The results of the Turkish local elections, which took place on March 31, were, for most observers, anything but predictable In a final count that left the opposition buoyed by a rare taste of success and the government facing an unexpected defeat, re-elected Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamığlu seemed to have captured the unified
feeling of a nation when he remarked that “The rules of Turkish politics are being rewritten ” SEE PAGE 1
Si vous lisez ceci, vous êtes probablement élèves de Sciences Po Je ne vous apprendrai donc rien en vous disant que notre université, et le campus de Menton en particulier, souffre d’une image pour le moins ternie par des accusations d’antisemitisme et autres propos diffamatoires circulant dans les médias
SEE PAGE 7
Almost five years ago, United States President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act enshrining the United States Space Force into law The Space Force, an armed service focused on developing a competitive edge in space, will ensure national security from the “ultimate high ground,” according to Trump Little did Trump know, this decision
SEE PAGE 8
BY ELIAN JORAND
Dans le contexte du conflit de Gaza entre Israël et le Hamas, le Yémen, déjà en proie à ses propres troubles internes, se trouve de plus en plus impliqué dans des complexités régionales, principalement orchestrées par le mouvement houthis montant Alors que le pays navigue sur ce terrain
SEE PAGE 15
This is a story of two desires
One is a desire to understand others, build bridges, find common ground, and find compatibility This desire is often satisfied by translation, or at least a search for a word that is close to encapsulating the meaning hidden within the ink of its letters
SEE PAGE 13
The results of the Turkish local elections, which took place on March31,were,formostobservers, anything but predictable In a final count that left the opposition buoyed by a rare taste of success and the government facing an unexpected defeat, re-elected Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamığlu seemed to have captured the unified feeling of a nation when he remarked that “The rules of Turkish politics are being rewritten”
Turkey was all but overtaken by what has been called a “red wave”
While the customary red of the main opposition party colors the west of the election map, as usual, what is surprising though is the slow creep eastward towards historical government party AKP strongholds in central Anatolia
The opposition CHP took a total of 10 mayorships from the AKP, for a final split of 35 cities being governed by the opposition while thegovernmentwon24 Behindthe
numbers, however, is a startling shift in the balance of politics Having received 377 percent of the vote, the CHP will now govern 488 percent of Turkey’s population, with the rest split between the three relevant opposition parties It has taken control of almost all industrial and culturalcentersinthecountry
This massive rebalancing of power has set off much speculation: are voters finally sick of Erdoğan, entering his twenty-second year in some form of power? Or is this a warning rather than a complete withdrawal of support? Almost all of the provinces that voted for the AKP in March had overwhelmingly elected Erdoğan in the general elections last year, granting him his second presidential term Are economicfactorsthecauseofamass disengagementfromtherulingparty, orarethereotherreasonsatplay?
Another shift in the political paradigm took place in Istanbul, whereincumbentCHPfavorite
Imamoğlu took a comfortable victory, despite much hand wringing about the changing preferences of Kurdish voters In his victory speech, he highlighted the fact that he had won not just against governmentsupported candidate Murat Kurum, but also the president and all of his ministers Istanbul has long been considered the battleground of Turkey's future, with President Erdoğan himself linking his blooming political career to his early success as the mayor of the city It has been a site of a shrewd powerplay throughout the election cycle, with Erdoğan throwing his and his government's support very visibly behind Kurum This perceived victory over the President himself bodes well for Imamoğlu’s future Since the 2019 elections, he has been the ideal unity presidential candidate of the opposition Having lost his chance last year to outgoing party chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, this victory guarantees his place on the ballot in the upcoming 2029 elections
Kurdish voters, who undeniably carried Imamoğlu to victory in Istanbul, defied expectations by voting for Imamoğlu in droves An enthusiastic campaign by proKurdish DEM Party leaders in the city amounted to a meager two percent of votes, with Imamoğlu retaining and even increasing the gap with his rival Despite the disintegration of the formal opposition alliance, voters seem to have stuck together behind Imamoğlu–a saving grace for a party long concerned with balancing the Kurdishandhomenationalistvote
When it comes to the AKP, the big question is “Why?” All indicators, as well as several statements from party insiders, seemed to indicate that Erdoğan was expecting a comfortable victory, even in Istanbul When even the most preliminary results were not in the AKP’s favor, Erdoğan canceled his planned victory speech in Istanbul andsetofftowardsAnkara
There, he gave a delayed speech after midnight, in which he acknowledged his defeat and promised to reflect and earn the peoples’ favor once more A big topic of discussion regarding the somewhat nonsensical AKP failure has been Turkish policy toward Israel considering the war in Gaza In the weeks leading up to the election, well-known journalist Metin Cihan caused massive backlash against the government policy vis-a-vis Israel by unearthing documents showing the trade of government-owned firms with Israel, despite strong condemnations of the state’s actions in Gaza by the government In parallel, the election cycle had seen the AKP forge closer ties with the Welfare Once Again Party, which in the later stages heavily criticized the government on this point from its Islamist stance The message seemed to resonate, as the realistically minor party managed to walk away with two cities taken from the AKP at the end of election, which perhaps served as a beacon for those who felt betrayed by the president's hypocrisy
Other minor parties also suffered–nationalist IYI Party leader Meral Akşener was widely considered to have dug her own grave when she walked out of the opposition allianceoverdisagreementsonthe candidate in 2023 Her party, made up of ex-government coalition voters, has always had a strong strain of anti-government feeling which fueled its alliance with the opposition After a disappointing performance in general elections, where the party failed to attract pro-government voters, as was their primary purpose, the party had been in a state of limbo Election results reflected this, as the party, which used to be the 4th largest in Turkey, won a singular province in central Anatolia and a humiliating 377 percent of the vote Upon learning of the results, Akşener announced her resignation among a wave of the same
The post election landscape has been predictably rocky as the government scrambles to hold onto power where it still can In southeastern Van, won by Abdullah Zeydan of the proKurdish DEM Party, the government wasted no time issuing a decree to remove the mandate of the mayor-elect This is a part of a larger pattern of mayoral removals in the Kurdish southeastofthecountry
While all candidates are preapproved by the Supreme Electoral Board prior to being granted permission to run, the government post facto accused Zeydan of ties tothePKK,whichTurkeyconsiders a terrorist organization, and thus granted the mayorship to the runner-up AKP candidate Zeydan, who had served a prison sentence for attending the funerals of PKK members, drew support from the local population as well as statements from major political figures After a tense few days of protest and brutal suppression by the Turkish state, Zeydan was surprisingly reinstated to his post bytheSupremeElectoralBoard
The elections marked a significant shiftinthepoliticalparadigmofthe Turkish state The surprising victory of the opposition reflects a growing discontentment with the ruling AKP, raising questions about the future trajectory of Turkish politics As parties strategize for the looming 2029 presidential race, the stage is set for a period of realignment in the political sphere Only time will tell if it garners results
The surprising victory of the opposition reflects a growing discontentment with the ruling AKP, raising questions about the future trajectory of Turkish politics. As parties strategize for the looming 2029 presidential race, the stage is set for a period of realignment in the political sphere. Only time will tell if it garners results.
On March 14, 2018, after leaving a meeting in the center of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, city councilwoman Marielle Franco and her driver were brutally shot by 13 bullets Thefollowingday,theheadofRio's civil police, Rivaldo Barbosa, visited the family of the victim He promised them the investigation would be their priority and calmed thedistressedfamilywithhopesof justice Six years later, Barbosa was arrested under the suspicion of being one of the three individuals behind Marielle's murder
Marielle Franco was a prominent name in the political scene of Rio A left-wing politician raised in a favela (a specific type of Brazilian slums)andactingasoneofthefew black queer politicians; her image was antagonistic to the waves of conservatism that would elect Bolsonaro a few months after her assassination She was an active advocate for human rights, with a particular focus on the work of militias in Rio and their violent administration over the city's periphery Before her assassination, Marielle had been working towards stopping the illegal seizing of land in Rio's west side for speculation and paragovernmental authority over the neighborhood
The investigations were carried out for years, hitting the Brazilian headlines often with small findings, questionable plea bargains, and occasionally essential advancements to the case It was only in March 2019 that two former police officers were arrested and convicted of being the hitmen It was still not clear, however, who had been behind this operation For the years that followed, a question lingered that tainted Bolsonaro's administration: Who ordered the killingofMarielle?
