Week in Review: Would-be Candidates and Wannabe Leaders

High Hopes

At the end of September, the members of the German Bundestag overwhelmingly voted in support of setting a date for opening accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia, even if, in the case of the former, there were some stiff conditions attached.

While this gave rise to optimism in both Skopje and Tirana, the two Balkan countries are far from having a date for opening accession negotiations in the bag. Big hurdles - not least in the form of France and the Netherlands - remain. Our analysis looks at the likelihood that one, or both, countries will be granted a date for opening accession negotiations this October.

Read more: Albania, North Macedonia EU Hopes Depend on Big Players (October 3, 2019)

Turning Point?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Photo: EPA/Erdem Sahin

The dust may have settled on the (repeated) Istanbul mayoral elections - in which the opposition challenger, Ekrem Imamoglu, beat the AKP's Binali Yildirim - but for the AKP and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, this seems to be only the beginning of their difficulties. A string of former colleagues have left the AKP in the aftermath of the election and are setting up their own parties.

Our analysis dissects this key moment in Turkish politics, which appears to be the biggest challenge that Erdogan and the AKP have faced in 17 years of power. While the Turkish opposition has a spring in its step, the AKP will likely continue to haemorrhage key people. Ahead of the Istanbul elections, Erdogan famously predicted: "if we lose Istanbul, we lose Turkey". Will his own words come true?

Read more: Turkish Opposition Eyes Gains as Allies Desert Erdogan (October 1, 2019)

Useful Enemies

Serbian President...