Political reform

(left) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan casts his vote in Turkey's general elections at a polling station in the Uskudar district on May 14, 2023 in Istanbul. (right) Republican People's Party (CHP) leader and presidential candidate of the main opposition alliance Kemal Kilicdaroglu arrives to cast his vote at a polling station during Turkey's General Election on May 14, 2023 in Ankara. © Umit Bektas-Pool/Getty Images and Burak Kara/Getty Images

Turkey Votes: Normalisation With Armenia Will Continue

The presidential contest looms large over the South Caucasus region and the outcome will have a profound impact in Yerevan and Baku.

19 May 23

Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev votes in the the snap presidential election on November 20, 2022. © Official website of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Akorda.kz

Kazakstan: Same President, New Reforms?

The incumbent has promised change, but prospects for a more democratic system are not promising.

22 Nov 22

Kazak president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. © Andrea Verdelli/Pool/Getty Images

Kazakstan’s Election: No Chance for Competition

Analysts see this is as opportunity for the president to assert himself outside the shadow of the country’s first leader.

8 Nov 22

On February 28, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the official application for Ukraine's accession to the European Union. In June, Kyiv was granted candidate status "in advance," that is, before having fulfilled all the requirements to be part of the bloc. © president.gov.ua

Ukraine and the EU: The Path Ahead

Candidate status has been granted, but implementing the required reforms could be tricky.

6 Oct 22

Georgia Faces More Disappointment in its European Dream

It will be near-impossible to fulfil EU-mandated obligations without a paradigm shift in how the ruling party views its role and place in the country’s history.

25 Jun 22

Karlygash Muratova, 90, casts her ballot in Kazakhstan's eastern city of Karaganda. On June 5, Kazakhs overwhelmingly voted in favour of constitutional amendments that de-centralise the decision-making in the oil-and-gas rich Central Asian nation. © IWPR

Kazakstan’s Referendum Unlikely to Bring Change

Citizens said yes to the proposed constitutional amendments, but few believe the state’s hold on power will ease.

8 Jun 22

Viktor Medvechuk, leader of the pro-Russian party Opposition Platform - For Life, was arrested in western Ukraine on 12 April after weeks on the run. © Ukrainian Security Service (SBU)

Ukraine to Outlaw Pro-Russian Political Parties

The detention of key Putin associate may expedite a wider ban on blocs close to the Kremlin.

20 Apr 22

Gia Kharchilava, the UNM candidate who triumphed in Tsalenjikha, on a campaign trail in the lead up to the elections. © Gia Kharchilava's Press Office

Georgia’s Last Opposition Stronghold

With the United National Movement at the helm, the region is now a test for local governance.

11 Feb 22

Nursultan Nazarbayev ruled Kazakstan between 1991 and 2019. Over three decades the former president and his inner circle, accused of corruption and nepotism, have built a cult of personality around him. © elbasy.kz

Kazakstan: Nazarbayev’s Fading Personality Cult

Since 1991, the ex-leader has become identified with the state itself, but his status is now crumbling.

11 Feb 22

A view of central Kazakstan's capital Nur-Sultan, with the 105-metre tall Baiterek tower on the horizon. Previously known as Astana, meaning "capital city" in Kazakh, the city of 1 million was renamed on 20 March 2019 as a tribute to the long-ruling Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, shortly after his resignation. © Leon Neal - Pool/Getty Images

Kazakstan: Will Nur-Sultan City Be Renamed?

Calls for reinstatement of “Astana” as ex-leader continues to be blamed for legacy of corruption and inequality.

31 Jan 22

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