The question was present not only in official government discussions and protests but also in art and graffiti throughout all the main streets of Brazilian cities The image of Marielle became a figure of opposition to Bolsonaro's government and an overt depiction of how militias in Rio had obtainedamonopolyovercrucial
administrative features In 2020, impeached governor Wilson Witzel admitted to having intervened in the investigation of Marielle's death Moreover, the recent arrest of Rivaldo Barbosa, chief of Rio's civil police in 2018, rejects the idea once put forward by Brazilian media outlets that her assassination was a perfect crime – rather, it exposes to thepublicthatitwasaninvestigation pampered with corruption at all times
use this land for social purposes, popularhousingpurposes"
Albeit the confinement of the masterminds of the crime, justice seems far from being reached Recently, Rio's mayor, Eduardo Paes, was present at a candidacy pre-launching event for a member of the Brazão family Governors and politicians have praised and upheld the same militia political familiesthathavelongbrought
victims of violence and repression Past efforts to combat the issue have been just as tragic – Temer's militarization of Rio in 2018 cultivated an environment of violence that led to Marielle's assassination, and direct military operations in slums have caused an outrageous number of civil casualties (namely the Jacerizinho slaughterof2021)
Chiquinho and Domingos Brazão were also convicted of ordering the assassination of Marielle The Brazão family is an established political family in Rio, receiving most of its support from voters in the highly-populated west side of the city According to investigations, Barbosa, in a scheme with the brothers, would have promised immunity to the architects of the crime The same investigations have also pointed to a robust relationship between the family and the illegal subdivision of landinthearea
The Minister of Justice Ricardo Lewandowski recently stated, "She was opposed precisely to this group that, in the Rio City Council, wanted to regularize land to use it for commercial purposes, while the councilwoman'sgroupwantedto
According to an investigation by Insight Crime, one of Rio's most prominent militias, Escritório do Crime, is composed mainly of former and serving police officers So, it does not come as a surprise that this precise militia was involved in the murder of Marielle, nor that the bullet used in her assassination had been registered under federal property to the militarypolice
Attempts to tackle the militia question in Rio have been beyond unsuccessful Paramilitias are now long established in governmental institutions and have acted as a quasi-governmental force in Rio's periphery for decades The political assassination of Marielle does not exist in a vacuum; it standsalongsidenumerousother
While dealing with the issue of militias in Rio seems inconceivable, it is nonetheless necessary Political voices like Marielle are crucial in confronting the presence of militia groups in governmental institutions and serving as representatives to those who have fallen victim to the mundane violence present in Rio's most impoverished neighborhoods In the words of Marielle herself "How many more will have to die for this waragainstthepoortobeover?"
"How many more will have to die for this war against the poor to be over?"
“No to private universities” and“Free education for all” read some of the signs seen in the protests that shook numerous cities of Greece from the beginning of January until the end of March Students and teachers took to the streets to express their opposition to the proposition of a legislation titled “Free university,” aiming to improve Greek higher education, all while hiding some important contradictions
The education system in Greece might not be fundamentally different from other European countries, however it does present a major particularity: foreign and non-state universities are prohibited from opening branches in the country According to Article 16 of the Constitution: “Education at university level shall be provided exclusively by institutions which are fully self-governed public law legal persons These institutions shall operate under the supervision of the State and are entitled to financial assistance from it ” And while a couple of private universities do exist (such as The American College of Greece) , they are seen as inferior in terms of recognition and are not necessarily as appreciated by the population This stems from the belief that the diploma acquired by someone who studied hard to pass the Panhellenic (university entrance) exams and got into a public university, should not be consideredequaltosomeonewho
did not put in the same effort, but had the financial means that helped them get into a private one While this might sound absurd to most, considering that private and branches of foreign universities exist almost everywhere around the world, in a country such as Greece, ensuring that higher education remains public has been a fundamentalgoal
So, the question remains: will the new law passed by the Parliament put at risk public higher education, or will it reshape the education landscape in Greece, attracting foreign students, and possibly, investments? The Ministry of Education defines the term "Free University" to describe, on one hand, the strengthening and additional autonomy of public academic institutions and, on the other hand, the liberation of higher education from an anachronistic state monopoly According to the new Bill, students enrolling at private branches of private universities, will have to meet certain criteria, such as going through Panhellenic exams and achieving a minimum pass mark for the subject they intend to study However, couldn’t this still be criticized as unconstitutional, given the fact that the law directly violates Article 16? To answer this concern, the Ministry of Education underlined the importance of not considering the Constitution as a series of legal principles frozen in time, but rather as something that needstobeinterpretedaccordingto
the context and the changes that a country must go through to evolve
Since this topic has caused polemic reactions in Greece, I decided that it was necessary to ask the opinion of a student currently studying in the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (UoA), who could share their view on a decision that directly impacts them and their education
Why do you think the new bill allowing the establishment of branches of foreign private universities in Greece has caused such strong reactions from studentsandprofessorsequally?
A: There was a severe lack of information on the law and what changes exactly it would bring, which aggravated the situation But most importantly, the bill “Free university” could depreciate the diplomas obtained from state universities, as well as “reduce” the effort that students put in, in order to get into university As far as the value of the diploma goes, so far having graduated from a state university has been appreciated more than graduating fromaprivateone
Do you think that this law would deteriorate public higher education, or do you consider that certain progress might come outofit?
I
I personally believe that it’s extremely important that as a country we have maintained and protected our right to free higher education for all Also, it is true that students put in a lot of effort to get into university and the depreciation of their diploma is a real risk However, it’s possible that more international students might choose Greece to study thanks to the availability of English taught classes Even if universities such as UoA already have classes taught in English, these universities might have a more organized approach. Problems might arise however, if the State reduces even more the funding that it provides to public universities, in order to benefit foreignones
While this law remains extremely contradictory, it is important to highlight the fact that having branches of foreign universities and non-state ones, could contribute to the effort of reducing the Brain drain that the country has long suffered, by attracting international students and foreign investments However, could this necessarily be considered the best solution, considering state universities in Greece are already facing numerous problems, such as a lack of funding and academic staff, hamperingtheirabilitytomeetthe demands of students seeking qualityhighereducation?
“Les valeurs de la masculinité sont reniées par les féministes”, déclare un groupe d’hommes se définissant comme “masculinistes” à la journaliste
Mélanie Gourarier dans un article paru dans Le Monde en 2017 Vous avez sûrement déjà entendu sur les réseaux sociaux comme Instagram ou TikTok des discours similaires, clamant que la place des hommes dans la société est menacée par le mouvement féministe, considéré comme une forme de militantisme extrémiste Depuis plusieurs années, ce discours monte en flèche partout dans le monde, et beaucoup s'inquiètent d’un retour en arrière pourl'égalitédesgenres
Alors,qu’est-cequelemouvement masculiniste ? Il s 'agit d'une idéologie, un mouvement social souvent vu comme réactionnaire et antiféministe Parmi ses valeurs figurent la masculinité “conventionnelle”, la réaffirmation et la promotion des différences hommes-femmes, la défense des privilèges masculins et enfin la lutte contre les féministes
Il s’agit avant tout d’affirmer les “droits des hommes” sur certains points, tels que des positions favorables quant au divorce, les différences de rôle plus traditionnels entre hommes et femmes et même la demande d’un système de codécision en matière d’avortement Un autre terme est aussi utilisé, celui “d’hoministe”, par des défenseurs masculinistes trouvant ce terme trop dépréciatif Il y a de nombreux différents groupes plus ou moins nuancés s’identifiant à ce mouvement Les moins extrême, tels que SOS Papa, SOS misandrie en France ou dans les pays anglosaxons le groupe Father 4 justice déclarent qu’une nouvelle société matriarcale s’installe au détriment des hommes, et s’engagent pour les hommes victimes de violence sexuelle et les intérêts des hommes lors des divorces Ils s'intéressent notamment à la fin des obligations matérielles telles que la pension alimentaire ou le partage des biens En 2009, un ex-membre de l’association SOS Papa, aidé par 4 autres membres, a écopé de 6 ans de prison pour avoir kidnappé son enfantettentéd’assassinerla
mère Plongeant plus profondément dans l'extrême, la communauté incels (ou hommes célibataires involontairement) dénonce les femmes comme responsables de leur célibat et de leur frustration sexuelle Urban Dictionary définie les hommes incels comme : « persuadés que les femmes doivent leur offrir du sexe » La communauté est présente surtout sur Reddit et 4Chan, et certains internautes peuvent aller jusqu’a demander un “droit de viol” ou l’appel au meurtre Notamment, la tuerie de Toronto en 2018 avait été commise par un jeune homme membre de la communauté incels déclarant détester les femmes pour leur rejet de ses avances, menant à la mort de 8 femmes et 2 hommes De nombreux autres groupes, tels que les MGTOW ou les Hommen, font la promotion de la prostitution, de la fin du mariage en faveur des relations à court terme, déclarant les femmes comme des fardeaux financiers, ou s’opposentaumariagehomosexuel
Comme mentionné, ce mouvement s’exprime surtout à travers les réseaux sociaux, des associations et des forums de discussion dans des groupes appelés la “manosphère” Vous les avez sûrement déjà vu, ces hommes se déclarant comme virils, comme hommes “alphas” promouvant une perspective conservatrice et traditionnelle du rôle des femmes et des hommes, allant à l'encontre du mouvement féministe Nombre d’entre eux parviennent à influencer des millions de jeunes garçons et jeunes hommes sur Internet En 2023, 37% des hommes en France considèrent que le mouvement féministe est une menace à leur place dans la société, selon le journal La Croix A l’international, et sur TikTok surtout, des personnalités masculinistes, ou “alpha male” tels que Andrew Tate ou les membres du podcast Red Pills, sont en vogue, déclarant être en dehors du système, en dehors de la “Matrix” et pouvoir aider les autres hommes et garçons à séduire et retrouver leur place en tant qu’hommes dominants (etriches)
Et cette tendance à renier les valeurs modernes de l’égalité homme-femme ne se limite pas aux hommes.
