s):  
Subject Matter ◽  
West Bank ◽  
The Political ◽  
The West ◽  
The Right ◽  
Sovereign Territory

This chapter describes the basis for the Court’s jurisdiction over petitions by residents of territory that is not the sovereign territory of Israel, but is ruled under a regime of belligerent occupation. The chapter examines the readiness of the Court to entertain such petitions, given that their subject matter falls within areas that are arguably non-justiciable. The chapter stresses the tension in the Court’s decisions created by its position that the legality of Israel’s most controversial policy in the West Bank—the settlement project—is not justiciable, and its ruling that the political nature of a government act cannot block the right of individuals to challenge the legality of acts that violate their rights.

State Induced Theft

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-85
Author(s):  
Delia Popescu
Keyword(s):  
The Political ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Political Opposition ◽  
The West ◽  
Rule Based ◽  
Communist State ◽  
Legal Instrument ◽  
Better Than

In this article I argue that one of the main tools that allowed the Romanian communist state to control oppositional activities, far better than many of its Eastern European neighbors, was the transformation of political opponents into petty criminals and felons. I contend that in the two decades that preceded 1989, communist Romania witnessed a pragmatic shift from hard rule (based on simply imprisoning political opponents under the category of “political detainees”) to subversive criminalization. The main operative tool for the subversive criminalization of so-called political offenses was Law 18/1968 (subtitledLaw regarding the control of the provenance of goods that have not been acquired through legal means). I argue that Law 18 was the result of two interconnected political drives. The first drive was the desire of the Ceauşescu regime to gain favor with the West by perpetuating the rhetoric launched as a result of the general amnesty for political detainees in 1964, under the Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej administration. The second drive was the political imperative of the Ceauşescu regime to suppress political opposition. My argument is that this transformative shift was accomplished through the development of what I call amechanism of state induced theftbacked by the deployment of a subversive legal instrument of criminalization, which was Law 18/1969. This paper analyzes the role, essence, and implications of Law 18 while supporting a theory of a strategic shift in communist policy.

Philip Jaisohn, the Political Evangelist, 1896–98

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-113
Author(s):  
Young-Chan Choi
Keyword(s):  
Political Thought ◽  
Private Property ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Language ◽  
The West ◽  
Individual Property ◽  
Conceptual Aspect ◽  
Ideological Resources ◽  
The Right

Abstract The objective of this article is twofold: first to argue that Philip Jaisohn, upon his return from the United States to Korea in 1896, sought to subvert, if not overthrow, the monarchical government, and second, to argue that Jaisohn drew on specifically Christian intellectual and ideological resources to articulate his arguments. The rhetoric of loyalty, love, lawful resistance, private property, and slavery are, as such, in need of analysis through the Protestant conceptual prism. Previous studies analyzing modern political thought have focused on the nature of translation from the West; this study focuses on the conceptual aspect of the political language Jaisohn introduced in order to effect revolutionary changes in the popular vernacular. His goal was not just to present resistance against the incumbent governing authority as morally defensible, but to frame it in terms of the right of individual property. Finally the article suggests avenues through which religious thinking affected the reception and dissemination of Western political thought in Korea, and concludes by reflecting on the relevance of religious thought in the analysis of modern Korean political thought.

Election dispute belies Togo's deeper stability risks

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Child Mortality ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
West African ◽  
The Political ◽  
The West ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Franc Zone ◽  
The Military ◽  
Democratic Norms

Subject The political outlook in Togo. Significance On April 28, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) announced that President Faure Gnassingbe had won re-election in the presidential ballot held on April 25, with 58.75% of the vote. His controversial third term will extend his family's rule to nearly 50 years. Opposition candidate Jean-Pierre Fabre secured 34.95% of the vote. His Combat for Political Change (CAP) alliance rejects the result. Impacts Western donors' effectiveness at pushing for democratic norms will wane as Togo, like other African states, accesses new debt sources. Togo's membership of the West African CFA franc zone, which is backed by the French treasury, will ensure currency stability. A Burkina Faso-style ouster of Gnassingbe is unlikely, for now -- he enjoys the support of the military who first installed him. Despite being spared the Ebola crisis, standards of public health will remain poor, with child mortality rates far above global averages.

Denmark's weak new government faces complex alliances

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
The Political ◽  
Political Strategy ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Social Democrats ◽  
Content Type ◽  
People's Party ◽  
Reform Agenda ◽  
The Government ◽  
Political Spectrum ◽  
The Right

Significance The new government will have only 34 of the 179 seats, because policy differences among the right-wing parties, and the political strategy of the electorally strengthened anti-immigration, Euro-sceptic Danish People's Party (DF), mean DF will remain outside. Policy-making will be difficult. The government will be more economically liberal and pro-EU than it would have been with DF, but to make policy it will rely on partners across the political spectrum, especially the ousted Social Democrats -- who remain the largest party -- and DF. Impacts If DF is seen as a welfarist protector of ordinary citizens, it is more likely to repeat, at least, its 22% vote in the next election. The much-tighter immigration regime which is in prospect could taint Denmark's image and make it less attractive to foreign investment. The new government is likely to be an ally for much of UK Prime Minister David Cameron's EU reform agenda.

