Transformation Insights is the Newsletter of the Transformation Index BTI. We analyze Transformation Processes toward democracy and market economy in international comparison and identify successful strategies for peaceful change.
BTI Transformation Index
|
|
|
|
|
|
Measuring Democracy and Fostering Regional Cooperation
Democracies around the world experience increasing pressure - both from within and without. Internal challenges stem from public polarization and continuous dissatisfaction with decision-making processes seemingly not bringing about any change. Global conflicts and hybrid attacks ignite social division and are the seeds for political and economic uncertainty in many countries.
In a world of disruption and re-evaluation of normative concepts such as democracy and governance, a transparent measurement of evidence-based data becomes more important than ever.
In this issue of our newsletter, we want to provide you with insights from our BTI Blog articles ranging from the African Union Summit in Ethiopia in February, the presidential elections in Ecuador and South Korea's political crisis. Further, we are excited to have launched our Election Calendar 2025. In an interactive PDF, it covers over 30 elections in BTI countries taking place this year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Africa’s Agenda 2063: A Long-Term Vision with a Long Road Ahead
published February 2025
With Agenda 2063, the recent African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa focused on a plan that outlines the vision of a fully integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa. However, cooperation among individual states, which is necessary for this vision, is in poor shape for various reasons – despite examples of successful collaboration.
Read more here.
|
Ecuador’s 2025 Elections: Caught between Political Polarization and Escalating Violence
published April 2025
The results of Ecuador’s 2025 general elections have revealed deep political divisions. The tight race between incumbent President Daniel Noboa and challenger Luisa González, has set the stage for an intense run-off on April 13. The outcome of the ballot will be crucial for Ecuador’s future as the country struggles to contain escalating gang violence and organized crime amid institutional instability and an increasingly divided electorate.
Read more here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Stress Test for South Korea’s Democracy: Conservatism’s Authoritarian Relapse
published April 2025
The South Korean Constitutional Court has now unanimously confirmed the removal of the 12th president, Yoon Suk-yeol. This marks the end of the nearly four-month-long stress test for South Korean democracy. But has the democratic crisis been overcome as well?
Read more here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BTI Election Calendar 2025
After the successful initiation of our Election Calendar for the super election year 2024, we launched the new version this year. In the interactive PDF, you will find election analyses with background information on the role of elections in individual BTI countries. The Election Calendar is dedicated to scrutinizing around 30 elections, underscoring our commitment to analyze transformation processes towards democracy. To access the Election Calendar 2025,
click here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
BTI Workshop: Analyzing Transformation in Southern and Eastern Africa
March 2025
It was a privilege and pleasure to host a regional workshop on Southern and Eastern Africa from March 27-29 in Berlin, together with our regional coordinators Anja Osei and Siegmar Schmidt. We welcomed 15 lead authors and 3 reviewers of the BTI’s country reports from the region, travelling all the way from South Africa or North Carolina, from Madagascar or Norway, to exchange on country assessments and regional trends. The workshop was designed to discuss initial findings for the BTI 2026. It provided room to clarify methdological questions, engage with specific country issues, and examine each of the BTI dimensions in relation to the region. For more information on Southern and Eastern Africa,
click here.
|
|
|
|
|
Exchange with Christina Kampmann, Member of State Parliament Nordrhein-Westfalen
February 2025
Sabine Donner, Hauke Hartmann, and Sebastian Plate had the opportunity to meet with Christina Kampmann, MdL Nordrhein-Westfalen, to discuss the results of the BTI 2024, with a special focus on the MENA-region. Christina Kampmann was accompanied by her research assistant Janina Stamborski. We appreciate the opportunity to engage in dialogue with policymakers and hereby contribute to policy dialogues with evidence-based information.
|
25 Years of German-Israeli Young Leaders Exchange - Alumni Reunion
January 2025
120 alumni from Germany and Israel gathered at Landgut Stober in Berlin for the 25th anniversary of the German-Isreali Young Leaders Exchange. This was a unique opportunity for Hauke Hartmann, Senior Expert at the Bertelsmann Stiftung and BTI Project Lead, to discuss global democracy trends as analysed in the BTI. Together with a well-versed and experienced group of leaders from politics, business, media and civil society, global perspectives on populism, social divide, strategies against polarization and democratic resistance were discussed. For more information on the project,
click here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BTI on LinkedIn
The BTI also posts regularly on LinkedIn. Content ranges from news on BTI activities to developments in BTI regions and countries, and analyses on current affairs in International Relations. Follow our activities via this
link.
|
|
|
|
|
Next Newsletter: June 2025
|
|
|
|
In our next newsletter, we will be showcasing our latest BTI Blog articles and bring you new updates from the on-going assessment process. BTI LinkedIn
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