Leuralter-egofémininssontaussien hausse, notamment sur TikTok pour promouvoir un style de vie “traditionnel”, déclarant que le mouvement féministe aujourd’hui ne sertplusàrienetqu’ilfautretourner aux valeurs basées sur les rôles “biologiques” des femmes, sur la famille de l’homme comme gagnepain et des femmes comme simples compagnes Nous pouvons citer à l’international l’internaute sous le pseudonyme de Pearl ou en France Thais D’Escufon, clamant que les femmes sont manipulées par la société pour rejeter les hommes et se ralliant au mouvement masculinisteetincel
De nombreux membres de ces mouvements proposent d’ailleurs des formations en ligne, payantes, pour devenir des hommes et des femmes de “qualité” et sortir de la “matrix” pour contrôler le système sociétaireetleurfutur
Dans le journal Le Monde, une journaliste explique que ce mouvement est en propagation dans le monde, et mène au renforcement des normes patriarcales En effet, elle explique que plusieurs membres de ce mouvement déclare des “excès” de féminisme, se sentent rabaissés par le terme “porc” dans le #balancetonporc Le mouvement masculiniste serait menacé par les mouvement tels que #MeToo, comme le clament haut et fort ces slogans“Notallmen!”
Internet pour adresser cette pensée montante, notamment en tentant d’éduquer de manière plus nuancée sur ce que signifie être un homme ou une femme. Par exemple, le compte Instagram Tu Bandes, tenu par un homme de 26 ans, prend en main la “masculinité bienveillante”, ou une perspective du monde visant à intégrer les hommes de manière saine et égalitaire dans les discussions, tout en éduquant sur la sexualité, le consentement et lesstéréotypes
Si la liberté d’expression est un principe clé au 21eme siècle, l’incitation à la haine et la violence ne doit pas être tolérée Ainsi , il est toujours bon de rappeler que le féminisme n’est pas la supériorité de la femme sur l’homme, mais bien l’égalité des genres dans notre société, et que les mouvements extrémistes peuvent et doivent être combattu avec bienveillance, éducation et discussions!
“La peur mène à la colère, la colère mène à la haine, la haine mèneàlasouffrance”
MaîtreYoda
La politique regorge de mystères L’un d’eux, parmi les plus importants, est l’explication d’un phénomène à l'œuvre depuis quelques décennies dans les démocraties occidentales Ce phénomène est l’entrée des partis qualifiés par leurs adversaires d’extrême-droite au centre du jeu politique Qualifiés d'extrêmedroite, mais jamais revendiqués comme tels L’explication classique est simple : depuis la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale et les horreurs du régime nazi, le qualificatif d’extrême-droite est devenu plus que péjoratif Refuser l’étiquette infâme ne serait alors qu’une stratégie afin de ne pas effrayer un électorat modéré. Poussé à son paroxysme, cela culminerait dans une politique de dédiabolisation consistant non seulement à refuser la qualification d’extrême-droite, mais même à adopter des positions modérées tout en gardant, au fond, un mêmefildirecteurraciste
Mais peut-être ne sont-ce là que des idées fausses, fruit d’une vision déformée de la situation politique contemporaine Réaliser un lien direct entre les extrêmesdroites d’hier et d’aujourd’hui serait alors une erreur Certes, hier comme aujourd’hui, ces partis se fondent sur l’acharnement contre une population minoritaire, boucémissaire explicatif de tous les maux dont le plus important se trouverait être le délitement du pays Toutefois, le degré de radicalité serait tellement différent qu’il entraînerait un changementdenature Affirmer cela serait faire preuve d’une naïveté confondante Ce serait oublier que l'extrêmedroite ne se réduit pas au projet génocidaire hitlérien, mais constitue une famille politique plus large dont les hérauts contemporains ne font que reprendre les thèses traditionnelles Rejet de l’étranger, projet autoritaire, opposition à la démocratie représentative, complotisme Les racines sont les mêmes et le danger toujours présent La majorité des électeurs français l’a compris et vote contre les représentantsde
t
l’extrême-droite Mais ils furent toujours moins nombreux : Jacques Chirac recueillait 82% des suffrages en 2002, Emmanuel Macron 66% en 2017 et seulement 58% en 2022 La baisse représente quand même un quartdessuffragesexprimés
Presque partout en Occident, un même phénomène s’observe : les digues ne s’effondrent pas toujours, maisnecessentdes’affaiblir
Dans un contexte de marasme économique et de questionnement identitaire dans un monde plus que jamais changeant, pourquoi sommesnous en train de reproduire les erreursdupassé?
Différentes explications ont été apportées L’une, parmi les plus classiques et que l’auteur partageait il y a peu, est la peur peur de l’immigration ou du déclassement économique Pour le politologue et professeur à Sciences Po Martial Foucault, dont l’interview joue un rôle central dans la rédaction de cet article, ce n’est pas la peur mais la colère qui explique ce vote Un ouvrage, Les origines du populisme, appuie notamment cette thèse Dans différents pays occidentaux, les enquêtes sont formelles : le principal déterminant du vote pour les partis extrémistes est la colère Simplement, la colère se marie avec uneconfianceélevéepourles
électeurs d’extrême-gauche alors que cette colère s’allie avec une forte méfiance pour les électeurs d’extrême-droite
La question du déclencheur du vote pour l’extrême-droite n’est pourtant pas résolue Si la colère est corrélée, est-elle pour autant la cause du vote ? N’y a-t-il pas une variable cachée échappant aux enquêtes statistiques ? Et si effectivement c’est la colère qui entraîne le vote, la question est de savoircequidéclenchecettecolère
Lorsque l’on ne dispose pas de preuves empiriques de ce que l’on affirme, l’appel au bon-sens est souvent utile Ce dernier permet de trancher la question : oui c’est évidemment la colère qui cause le vote pour l’extrême-droite car cette dernière propose un programme, justement, colérique En colère contre la mondialisation, contre l’immigration, contre l’Europe, contre les “élites” Mais de quoi naît cette colère ? Pour répondre, revenons à la citation du vénérable Maître Yoda “La peur mène à la colère” Effectivement, il est raisonnable de considérer que la peur contient les germes de la colère Si les étrangers ou la mondialisation sont la source de tant de colère, c’est avant tout car ils provoquent de la peur Les “étrangers”, la “mondialisation”, c’est au fond très flou, très impersonnel,trèsinconnu
Et l’inconnu effraie On nous objectera que nous ne faisons que déplacer la focale analytique sans répondre clairement à la question D’accord, l’ignorance d’une chose mène à sa crainte, et la crainte constituelelitdelacolère Maison ne peut pas affirmer que c’est l'ignorance qui explique le vote pour l’extrême-droite À moins d’affirmer que les sociétés occidentalessontfrappéesparune nouvelle épidémie d’ignorance, l’idéenefaitsens
Finalement, l’essence du vote pour l’extrême-droite, si elle existe, demeure insaisissable Mais son fruit reste connu, car la colère mène à la haine qui, elle-même, mèneàlasouffrance
Nous remercions notre professeur de sciences politiques, Martial Foucault pour ses précieuses analyses sur la question du vote pour l’extrême-droite qui ont permis de nourrir cet article et à l’auteurd’affinersonopinion
Si vous lisez ceci, vous êtes probablement élèves de Sciences Po Je ne vous apprendrai donc rien en vous disant que notre université, et le campus de Menton en particulier, souffre d’une image pour le moins ternie par des accusations d’antisemitisme et autres propos diffamatoires circulant dans les médias Mais les questions qui demeurent sont : pourquoi en sommes nous arrivés là, et comment est-ce que cela nousimpacteconcrètement?