EU-led reform will be loser in Bulgarian elections

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Western Europe ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
The Political ◽  
Judicial Reform ◽  
Content Type ◽  
European Development ◽  
The Right ◽  
Nationalist Parties ◽  
The Eu

Significance The change of president and government in late January has shifted the power balance in favour of the Socialist Party (BSP), but the centre-right Citizens for Bulgaria’s European Development (GERB) is still the stronger political force. The three most influential parties -- GERB, BSP and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) -- are all focused on preserving the political and economic status quo, and on opposing radical judicial reform as demanded by the EU. Pro-reform forces to the right of GERB are in disarray, while the nationalist parties are united and on the rise. Impacts GERB has yet to find itself a role that could win it another victory over the BSP, as in 2014. As the weaker party, the BSP will be more aggressive in exploiting anti EU sentiment. Long-anticipated judicial reform will remain elusive. The degree of Bulgaria's distance from Brussels will be influenced primarily by events and elections in Western Europe.

Moderate Czech Euroscepticism will cause no EU rupture

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Direct Democracy ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
The Political ◽  
Legislative Elections ◽  
Wide Margin ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Eu Membership ◽  
The Right ◽  
Political Right ◽  
Visegrad Group

Subject Czech Euroscepticism. Significance The right-liberal ANO 2011 party led by Andrej Babis won legislative elections last month. Its wide margin of victory owed something to its Eurosceptic discourse. Czech Euroscepticism is the product of populist mobilisation on the political right and the centre’s failure to make a positive case for EU membership. With the hard Eurosceptic Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party joining the Europhobic Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) in parliament, leaving the EU is guaranteed a prominent place on the political agenda. Impacts Moderate Czech (and Austrian) enthusiasm for deeper integration will mean that inner and outer ‘circles’ of EU membership will solidify. A deepening split within the Visegrad Group will make opposition to EU reform difficult to sustain for Poland and Hungary. The president has added his weight to a referendum on ‘Czexit’.

The three laws of business combinations: how to create value by remixing assets

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 18-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Gomes-Casseres
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Fundamental Unit ◽  
Business Combinations ◽  
Unit Of Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
The Right ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Share Value ◽  
Better Than

Purpose – The author defines and discusses the three laws of business combinations that are essential to a profitable use of resources. Design/methodology/approach – The author shows how applying these laws is necessary for success. Findings – All business combinations must have the potential to create joint value, must be governed to realize this value, and must share value in a way that provides a reward to each party’s investment Practical implications – In remix strategy, the fundamental unit of analysis is the combination of resources that yields value. That combination competes with other combinations. Some combinations will gain advantage over others because they encompass just the right resources; others will gain advantage because they manage their collective resources better than others do. Originality/value – The author’s insight is that instead seeing competition as a battle of firm vs. firm, practitioners need to understand how bundles of resources compete, regardless of whether they are organized as firms.

New Gambian president will re-engage the West

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
International Criminal Court ◽  
International Criminal ◽  
Criminal Court ◽  
Military Coup ◽  
The Political ◽  
Legislative Elections ◽  
The West ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Security Services ◽  
The Military

Significance If Barrow is inaugurated, it will mark the first peaceful transfer of power since the country gained independence. Incumbent Yahya Jammeh, who seized power in a 1994 military coup, was widely expected to claim victory, despite widespread frustration. With the economy stagnant and the unemployment rate among the highest in West Africa, Barrow successfully united much of the political opposition. Jammeh's concession was unexpected given the repression that his security services employed prior to the election. Impacts A new administration will look to draw prominent figures from across The Gambia's ethnic groups. Security will remain taut ahead of the upcoming inauguration and legislative elections scheduled for April. The new government could renew its commitment to the International Criminal Court (ICC). There could be widespread calls for the prosecution of Jammeh, which may provoke unrest within the military and new coup fears.

Israel’s judicial review will weaken

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Supreme Court ◽  
Judicial Review ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
The West ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Rightward Shift ◽  
The Supreme Court ◽  
To Come ◽  
The Right ◽  
Trump Administration

Subject Rightward shift of the Supreme Court. Significance The Supreme Court has historically checked political power through judicial review. However, under the present government its independence has been challenged by a battle with Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked of the ultra-nationalist Jewish Home party. The right-wing-dominated Knesset (parliament) has in recent months passed several controversial laws affecting the rights of Arab Israelis and Palestinians, which are likely to come before the court. Impacts Expanded Israeli control over the West Bank would reduce the likelihood of a political agreement with the Palestinians. Unchecked pro-settler legislation could create diplomatic crises with partners in Europe and potentially with the Trump administration. Conservative legislation could also constrain minority and individual rights, over such issues as gender, sexuality and freedom of religion. Ultra-nationalist legislation will further alienate US Jewish supporters who believe it undermines democracy in Israel.

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