1. What does the rise of Eric Zemmour say about the state of French politics?
2. Will China’s increased military pressure on Taiwan backfire?
3. What will be the Taliban’s biggest difficulties in governing Afghanistan?
4. Will international pressure force the Ethiopian government to alter its policies toward Tigray?
5. Is India’s economy too reliant on agriculture?
6. Will rising oil prices be a boon for the world’s developing economies?
7. How would a Polish exit affect the European Union?
8. Will the Pandora Papers have a sizeable geopolitical impact?
9. Is the Franco-Greek defense pact a threat to Turkey?
10. To what degree does the global economy remain hobbled by the COVID-19 pandemic?
Category: International Extemp Page 9 of 56
1. Will Merck’s COVID pill help ease the impact COVID-19 has had on the developing world?
2. How will President Duterte’s retirement affect the future of Filipino politics?
3. Will it ever be in China’s interest to launch a military attack on Taiwan?
4. Did Japan’s LDP pick the wrong leader?
5. What does the German election result mean for Europe’s future?
6. If Kim Yo-jong took power in North Korea, would it have a negative impact on East Asian security?
7. Would Russian mercenaries do a better job combating jihadism in Mali than French forces?
8. Should Australia prioritize AUKUS over a free trade deal with the EU?
9. Is Brazil the unquestioned superpower of Latin America?
10. Does Vietnam’s economy need more diversification?
Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd (pronounced “prepped”). Prepd is building debate technology that helps extempers and congressional debaters research, practice, and compete. Visit www.prepd.in to learn more.
This week’s R&D covers the German elections. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) won the largest number of seats, picking up fifty-three in the Bundestag for a total of 206. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) alliance came in second, losing fifty seats for a total of 196. It is expected that the SPD will coalition with the Green Party and the Free Democrats, returning it to power for the first time since 2005.
The victory of the Social Democratic Party in Germany’s election has raised questions over whether center-left parties across Europe could make a comeback.
Here’s a look at the factors that will influence whether a revival is possible.https://t.co/63NBoyTFb9
— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 29, 2021
Olaf Scholz has some big shoes to fill.
The German Finance Minister has the best shot at forming a new German government after leading his Social Democratic Party to a narrow victory in Sunday’s parliamentary elections. https://t.co/wVQ2Cli6P0
— CNN International (@cnni) September 27, 2021
Olaf Scholz of Germany’s Social Democratic party says he wants to form a coalition with the Green and Free Democratic parties to tackle climate change https://t.co/vOXhJEGZxa
— New Scientist (@newscientist) September 29, 2021
1. How should China respond to the AUKUS partnership?
2. What lesson should Canadian conservative learn from the recent snap election?
3. How closely should the European Union’s foreign policy mirror the United States?
4. Will the Chinese government have to intervene in Evergrande’s collapse?
5. Should the CPTPP include Taiwan?
6. Will Erdogan’s pressure for a rate cut worsen Turkey’s economic situation?
7. Should Kristalina Georgieva resign as the head of the IMF?
8. How will Sudan’s decision to stop supporting Hamas impact the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
9. Should the Arab League readmit Syria?
10. What can the United Nations do to better combat racism?
Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd (pronounced “prepped”). Prepd is building debate technology that helps extempers and congressional debaters research, practice, and compete. Visit www.prepd.in to learn more.
This week’s R&D covers the AUKUS partnership. Announced on September 15, AUKUS is a trilateral security agreement between the United States, Great Britain, and Australia. The nations pledge to cooperate on defense issues and is seen by experts to be a counter to Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region, even though British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the British Parliament recently that the partnership is not meant to antagonize China. The European Union was less than thrilled with the agreement, with France recalling ambassadors to the United States and Australia last week after Australia cancelled plans to purchase French submarines for nuclear models from the United States and Great Britain.