Depuis le 7 octobre, Sciences Po a été au centre de l’attention pour les positions prises par ses élèves en relation au conflit en cours Mais le campus de Menton en a souffert doublement En tant que campus ‘Méditerranée Moyen Orient’ il est le plus directement affecté car ce conflit touche à notre zone géographique de prédilection, mais aussi car il touche certains de nos camarades de près Pourtant, la discussion a été difficile et la gestion compliquée
En effet, notre campus a souffert d'attaques par des élus locaux d’extrême droite visant directement certains étudiants en postant des vidéos de leurs visages dans un but de diffamation du campus Ils les ont ainsi mis au centre d’une attention qui n'était pas voulue et haineuse De plus, les médias ont abondamment répété que notre campus était “antisemite”, associant tout une communauté étudiante aux actes certes répréhensibles mais non représentatifs d’une petite minorité, et vidant de son sens cette notion si grave et complexe Il est donc impossible de ne pas être choqué de la durée durant laquelle ces propos ont pu circuler en ligne, endommageant gravement l’image de notre campus
On pourrait peut être penser que la réputation du campus, et de Sciences Po plus largement, s’en remettra probablement; après tout, les classements QS ne semblentpasentenircompte,
Sciences Po arrive 2 ème en politique, et c’est peut être tout ce qui compte Néanmoins, cette attention médiatique est grave, car elle attise les divisions et fragilise notre confiance dans la capacité de notre institution à nousprotéger
Souffrant d’une gouvernance instable, nous nous sommes donc retrouvés démunis Qui plus est, les propos ont été plus d’une fois démentis par des élèves de manière très ouverte, mais étrangement cela ne semble pas autant attirer les médias
En ce qui concerne les impacts directs de ces accusations, notre campus en souffre déjà En effet, le président de MEDMUN, l’une des cinq associations permanentes du campus, a évoqué la difficulté à inviter certains diplomates ou à nouer des partenariats avec certaines marques qui ne voudraient pas que cette image leur soit associée Pour lui, il est d’autant plus difficile de se défendre contre de telles positions tant que Sciences Po ne fait pas de “contre attaque”, car sans un démenti officiel nous n 'avonsquepeud’arguments
Néanmoins, il est important de reconnaître l'existence dans notre campus de postures antisémites Comme la conférence du 24 avril nous l’a rappelé, les élèves juifs de notre campus en ont souffert Les témoignagesl’ontmontré,nousne sommes pas toujours très à l’aise Il est aussi important de se rendre compte que l’antisemitisme est souvent mal compris En effet, ce que certains voient comme anodin ne l’est pas toujours pour ceux à qui ça s 'adresse systématiquement Et oui les ‘blagues’ stéréotypes toujours justifiées a ce titre sont dures à vivre, et oui être convoqué sur la conversation a propos du conflit en Israël/Palestine sans toujours être à l'aise pour donner notre perspective est un problème Je doisl’admettre,durantlemois
d’octobre et même depuis, certains jourscemalaisem’aenvahie Maisje refuse de laisser ces angoisses définir notre campus et mon expérience Ce n’est pas en stigmatisant tout le campus que ce sera résolu En effet, la reprise de la vraiesouffrancedecertainsélèvesà des fins politiques rend le dialogue d’autant plus difficile La diffamation venant des médias pousse à des réactions antagonistes de certains qui empêchent la discussionmodéréeethonnête
Almost five years ago, United States President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act enshrining the United States Space Force into law The Space Force, an armed service focused on developing a competitive edge in space, will ensure national security from the “ultimate high ground,” according to Trump Little did Trump know, this decision would condemn him to an onslaught of criticism: the show Space Force, a satire of the sixth branch of the United States armed forces, was released on Netflix a year later Despite the mounting criticism, government agencies and corporations were paying close attention, legitimately considering “space as awarfightingdomain.”
The term “space race” is one that has historically referred to the politically driven standoff that took place between the United States and the USSR during the Cold War This battle for ideological influence ushered in the creation of satellite technology, human space travel, and multi-planetary exploration
However, in recent years, a new space race has emerged, dominated by non-state actors seeking to expand economic opportunity through resource extraction and attempts of extraterrestrial colonization Extraterrestrial colonization refers to the settlement of celestial bodies and has been the subject of discussion for lunar expeditions and Elon Musk’s ambitions to render Mars inhabitable
Tim Marshall, author of The Power of Geography: Ten Maps that Reveal the Future of our World, declares that future geopolitical disputes are no longer limited to terrestrial boundaries and resources Already, a new wave of innovation has found a foothold in space: agendas including moon colonization, strategies for meteorite space mining, and security innovations like Lockheed Martin’s Space Fence are already in place Naturally, the expanded presence of state actors and corporations in outer space has also raised the issue of space governance
Everett Dolman, a political theoristandspacestrategist,
onceived the idea of “astropolitik” to navigate space governance In his book, Dolman describes astropolitik as the realist approach to space policy and conquest, where space becomes the center of the global hegemonic struggle His conceptual framework divides space into zones, highlighting near-Earth space, or low Earth orbit, as the most critical domain to ensure national security In recent years, near-Earth space has been the primary focus of space politics, as states have entertained ideas of extraterrestrial exploration but largely directed their commercial space efforts on a low Earth orbit economy (LEO economy) The LEO economy describes the commercial activity that is related to low Earth orbit, the space within 2,000 km of the Earth’s surface The International Space Station is the primary spacecraft stationed in low Earth orbit, but the expansion of the LEO will include production and trade including a rising number of actors in the sectors of commercial space travel, telecommunications and satellite deployment
While the weaponization of outer space for political dominance began in the first space race, numerous instances during and after the Cold War have emphasized space as a setting for power politics. The ReaganAdministrationintroduced
the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) in 1983, dubbed the “Star Wars” program Cold War tensions were still a prominent concern at this point, as the objective of the program was to combat the threat of nuclear attack by the Soviet Union in the waning years of the Cold War While the SDI represents a case of space militarization, the International Space Station (ISS) has been a nexus of international collaboration for fifteen nations since its conception in the 1990s Russia plays a significant role in the ISS, and its participation in the ISS signified improved relations between the United States and the Russian Federation at the end of the 20th century Even today, international cooperation remains a relevant characteristic of outer space exploration, albeit in a more exclusive manner Since 2020, a group of 36 nations, including the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and Japan, have signed the Artemis Accords, a set of nonbinding agreements governing lunar expeditions and resource extraction on the moon Marshall likens the successful feat of moon colonization, the international effort to establish sovereign colonies on the moon, to the historical influence of maritime powers This crucial aspect provides an explanation for why the Artemis Accordsnotablylackthe
participation of China and Russia Instead, the two superpowers plan to build a joint research station on the moon in the coming years, offering an alternative approach to lunar exploration, further exacerbating the power struggle materializing in the race for moon resources
Excluding state actors and space agencies, Silicon Valley entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are also actively shaping the environment of the new space race, characterized as the “ Billionaire Space Race ” Bezos entered the commercial space craze with the founding of his company Blue Origin in 2001, which is now contracting for the Pentagon alongside defense companies like Lockheed Martin Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla and X, started SpaceX as a way to revolutionize the aerospace industry by reducing waste with reusable rockets However, in its 22-year lifespan, Musk’s SpaceX has not only accomplished the unprecedented feat of recycling rocket components and launching Teslas into space; it has also been altering the landscape of internet connectivity through SpaceX’s satellite network, Starlink The satellite system, which is present in over 40 countries, consists of 5,600 active satellites in low Earth orbit, accounting for more than 50% of the Earth’s active satellites Taking Starlink’s expansive reach into account, Bezos’ Blue Origin seems to be playing a game of catch-up withMusk’sestablishednetwork
Starlink is a prime example of the increasing authority that non-state actors have amassed globally, where tech stakeholders have found themselves altering outcomes of armed conflict Musk found himself at the center of a military escalation when he received a request from Ukrainian authorities to activate satellites in an offensive against Russian ships in Crimea Since before the fullscale war in Ukraine began, antagonism in the celestial sphere has led to renewed tensions reminiscent of the Cold War Sources suggest that Russia is developing a nuclear space weapon that would target satellites, signaling potentially catastrophic consequences for Starlink While Biden assured the American public thatthisweapondoesnotpresent
a current threat to their personal safety, Russia’s progress in developing a satellite-targeted space weapon remains largely unknown Either way, such a weapon would remain a last resort for Russia, as it would pose a mutual danger to their own satellites among the foreign spacecraft
Ultimately, the power distribution in global politics has undoubtedly been altered with the venture into astropolitics Peaceful governance, while possible, will require a deescalation of weapons development and a more consolidated space policy Overall, the new space race will be characterized by the manner in which a multitude of actors confront the challenge of creating an all-inclusive legal framework for space governance while also balancing an increasingly multipolar political landscape in thecomingdecades
“I just want you to be happy” At first glance, a wishful statement, a hopeful idea But is this a burdensome phrase, a phrase pregnant with confusion and obsession? I don’t think I understand what happiness means Is happiness a simple idea? Is happiness an ultimate goal, or is happinessmomentary?
