international analysis and commentary

The great American malaise

Valentina Pasquali
Imagine a country that sits on the world’s fourth-largest territory, safely tucked away from the threat of invasion, and endowed with abundant natural resources, a somewhat predictable climate, and a comfortably spread-out population of…

The Red Sea as a core business for the EU

Sven Biscop
The EU is preparing to launch a maritime operation to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea from attacks by the Houthis from Yemen. A welcome and necessary decision; and none too late, two months after the attacks started. What once…

Una bomba demografica chiamata Egitto

Giuseppe Manna
Una corsa in taxi di pochi chilometri per le strade del Cairo si trasforma spesso in un incubo. Il traffico infernale della capitale egiziana, tra clacson impazziti, effluvi asfissianti dei motori e frotte di pedoni che attraversano di…

Le vie di Taiwan dopo il voto

Alessandra Colarizi
“Tu sai guidare meglio di me”. Un video pubblicato poco prima delle elezioni taiwanesi del 13 gennaio mostra la presidente uscente Tsai Ing-wen al volante di un’automobile, affiancata dal nuovo candidato, ora presidente-eletto William Lai,…

A dangerous deadlock over Taiwan

Richard J. Heydarian
On January 13, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) secured an unprecedented consecutive third term in office – the first since the introduction of direct presidential elections in 1996. Former Vice-President William Lai Ching-te…