Read more about the article Defence Populism: The Fixation on Sovereignty and Its Effects on Security and Interoperability
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Defence Populism: The Fixation on Sovereignty and Its Effects on Security and Interoperability

Right-wing populists are increasingly competing for government participation, occasionally with success. Austria, Finland, Sweden, Hungary, Italy and Poland are just a few examples of European Union (EU) Member States that have seen populist parties as part of the governing coalition in recent years (Destradi et al., 2021, p. 663). While this kind of politics often seems far from military operations and their technical nature, they determine the resources and attention given to them. Populists often find other priorities than multilateral defence cooperation (Ivaldi & Zankina, 2023). This is particularly concerning at a time when European security is under threat. Less military support for Ukraine may, for example, directly affect the security situation in the rest of Europe. This Info Flash will investigate the impact of right-wing populism in EU Member States on defence and security matters, particularly on interoperability. To achieve this, I will first analyse the existing literature on defence populism. After that, these findings will be synthesised, tying them to EU security policies and the interoperability of land forces. At last, concluding remarks shall be made.

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10 August 2023
Read more about the article The Maturation and Future of India-U.S. Defence Relations
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The Maturation and Future of India-U.S. Defence Relations

This Info Flash provides a historical analysis of the progression of India-U.S. defence relations and its implication on the Indo-Pacific. Despite decades of apathy during the Cold War, there has been a rapid progression in India-U.S. defence cooperation amidst India’s emergence as a critical global governance actor. This is none more evident in the country’s membership and role in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), BRICS and its current G20 chairmanship (Panda, 2020). As such, one cannot overlook the saliency of India-U.S. defence relations, particularly in its implications on the Indo-Pacific region. Therefore, this Info Flash will briefly parse through the origins of India-U.S. defence relations and its dynamic progression since the post-Soviet era. This will provide the groundwork to assess the future of India-U.S. defence relations in the coming years.

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10 August 2023
Read more about the article EU Military Mobility: An Obstacle Race To Turn Long-Standing Pledges Into A Defence Policy Flagship
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EU Military Mobility: An Obstacle Race To Turn Long-Standing Pledges Into A Defence Policy Flagship

In the unstable world we live in, military mobility becomes a paramount condition for states to maintain domestic, regional and international security. In the European Union’s case, it enables Member States’ armed forces to respond to crises breaking out at the external borders or beyond; bolsters transport infrastructure’s efficiency; avoids delays in cross-border military transits (displacement of personnel, materiel and assets) in and outside the EU territory; and ensures the alignment of efforts with partners like NATO by increasing inter-state policy synergies.

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8 August 2023
Read more about the article (In)Security Outcomes from the Coup in Niger
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(In)Security Outcomes from the Coup in Niger

On the night of 25 July and 26, Niger experienced a coup which resulted in the arrest of President Bazoum by Chief Abdourahmane Tchiani, the leader of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Nation (CSNP) military junta, who claimed legitimate executive and legislative power in the country. Located in the Sahel region, Niger shares borders with Algeria and Libya to the north, Chad to the east, Nigeria and Benin to the south, and Burkina Faso and Mali to the west.

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7 August 2023
Read more about the article A Ticket For Russians Inside The EU: The Golden Passports
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A Ticket For Russians Inside The EU: The Golden Passports

On 21 March 2023, the European Commission brought an action before the Court of Justice of the EU, claiming that the republic of Malta is in violation of article 20 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and article 4(3) of the Treaty on European Union and compromises the integrity of EU citizenship. This action is a consequence of the Maltese practices of issuing passports to non-EU citizens for which the government receives financial compensation instead. This lucrative business is made possible by national laws; however, the problem lies in the fact that European citizenship is acquired automatically when acquiring national citizenship and, thus, the holder of the national citizenship has access to the entire EU. Moreover, not only the Maltese government uses this practice, but also the Bulgarian and Cypriot governments offered their passports for the right price, although the latter two officially stopped doing so in 2022 and 2020, respectively. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the question must be asked: how desirable it is that access is offered by individual member states to citizens of nations EU member states have sanctions drawn up? Can the EU prevent the issuance of passports and, furthermore, impose a revocation?

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3 August 2023