Somuchemptylanguagesurrounds happiness:"Happinessisinthelittle things” “Don’t worry, be happy” But these phrases that permeate our lives are nothing but moot, hollow ideas, confusing and irritating at least to me I realize that the concept of happiness occupies a lot of time and space in my mind; thoughts about how to make my decisions I know I am not the only one To debunk the happiness hypothesis, I asked 13 people to give me their ideas on happiness
Is “happiness closing your eyes and not feeling heavy” or is “happiness accepting the cards that you are dealt with”? Does one include the other? In our discussions, two contrasting ideas arose The first one describes happiness as a state, beingfreeofnegativeemotionsand stress, a peaceful moment The second designates happiness as a purpose, a goal, or “something to strive for,” and “happiness as a goal and not something that necessarily exists”
Is happiness the absence of somethingelse?
What do you feel when you feel happy? Is happiness a feeling that can be described? What is happiness in its being? Is it a feeling? In the hardest attempt to delineatehappiness,weallstruggle It’s already hard to describe a feeling;thatbeingsaid,itisafeeling that is heavily discussed and rings in our ears from day one We couldn’t conclude if happiness is the absence of something else Some argued yes, happiness is peace, a mere absence of anything negative, mostly pertaining to imminent stress or anxiety Others objected, claiming that happiness is its own thing, a feeling most closely related to something warm, “a sunny day,” “a conversation with a friend,” or even happiness is ontologically fragile and is solely construedasagoal
Do you think some people are incapableoffindinghappiness?
Even though happiness is complex and misunderstood, all participants agreed that its subjectivity renders it accessible to all Everybody agrees that happiness is so personal that it can be perceived in different ways and personalized to a maximum However, what is the relation of happiness to external stimuli? Is happiness purely based on perception? Thinking of the sun, most people feel happy So, do we have the power of perception over external stimuli, or is it solely dependent on our perception? Given the example of the sun as a predator in Camus’s “L’etranger,” we thought of the associations of things, their value, and the ideas we ascribe to them The sun can be seen as a happiness indicator, an etch to spend the day outside, but according to most participants, the sun can turn into a predator depending on pre-existing emotions If stress is preoccupying one’s mind, then the sunisanannoyance Oneparticipant even mentioned that it depends on familiarity and comfort with external stimuli The sun is as comforting and happy as you understand it to be Rain in a rainy place is comforting, as it is understood as normality, associated withablanketandahotbeverage
Doeshappinesstranscendtime?
When you think about happy memories, do they remain happy? “Eating ice cream with my sister under the sun” will always be a happy memory in my mind But is this pure happiness, or is it amalgamated with sadness, worry, and other negative emotions? I understand that happiness is not pure bliss, but how can you be sad and happy at the same time? I understand that it is not the same for everyone, and a happy moment that has passed for some remains happy and only reminisced in a positivelight
Nostalgia, denoted by homesickness (nostos, ie, return to home, and algos, ie, acute pain), is something we probably all experienced So how can happiness transcend time if it's thinking about something that is lost and can never be relived? Some claim nostalgia is unrelated to happiness,ratheritsownconcept,
even if it can be bittersweet One interpreted nostalgia through the lens of ‘Saudade, in Portuguese,’ described by sadness for missing but happiness for feeling, arguing that happiness transcends time and the longing for a moment, is followed by happiness for the existenceofthemomentinitself Nostalgia can be both happiness and unhappiness Happiness can be tailored; happiness is experienced differently In the end, as arduous as it is to find happiness on your own, it's the only way There cannot be a collectivehappinesshypothesis
Thank you to all participants, this article would not be possible without you! Thanks to Ecesu, Nela,Aysenaz,Marly,Saskia,Louis, Lola, Chams, Juni, Tommi, Pedro, Greg,andMahmoud
In the end, as arduous as it is to find happiness on your own, it's the only way. There cannot be a collective happiness hypothesis.
When many countries are looking to the United States’ elections amid all the others happening in 2024, the European Union (EU) legislative elections will take place on June 9 On that day, citizens of all 27 member states of the EU will be able to vote for the candidates of their national parties to represent them in the European Parliament In a period of major conflicts, the EU plays one of the biggest roles on the international scene Both outside and within its borders, the Union is being sorely testedinthefaceofitschallenges Even on its borders, the crisis existsandhastobetreated
Let’s look at what is exactly at stake on June 9, the day 448 million people will head to the polls
Before entering the subject, let’s make a little reminder for our readers: The EU is a political and economic union of 27 member states in Europe The project traces its roots back to the aftermath of World War II to foster peace, stability, and prosperity on the old continent
The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) precursor to the EU, was established in 1951 by six founding members (Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany) to integrate key industries and prevent future conflicts between European countries Over the decades, the project evolved, expanding its scope to include economic integration, the establishment of a single market, and the adoption of a common currency, the Euro (€) Today, the EU encompasses a wide range of policies and institutions aimed at promoting cooperation, solidarity, and shared values among its memberstates
First, let’s look at the organization of the election The EU Parliament election is organized every five years and for the tenth time this year It is the only time citizens of the European Union can vote directly for their representatives
One fundamental aspect of the EU legislative elections is the proportional representation system Unlike many national electoral systems, where winnertakes-all dynamics prevail, EU elections employ proportional representation, ensuring that the compositionoftheEuropean
Parliament reflects the diverse political spectrum across member states 720 Members of Parliament will be elected this year, with 46 seats deleted postBrexit and 15 seats added since the last elections due to the growing population of member states The seats of each member state are calculated by population size: Germany, the most populated country in the UE (84 million inhabitants) has the largest number of seats (96), and France follows with 81 seats2 were added since 2019 - and the least populated country of the EU, Malta, has the minimum number of seats a state can have: six (as do Cyprus and Luxembourg) Each citizen will have the opportunity to vote for one of his local political parties which is represented in one of the 10 European political parties These 10 parties are united in eight groups that make up the European parliament, covering approximately the entire political landscape like the S&D (Socialists and Democrats) for the left, EPP (European People’s Party) for the center-right, Renew Europe for the right/liberals,
This parliament, the only directly elected legislative branch of the EU, holds significant powers It shares the legislative power with the Council of the European Union (meeting of the ministers of each subject) and it has the authority to amend, approve, or reject proposed legislation, all in collaboration with the Council. This co-legislative role ensures that laws reflect the interests and concerns of EU citizens as represented by their MEPs The European Parliament can also serve as an initiator of legislation While the European Commission has the sole right of legislative initiative, the Parliament can request the Commission to propose new laws or amendments to existing ones in the EU law Moreover, the Parliament can propose its resolutions and reports (of its MEP’s), which may influence the legislative agenda and shape EU policies The Parliament plays a role of scrutiny and oversight over EU institutions Through hearings, inquiries, and the power to adopt resolutions and recommendations, it holds these institutionsaccountable(inthe
citizens
EU) for their actions and decisions, ensuring transparency and democratic accountability The European Parliament is also responsible for the EU budget, still with the Council and the nomination of the president of the Commission and its Commissionerswithhearings
The last election in 2019 had a turnout of 50 66%, and the election saw the first surge in voter participation since the first election in 1979, reflecting heightened interest and engagement in EU affairs among citizens What has been highlighted the most was the rise of populist and eurosceptic parties across Europe Parties like Matteo Salvini's Lega in Italy and Marine Le Pen's Rassemblement National in France made significant gains, reflecting growing disillusionment with mainstream politicsandEUinstitutions
There is an additional challenge with transferring powers to the local such as municipal to the supranational EU level The process is too slow for some Europhiles or giving up too much national sovereignty for Eurosceptics This is where the EU institutions have to find a balance: how to convince the people in the EU’s capital cities as well as the inhabitants of the countryside in the depths of Bulgaria? The challenge of the EU institutions is to convince all its citizens of its project and the impact it can have on the world We can see it, particularly in the war in Ukraine, where the EU provides military resources, welcomes Ukrainians fleeing war, and has fast-tracked the candidacy of Ukraine to the Union Also,intheIsraeli-Palestinian
conflict, the EU plays an important role in diplomacy and humanitarian aid
All the reforms of the EU have been voted on by the former composition of the European parliament and the direction the Union will take will be decided on June 9 The future of the EU and the world is at stake The vote of each citizen of the EU is the key to shaping a consensus for the Union,let’snowseewhichone
The vote of each citizen of the EU is the key to shaping a consensus for the Union, let’s now see which one.