A new security partnership, AUKUS, will deliver nuclear-powered submarines to Australia. This sets a troubling precedent for nuclear nonproliferation policy.@james_acton32 highlights this precedent and what can be done to offset its consequences: https://t.co/VpeKV7FV2H
— Carnegie Endowment (@CarnegieEndow) September 22, 2021
Balance is needed between the hard power of AUKUS and the collaboration and rules-based competition with China that are required for climate diplomacy and trade https://t.co/yddCnaUr2p
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) September 23, 2021
“Raising the costs for major Indo-Pacific powers of going to war is in Indonesia’s interests, but not if that means China has greater maritime capabilities which threaten Indonesia or are used in grey-zone operations.” Read @SecurityScholar on #AUKUS: https://t.co/ZbQWbkdFsm
— Brookings FP (@BrookingsFP) September 23, 2021
1. Should Latin America form a European Union-like political and economic bloc?
2. How should the international community interpret North Korea’s latest missile test?
3. Is Macron overreacting to the cancellation of France’s submarine deal with Australia?
4. Should the Taliban be forced to equalize gender access to education in order to receive international recognition and aid?
5. Can international sanctions force a change in Ethiopia’s behavior in Tigray?
6. Is Iran benefitting from Lebanon’s economic turmoil?
7. Can AUKUS effectively counter Chinese influence in the South China Sea?
8. How can the Argentina’s Peronist Party recover from a poor midterm election showing?
9. Who will win Canada’s snap election?
10. Will protests force Tunisian President Kais Saied to reduce his executive powers?
1. Has China successfully weaponized capitalism against the West?
2. Are North Korea’s recent military activities a sign of strength or weakness?
3. Is the world less safe since 9/11?
4. If leftist parties prevail in the German elections, should the Left Party be included in the governing coalition?
5. What impact will the coup in Guinea have on global commodity prices?
6. Can Najib Mikati fix Lebanon?
7. Is India’s caste system holding back its economy?
8. Who should the UN recognize as Myanmar’s representative?
9. Is Russia successfully isolating Ukraine?
10. Should Uruguay make a new trade deal with China?
Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd (pronounced “prepped”). Prepd is building debate technology that helps extempers and congressional debaters research, practice, and compete. Visit www.prepd.in to learn more.
This week’s R&D is on recent developments in Brazilian politics. President Jair Bolsonaro recently called on his supporters to gather in the capital of Brasilia to express their support for his administration and protest the actions of the nation’s Supreme Court. Brazil will not have a presidential election until fall, but observers fear that Bolsonaro is riling up his base to challenge the result of that election. There were also fears that Bolsonaro’s backers would try to overrun the Supreme Court building, which would be Brazil’s version of the January 6 Capitol riot in the United States.
Tuesday’s protests across Brazil demonstrated that President Bolsonaro may be too weak to stage a coup, but he is still strong enough to remain in power and produce a permanent constitutional crisis. @OliverStuenkel writes in @AmerQuarterly: https://t.co/ZhdH9BqXFn
— Carnegie Endowment (@CarnegieEndow) September 9, 2021
Brazil’s next presidential election is 13 months away, but already President Jair Bolsonaro has set out on a path that puts him on a collision course with democracy. https://t.co/Mpyo0KYrqP
— World Politics Review (@WPReview) September 5, 2021
Protests called by President Jair Bolsonaro for Brazil’s independence day turned out peaceful. But reasons for deep worry remain, @hoganem tells “The Intelligence” https://t.co/wB1C9J9zCx
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) September 8, 2021
1. Are Canada’s Liberals headed for defeat?
2. Who should be the next leader of Japan’s LDP?
3. Is it inevitable that Iran will become a nuclear power?
4. Should India repeal its agricultural reform laws?
5. Does Afghanistan need the UN to head off a humanitarian crisis?
6. Should Myanmar’s NLD form alliances with armed ethnic groups?
7. If the SPD wins Germany’s elections, how would they remake the country?
8. Why is Madagascar on the brink of famine?
9. In terms of its future security policy, what lessons should European nations take from Afghanistan?
10. Is ISIS making a comeback in Iraq?
1. Is ISIS a bigger threat to Afghanistan’s security than al-Qaeda?
2. Will Turkey’s recent overtures to African nations bear fruit?
3. Does there need to be a new global convention on refugees?
4. Will the world ever get a proper investigation into COVID-19’s origins?
5. Are democratic institutions eroding throughout the Americas?
6. Can Michel Barnier mount a successful bid for the French presidency?
7. How should Naftali Bennett conduct Israel’s foreign policy during the Biden presidency?
8. Should Canada impose restrictions on foreign home buying?
9. Will the UN fail to eliminate world hunger by 2030?
10. Is Europe leading the way on COVID mitigation measures?
Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd (pronounced “prepped”). Prepd is building debate technology that helps extempers and congressional debaters research, practice, and compete. Visit www.prepd.in to learn more.
