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In the Spotlight – #European Union
While Homophobia in Hungary is rising, the Fidesz government actively furthers the stigmatisation and marginalisation of the LGBT+ community. Ahead of the 2022 election, the government introduced another law that increases penalties for pedophiles while at the same time outlawing the "promotion of homosexuality" for those under 18 - thereby censoring sexual identity and conflating pedophilia with homosexuality.
In the midst of the escalation of tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Joe Biden follows the policy of Obama's presidency, which had underestimated the Russian threat.
On Saturday, October 9, the right-wing ruling party PiS has organised a convention on the future of Polish agriculture and the development of rural areas, specifically directed towards farmers. Although this meeting resembled any other propaganda technique used by the PiS party to polarise the society, it was the first to follow very strong anti-EU and anti-citizens decisions made by the Polish government. It thus can be used as a representation of the complete political and economic chaos, which is currently taking place in Germany’s first Eastern neighbor.
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Your nightly read – An Introduction to the Eastern Mediterranean
This analysis is a six-part series on the Eastern Mediterranean
The Eastern Mediterranean has been the historic crossroads of four regions: Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
The Historic Crossroads of Four Regions
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Our Opinion – Your Food for Thought
Over the past two years, the minimum wage in Lebanon has fallen by 84% due to the devaluation of the Lebanese pound. The country has been facing an economic crisis, which could rank in the top three most severe crises episodes globally since the mid-nineteenth century. The crisis has left almost three-quarters of the population below the national poverty line. Nevertheless, the corrupt political regime deemed it insufficient to starve more than half of the population to death. Today, on top of medicine and gas shortage, electricity cuts and constant uncertainty, the Lebanese starve for justice.
On Saturday, October 9, the right-wing ruling party PiS has organised a convention on the future of Polish agriculture and the development of rural areas, specifically directed towards farmers. Although this meeting resembled any other propaganda technique used by the PiS party to polarise the society, it was the first to follow very strong anti-EU and anti-citizens decisions made by the Polish government. It thus can be used as a representation of the complete political and economic chaos, which is currently taking place in Germany’s first Eastern neighbor.
Even though President Biden's arguments for troop withdrawal from Afghanistan are legitimate, one could not have expected to have an organized national response from a country in which the process of nation-building is incomplete. The United States cannot ignore terrorist thugs undoing 20 years of progress in the field of women’s rights and civil society. The international community cannot ignore that, as Kabul falls into the hands of the Taliban, Afghanistan may become a hotspot for terror organizations.
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When we started “Quo Vademus”, it was always about creating a community of like-minded people and the idea that we together can create change. On our new Discord server, we have multiple channels. Public as well as private ones. Rooms where we can meet other people with shared interests and discuss topics, news, ideas, thoughts, as well as "Quo Vademus" itself.
Our Editorial Pick
All tough Conspiracy theories are not new, as they exist since as early as the Middle Ages, there is something special about the QAnon movement. It is a global phenomenon, attracting large numbers across the globe and there are many different factors contributing to its success. How can a far-right conspiracy theory about a global child sex-trafficking ring, run by a cabal of paedophiles who are worshipping Satan become that successful?
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Despite the threatening likelihood of a global climate crisis, little action has so far been taken by governments. Apart from recurring summits, which only bring forward further protocols, agreements and promises that rarely have any serious enforcement mechanism or consequences if not followed through, radical measures and reforms remain absent. From October 31 until November 14, 2021, world leaders convened in Glasgow for the COP26 summit, aiming to find measures to reduce emissions and prevent the approaching climate crisis in the coming decades.
Regarding the future of EU-UK trade, it is important to find a solution to the volatile situation at the Northern Ireland border so that the Good Friday Agreement is not jeopardized. Meanwhile, the EU should not allow a de facto backdoor to the Single Market. To quote professor Kalypso Nicolaïdis, the problem with the Brits is that they are "too French" - avoir le beurre, l’argent du beurre et les baisers de la fermiere (loosely translated "wanting not only to have their cake and eat it but also to kiss the baker’s daughter"). Indeed, this time they must be more realistic and eventually they might be forced to be satisfied only with a cake. However, why not a cake and a handshake?
When the UK left the EU, the British public was promised a series of new trade deals, including with Britain's most important trading partner: the United States of America. Yet, there are numerous barriers preventing a smooth negotiation, among them, the status of Northern Ireland. The US is committed to protecting the Good Friday Agreement and President Biden takes a personal interest in Ireland, but the UK is threatening to violate the agreement due to issues with the Northern Ireland protocol. Could Ireland threaten the UK's hopes for a trade deal with the US, and if so, how?