Anotheracademicyearnearsitsend
The approach of the end is marked by the longer hours of daytime and the re-emergence of a softness in the air With 2As increasingly melancholic about their imminent departures, a spirit of contemplation takes hold of the students of the Menton campus The fleeting nature of our time here suddenly becomes conspicuous to us; we arrive, build friendships and connections, and leave after two very short years We leave our mark but ultimately get swept up in the thousands of mosaics that mold the rich history of this institution The eagerlyanticipated arrival of spring thus becomes a bittersweet reminder of the need to move on and undergo a process of detachment yet again Quite literally, as this reveals to us, the trajectory of the students of Sciences Po follows a seasonal progression of time – each season symbolic of a beginning and a conclusion In such a time of reflection, the pertinence of Gustav Klimt’s artwork and the unique outlook it has on ephemerality becomesevidentyetagain
In his 1911 oil on canvas painting, Death and Life, Klimt reminds us that life continues, even in the face of ‘death’ In the Sciences Po context I described above, Death can be interpreted as endings in general It expresses transience and the constraints imposed on us by the cruelty of time Displayed in the Leopold Museum in Vienna, the almost six-foot-tall Death and Life is a melange of meaning, stages and colors It appears fluid to the eye, quite like the transitional phases of life it represents through its curvaceous nude figures The baby, the surrounding young and old women, and the pair of lovers beneath symbolize the many age groups of the human race and are all cocooned in a blanket composed of bright colors Patchwork designs, floralpatterns,circlesandgeometric shapes all blend together and create images that melt into one another This contrasts vividly with the solitary, navy figure of Death He is reminiscent of the night; his robe is embellished with bright crosses erected on a graveyard and star-like speckles of white that illuminate the cool darkness of what appears to allude to the night sky On the other hand, the embracing figures he is eagerly observing discernibly illustratethewarmnessofday,
This is a painting with a title as uncomplicated and clear as its metaphors Its sharp juxtapositions – between soft and hard, nature and abstraction, dark and light, and somber and vibrant – connote an idea that is easily understood by all those who have grasped the concept of mortality However, looking at it yet again, it evokes an additional element internal to the human condition that no simple life-death distinction can convey with true accuracy To understand this, we must dive deeper into the historical era in which it was produced In the early 20th century, a growing fascination with the subconscious permeated the Viennese intellectual sphere following the rising popularity of Freud’s ‘The Interpretation of Dreams’ The figures,withtheexceptionofone,all strikinglyhavetheireyesclosed The way they clutch one another, therefore, evokes not only intimacy but also a dream-like state that denotes the subconscious Against the backdrop of World War I and the increasingly prominent academic interest in looking inward, this painting can be analyzed as a reflection of a collective unconscious that wished to escape materialreality
Moreover,itwasalsopartandparcel of the broader Secession Movement in Vienna, which marked a radical shift in producing and appreciating art With an uncertain sociopolitical environment and under the guiding creativity of Klimt, Austrian artists began challenging conventionally accepted approaches to art and incorporated more innovative techniques – among which, of course, were Klimt’s bold colors, sensual imagery and irregular mosaic designs Observing this painting without understanding the context that spurred its genesis can thereby lead to losing out on the very nuance that makes it exceptional
As with all art, Death and Life was not brought into existence in a vacuum but was very much the product of an age of progress and rising modernity Yet, the principal meaning of it is tied to the fact that life and death are continuous, cyclical and ceaseless The painting itself is thus a juxtaposition, signifying the age-old intrinsic dilemma of human nature amidst a time of irrevocable change. Thus, it can be suggested that what Klimt may have desired with this painting
Even as many attempted to break with the conventions of the past, one thing remained eternal – the universality of beginnings and endings
Awarded the first prize in the 1911 International Art Exhibition in Rome, Death and Life is said to have been described by Klimt as his “most important figurative work” Examining the significance of the skeleton personifying Death could help us see why According to art historians, it is reminiscent of the motif of the ‘dance of death’ / ‘danse macabre,’ which first appeared in the Middle Ages Serving as an emblem that death comes to all regardless of rank and social status, the historic relevance of the subtly smirking skeleton in the painting itself is a reminder of the sense of succession found in human nature and art history Examining the history of Klimt’s artwork can also be insightful in discerning the figurative importance of his stylistic choices in this painting Known for the abundant use of gold in many of his pieces, including in Judith and the HeadofHolofernes,thispainting–
having encountered multiple amendments that removed its traces of gold – can be seen as the outcome of a more mature Klimt who died three years after its conclusion In 1915, the background was painted over with hues of gray, green and blue, almost as if to mimic a sea of consciousness This grants the painting a sentiment of reality; rather than washing out the amorphous blocks with gold and lavish, they are given centerstage Life itself is not glitteringly golden but is grounded in the earthandambiguous
The overall tone of the painting, despite being conscious of the inevitability of Death and conclusion, is not a grim one It is hopeful – the entangled figures on the right are able to ignore the disturbing gaze of Death and continue their streaming slumber in peace They are part of the larger cycle of life, and knowing that life will continue even after their time does not disturb their tranquility Perhaps that should be the lesson to extract from this painting There exists the looming threat of termination just a few steps away, but for the time being, we can enjoy the moments we have and keep holding onto each other
The overall tone of the painting, despite being conscious of the inevitability of Death and conclusion, is not a grim one. It is hopeful – the entangled figures on the right are able to ignore the disturbing gaze of Death and continue their streaming slumber in peace. They are part of the larger cycle of life, and knowing that life will continue even after their time does not disturb their tranquility.
Living in the moment is a great life approach to have In a fast-paced world of busyness and distraction, we can all use this stance to help immerse ourselves in our reality, as opposed to continuously rushing ahead, or lingering in the past If you read any sort of wellness article nowadays, it will list an abundance of reasons why you should ‘live in the moment’focusing on the small things, on the here and now, can make you happier However, despite its widespread popularity, I’ve grown a bit skeptical of this expression, or atleasthowitisoftenexpressed
Oftentimes, it appears to be a pretty and simplistic way to disguise the evasion of responsibility and the avoidance of adult challenges For instance, I’ve heard people use this catchphrase to justify why they stop putting effort into sustaining friendships over a physical distance, or failing to plan ahead for their career That got me thinking: could this philosophy be detrimental to one’s happiness by putting too much pressure on the present? Beyond that, could it be an oversimplification of the human experience?
In this day and age, social media enables us to be interconnected across space and time So, in that sense, living in the moment ceases to be defined by solely geographical parameters, confining ‘the present’ to where you live and the periphery within that Modern technology’s benefits allow us to essentially exist in multiple realities that all come together to create the present Moreover, technology as a means of bridging communication allows us to arguably be more present in more places and for more people in our lives, contradicting the frequently asserted notion that ‘living in the moment’ necessitates an allembracing approach to the here and now, in geographical terms It seems that technology does not inherently make us live less in the present, how we make use of it, though, can Therefore, ‘living in the moment’ can be less about ‘soaking up’ every moment because it is kind of impossible to do so anyway It can instead be more about acknowledging the multiplicity of our presence, which canextendtoourdigital
interactions, thereby broadening the scope of what ‘living in the moment’means
Incontemplatingthis,I’vealsocome to realize that we actually pressure ourselves to be in the moment For instance, when preoccupied with a difficult task or facing a personal challenge, people often tend to guilt-trip themselves for escaping into these parallel realities, rather than being actively engaged ‘in the moment’ Even then, one must once again step into their head to have that inner dialogue rather than just accepting the moment for what it is; be it good or bad, immersive or disconnected This unrealistic expectation-setting can inadvertently lead to stress and guilt, as opposed to understanding of the nuanced reality of being human, which naturally comes with feeling disconnected or distracted fromtimetotime
With this line of thought, we can naturally consider the pressures constructed or rather reinforced by social media Living in the moment often takes on a renewed, glamorized version on social media, whereby the streams of curated content we consume make us feel as though every moment is a memorable one and should be savored and shared in the public sphere Perhaps we can alleviate this pressure by acknowledging the subtle balance that exists between the normal, everyday, mundane moments, and the fleeting ‘Instagrammable’ moments This way, sharing our lives on social media, can seize to be just performance for public consumption and personal capturingofhighlights
Moreover, a simplistic interpretation of ‘living in the moment’ can risk overshadowing the importance of planning ahead and goal-setting People advocating for this life-approach may say that thinking about the future ‘robs’ you of the present, or that it is not useful to plan ahead since those plans are subject to unpredictability anyhow Despite thetruthinthelatteridea,planning ahead can help construct a life with direction, meaning and hence, greaterfulfillment
Ultimately, ‘living in the moment’ should not be about idealizing and relentlessly chasing cameraworthy moments It can be more about accepting the intricacies of the human experience - the dull and the exhilarating, the disconnected and the engaging moments
Ultimately, ‘living in the moment’ should not be about idealizing and relentlessly chasing camera-worthy moments. It can be more about accepting the intricacies of the human experiencethe dull and the exhilarating, the disconnected and the engaging moments.