This week’s R&D is on Canada’s elections. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for a snap election last week in a bid to win a governing majority and secure the votes necessary to enlarge COVID-19 relief and pass climate change legislation. Currently, Canada’s Liberal Party, which Trudeau leads, is ruling with a plurality of votes in the Canadian parliament. The elections are scheduled for September 20.
Now could be the perfect time for an election in Canada for the Liberal Party. Half of Canadians think Justin Trudeau’s government has handled the pandemic well https://t.co/Hc7imAZzrv
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) August 22, 2021
Canada halted evacuations of its citizens and vulnerable Afghans who assisted Western nations in Afghanistan. With elections around the corner, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces questions over his handling of this month’s chaos in Kabul https://t.co/kk1y9dwJFs #Elxn44 pic.twitter.com/OoLpDlcmPG
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 26, 2021
While not an attractive platform, a successful leader will need to address the international pandemic strategy, as this will be an integral part of global diplomacy.
Canada’s global pandemic strategy is missing from election dialogue#Opinion by @zchagla https://t.co/gMfhIVeFEM
— Toronto Star (@TorontoStar) August 25, 2021
1. What does the Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan mean for Europe’s security policies?
2. Should West Africa adopt a single currency?
3. What can stop Lebanon’s economic free fall?
4. Is the UN’s approach to solving Yemen’s civil war failing?
5. Do booster shot plans in wealthy nations threaten the WHO’s efforts to vaccinate the rest of the world?
6. Is China’s economic recovery losing steam?
7. Can Russia “normalize” Afghanistan?
8. Are the world’s central banks prepared to deal with inflation?
9. Will the Green Party be part of Germany’s next government?
10. How did Hakainde Hichilema win Zambia’s presidential election?
1. Will China be the biggest beneficiary of a Taliban victory in Afghanistan?
2. Is Hezbollah’s political position weakening?
3. Can the global economy afford more COVID lockdowns?
4. Will Haiti’s recent earthquake exacerbate the nation’s political crisis?
5. Was Zambia’s recent election fair?
6. Will plans for more stringent regulations weaken China’s economy?
7. Are jihadists becoming Africa’s biggest national security problem?
8. Will Trudeau’s snap election gambit work?
9. How can the international community more efficiently distribute COVID-19 vaccines to the developing world?
10. Should the EU offer membership to the Balkan Six?
Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd (pronounced “prepped”). Prepd is building debate technology that helps extempers and congressional debaters research, practice, and compete. Visit www.prepd.in to learn more.
This week’s R&D is on the war in Afghanistan. In 2001, the United States helped the Northern Alliance overthrow Afghanistan’s Taliban regime due to the Taliban harboring 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden. Now, the United States is withdrawing its forces from the country and the Taliban has captured nearly a dozen of the country’s provincial capitals. International observers question whether the Afghan government can fight on its own and worry about how a restored Taliban regime will treat the rights of women, ethnic minorities, and political dissidents.
The West may want to forget about Afghanistan, but that won’t be possible. Of the many bad options Biden faced, he chose perhaps the worst. https://t.co/9jjZaUy8Zh
— World Politics Review (@WPReview) August 12, 2021
Ideally, America would not be withdrawing its forces from Afghanistan at all. Its rush for the exit has allowed the Taliban to drop the pretence of negotiations https://t.co/vTAszVNlFi
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) August 12, 2021
The Islamist group was in power in Afghanistan until the US led invasion in 2001https://t.co/ittpBn3iSI
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) August 12, 2021
1. Will Germany remain the leader of the EU after Merkel?
2. Is the growth of the delta variant creating political headaches for Xi Jinping?
3. Where will Ebrahim Raisi take Iran’s nuclear program?
4. How can international organizations prevent their domination by authoritarian entities?
5. What are new tools that the world needs to better combat human trafficking?
6. Is Ethiopia headed for a breakup?
7. What is the biggest threat to India’s governing BJP?
8. How should the OAS respond if Nicaragua’s next presidential election is not free and fair?
9. Why have Ukraine’s military reforms failed?
10. How can the Mexican government reduce the nation’s high poverty rate?