Oneisadesiretounderstandothers, build bridges, find common ground, and find compatibility This desire is often satisfied by translation, or at leastasearchforawordthatisclose to encapsulating the meaning hiddenwithintheinkofitsletters
Anotherisadesiretoappreciateand celebrate difference, to celebrate the nuances, the peculiarities of language This desire is satisfied conversely by the inability to translate; the search for words whose meaning cannot be encapsulated by means of a word or phrase in another language I’ve often been confronted with the question: “Are there any words in Welsh that can’t be translated?” The default answer is always the most well-known, ‘hiraeth’ The ability to translate ‘hiraeth’ is debated; whether it may simply correlate to a sense of ‘yearning’ or ‘longing,’ or whether it’s a deeper feeling, or indeedadistinctly‘Welsh’feeling
The Mediterranean Sea is quite often described as a space for dialogue between cultures; a ‘crossroads’, a ‘hotbed’ of cultures Its waves may be visualized in many ways, portraying both desires; flowing in a particular direction from east to west or vice versa, or indeed as a mélange of currents amalgamating into some sort of unity
Such is the joy of multilingualism, as I drop a French word naturally into an English sentence: the ability to appreciate not only a different means of communication but also a different means of thinking I’m often struck by how a word may have a simple translation in another language, yet it won’t be used in the same way, in the same phrasing, or in the same context For example, Duolingo may teach you that the French je vous en prie means ‘you’re welcome,’ yet it’s much closer in its rootandusetotheItalianprego
Evidently, translating meaning is enoughofachallengeinitself,inthis perhaps surface-level search for corresponding meanings If we were to delve deeper by looking at the roots of words and phrases, would we get closer to a true understandingofmeaning?
Let’s take the example of the ummah, washing up on the shores ofourcampusinMenton Returning home clad in our fresh ‘ummah Mentoniyya’ hoodies, my explanation of its meaning to inquisitive family and friends was ‘community’, the Menton campus community
Indeed, it is deemed plausible to encapsulate the general sense of ummah as community, as Abdullah al-Ahsan argues, for example: “The general sense of the term, ‘community’ is clear, and an association with the term umm, ‘mother; source,’ is plausible both linguistically and to native speakers of Arabic” The author attests that this is sufficient evidence to support the hypothesis that the term is not a borrowing from anotherlanguage
Asyiqin Ab Halim, meanwhile, prefers to translate ummah as ‘brotherhood,’ in discussing the relationship, or lack thereof, as disputed by scholars, with the term ‘asabiyyah’, which can also mean ‘anger’ in some dialects The root here is again illuminating to comprehension of its true meaning. It is linguistically derived from ‘asab’,whichistakentomean‘bind’
Not only have the waters of meaning flowed from Arabic to English and other languages with centers further west, but historically they have also flowed in the other direction, for example through the Arab scholars who traveled to France in the 19th century
One is immediately struck in ‘An Imam in Paris’ by Rifa’a Rafi‘ alTahtawi (at least, ironically, in Daniel L Newman’s translation) by a similar search for corresponding meanings, particularly with regards to ‘Rights accorded to the French people’Seebelowafewexamples:
“Article 1 All Frenchmen are equal before the law (shari’a)” The literal translation of shari’a is ‘way’ or ‘path’ It’s more recognized as the term for traditional Islam religious law based largely on the Qur'an, which has equality as an intrinsic principle
“Article 18 The state executes laws onlyiftheyhavebeenagreedbythe
majority (jumhūr) of both Chambers”. Jumhūr is derived from ‘crowd’ or ‘public’, but is largely agreedtoalsomean‘majority’
“Article 45 The Chamber is divided into small councils called bureaux (al-būrū), ie offices, whose members are entrusted with examining matters designated and submitted by the king” My first impression of this correlation was that they must share a common origin Yet it seems not to be even a translation, rather a transliteration, transferring this foreignconcepttoEgyptbykeeping its pronunciation as close as possibletotheoriginalFrench
These three examples clearly demonstrate the complexities of this search for correlating meanings Sometimes, observing the etymology or literal meaning of awordfailstoencapsulateitsusein context Other times, it is foreign influencethatcreatesanecessity
for a new word In both instances, translation alone seems insufficient for a full comprehensionofmeaning
TheconclusionIgatheredfromthis very brief venture into the complexities of translation across the Mediterranean Sea is that contextiseverything
Now, when I come to think about it, this becomes evident frequently in conversation. When someone asks for a translation of a word, and fails at the first attempt to find one, the next port of call is: “Put it in a sentence for me” More often than not, it becomes much easier to find a corresponding meaning when weavedintoawidercontext
The Mediterranean may appear as one sea on a map, yet, to quote Braudel: “there are ten, twenty or a hundredMediterraneans”
With thanks to Dr Alaa Badr for herguidance
Have you ever been utterly desperate for a new show to watch? Have you ever yearned for a series that’s just long enough to hold your attention while you let the episodes run in the background of your daily life?
After completing “Gossip Girl,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Big Mouth,” “The Marvelous Mrs Maisel,” “Human Resources,” “Community,” “Inside Job,” “Young Sheldon,” “The Office,” “Outlander,” “The Great,” “The Great British Baking Show,” “Bridgerton,” etc (yes, I watch a lot of TV), I thought I exhausted my arsenal of quality shows It’s only then that, by a stroke of pure destiny, I discovered the gem that is “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” A whirlwind of whimsical musical comedy and delectable love triangles (quadrangles?), with a splash of poignant moments, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” is a god amongst television productions, an exceptional set of four seasons that supersedes the comparatively mundane Netflix, AmazonPrime,orHulumaterial
Rachel Bloom stars as Rebecca Bunch, a quirky, high-strung New York lawyer who quits her job at a fancy firm in favor of moving out to West Covina, California She makes this impulsive decision immediately after a brief run-in with her summer camp boyfriend from a decade prior, Josh Chan (but Josh just happens to live there!) Bunch is cunning and smart; the first season follows her and her bestie/enabler, Paula, as they hatch plots to wiggle into Josh’s life Bunch will stop at nothing… unless her great love is actually with another guy, Greg, a bartender at the local sports joint with a smidge of an alcohol consumption problem Or maybe it's with Nathaniel, the new, jaded boss at her firm in West Covina. Tobedetermined
In each progressive episode, Bunch becomes a bit more deranged At first, her “unraveling” is endearing; she’s just a tad overzealous, love’s #1 fan but the audience learns that this passion, the immediateness that washes over her at seemingly random times, is part of a more pressing, pertinent mental health problem
Her struggles and missteps occasionally crossing the line into illegal territory are depicted realisticallyandrespectfully Inany instance of intense love where one craves the attention and validation of another and is willing to drop everything for that person, there are often underlying issues eg, anxiety and/or depression The audience slowly uncovers more about Bunch’s past and how her behavior toward Josh Chan was not a one-off; she was hurt and traumatized by a previous relationship with a much older male professor during her time at undergrad Bunch needs affirmation, someone, anyone, to tell her that she's “okay” She constantly pushes the limits to what the audience considers “crazy” It’s what allows the show to masterfully balance cheekiness and an amusing self-awareness with a seriousness that accompanies a storyline of a woman who’s “falling off the side of a mountain and sort of grabbing at roots and trees and brambles,” plummeting (Bloom 2017) But Bunch is able to get the help she needs She even gets “a diagnosis”! Throughout its final season, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” contributes to the de-stigmatization dialogue that surrounds addressing mental health problems because “antidepressantsaresonotabigdeal”
Bunch views her life as a musical She makes sense of her thoughts, her feelings, and her relationships with others through melodies and performance Her internal monologue is always on display, and so when she grows, the audience grows with her While watching, I found myself rejoicing in her triumphs and mourning her losses Icheeredheronwhenshe
supported her friends and when she gathered the courage to follow her true calling Perhaps most frequently, I laughed and cringed at the handful of exaggerated charactersandclever,wackysongs
I can’t help but feel a sentimental compulsion to the show; maybe because I see myself in Bloom’s character, or maybe because I think that we can all relate to Rebecca Bunch; Bunch reacts to life’s trials and tribulations in an uninhibited way, reactions stripped of regulated temperament Her intensity, palpable through a television screen, is a product of feeling intensely
We all face similar fears, anticipating rejection or feeling the sting of criticism, lacking validation We stifle ourselves, denying ourselves the opportunity for change before we’re even told “no” We place our happiness at some undefined point in the future, almost always with asterisks; if we’reabletocompletethisdeadline, get a date with this person, and fit into those pants, then “we’ll never have problems again” Bunch and her path towards getting better is a testament to a journey we all, in somewayoranother,areon
On a different note, any musical or show-tuneloverwillbethrilledwith the variety of themes and genres incorporated into “Crazy ExGirlfriend”’s incredible score Some of my favorites included “Let’s Generalize About Men” (a colorful, catchy 80s inspired bop), “Remember That We Suffered” (a dizzying, addicting song set at a quintessential New York bar mitzvah celebration), “Santa Ana Winds pt 1-5” (I can’t describe you justhavetowatch),and“TheSexy
Getting Ready Song” (a potential feministcommentary?)
Despite receiving two Emmys (and my glowing endorsement), “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” maintained relatively low ratings throughout its run between 2015 and 2019 But it seems to be having a revival now on Netflix And a revival is what it deserves,ifnottohavebeenlauded during its initial release To watch “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” is to watch a labor of love Bloom, as a lead writer and creator of the show alongside the late Adam Schlesinger puts so much of herself into each episode’s immersive dialogue, catchy theme songs, and bonus tunes Giving audiences Rebecca Bunch simultaneously gives them something for which to strive: authenticity and, as corny as it may sound, self-love Connecting with ourselves and that which makes us truly happy, rejecting (as difficult as it may be) that which we think should please ourselves or others, is the best service we can give ourselves Thatandbinge-watching “CrazyEx-Girlfriend”
Bunch views her life as a musical. She makes sense of her thoughts, her feelings, and her relationships with others through melodies and performance. Her internal monologue is always on display, and so when she grows, the audience grows with her.
Dans le contexte du conflit de Gaza entre Israël et le Hamas, le Yémen, déjà en proie à ses propres troubles internes, se trouve de plus en plus impliqué dans des complexités régionales, principalement orchestrées par le mouvement houthis montant Alors que le pays navigue sur ce terrain dangereux, la grave crise humanitaire qui sévit dans le pays est un rappel saisissant du coût humain des conflits et des manœuvresgéopolitiques
Le Yémen, souvent qualifié de pays le plus pauvre du monde arabe, lutte depuis longtemps contre la pauvreté systémique et la souffrance généralisée Avec environ trois quarts de sa population plongée dans la pauvreté et la maladie faisant rage, dont une épidémie de choléra suspectée dépassant deux cent mille cas en 2020, le pays est au bord de l'effondrement La pandémie de COVID-19 n ' a fait qu 'exacerber la crise, les analystes de la santé suggérant que les cas signalés sousreprésentent largement l'ampleur réelledel'impactduvirus
Le blocus imposé par les forces de la coalition dirigée par l’Arabie Saoudite a infligé d'indicibles souffrances à la population yéménite, obstruant le flux de fournitures vitales et faisant grimper les prix des biens essentiels Bien que le cessez-le-feu de 2022 ait offert un bref répit, les craintes d'une résurgence des coûts élevés sont grandesaprèssonexpiration.Lebilan de la guerre, aggravé par des causes indirectes telles que le manque de nourriture, d'eau et de services de santé, a entraîné la mort d'environ 370 000 personnes, selon le ProgrammedesNationsuniespourle développement
Dans ce contexte de désespoir, les forces houthies et de la coalition sont accusées de commettre des crimes de guerre flagrants, notamment des attaques contre des cibles civiles en violation directe du droit international La destruction d'un hôpital dirigé par Médecins Sans Frontières en 2015 témoigne de la nature indiscriminée de la violence quisévitaupays
Malgré ces nombreux défis, des lueurs d'espoir ont émergé à l'horizon Les négociations de paix soutenues par l'ONU, bien que difficiles, ont progressé de manière incrémentielle, notamment avec l'Accord de Stockholm de 2018 qui a évité une bataille catastrophique dans la ville portuaire de Hodeïda Cependant, la mise en œuvre des dispositions de l'accord a été lente, entravée par les frictions persistantes entre les acteurs régionaux, dont l'Iran, l'Arabie saouditeetlesÉmiratsarabesunis
Des développements récents ont insufflé un optimisme prudent dans les efforts de paix, avec des relations améliorées entre l'Arabie saoudite et l'Iran et des discussions en cours entre Riyad et les houthis offrant une lueur d'espoir La coordination d'un cessez-le-feu national en avril 2022, facilitée par le nouveau conseil gouvernemental du Yémen, a marqué une étape significative vers la désescalade Toutefois , l'échec à renouveler le cessez-le-feu a soulevé des questions sur les perspectives de paix durable, d'autant plus que des acteurs clés, tels que le conseil gouvernemental et le Conseil de transition du Sud (STC), restent exclusdesnégociations
Malheureusement, le récent conflit à Gaza a anéanti les espoirs de paix, avec l'implication des houthis, soutenus par l'Iran, exacerbant la situation précaire Leurs actions irrationnelles ciblant le commerce maritime civil ont suscité de fortes réponses de la communauté internationale, y compris des raids aériens conjoints des États-Unis et delaGrande-Bretagne Cesfrappes, touchant 36 cibles houthies dans 13 endroits au Yémen, ont été menées en réponse aux attaques continues des houthis contre le commerce maritime international et commercial en mer Rouge Les frappes de précision visaient à perturber et à dégrader les capacités utilisées par les houthis pour menacer le commerce mondial et la vie des marins innocents, ciblant les installations de stockage d'armes profondément enfouies, les systèmes de missiles, les lanceurs, les systèmes de défense aérienne et les radars Les houthis, quant à eux, ont justifié leurs attaques contre le commerce maritime en mer Rouge en tant que soutien aux Palestiniens de Gaza au milieu de la campagne dévastatrice d'Israël, déclenchant des frappes de représailles et exacerbant la violence régionale impliquant des groupes soutenus par l'Iran La situation a atteint un état critique, avecpeud'optimismeàl'horizon
Alors que le Yémen se débat avec son implication dans les conflits régionaux, l'urgence de trouver une solution durable à sa propre crise n ' a jamais été aussi pressante Ce n 'est qu ' avec des efforts internationaux concertés, soutenus par un dialogue diplomatique et une aide humanitairerobuste,queleYémen pourrait espérer sortir de l'ombre de la guerre et tracer un chemin vers un avenir défini par la paix, la stabilité et la prospérité pour sa populationlongtempséprouvée
Ever since the loss of NagornoKarabakh, Armenia has understood that it is surrounded by dangerous neighbors Notably, Armenia’s unreliable ally, Russia, does not even consider Armenia’s interests as a secondary priority
Since the defeat and the rise of a new geopolitical opportunity through the Russia-Ukraine war, Armenia has seriously taken into consideration to join the European Union (EU), and the EU has cleared their way to apply Thus, the Western bloc, especially after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced the freezing of its Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) membership In March, the ArmenianForeignMinisterArarat Mirzoyan said that applying for an EU membership is “being discussed” Later, the European Parliament passed a resolution confirming that Armenia can apply for membership as it meets the requirements of the MaastrichtTreatyArticle49
What are the motives for both sides?WhataboutRussia?
Armenia’s motives to join the EU are mostly defensive Located in the Caucuses and surrounded by threats from all its neighbors (apart from Georgia), it makes absolute sense that it seeks to ensure its security. With Russia occupying Ukraine and having proven untrustworthy and unreliable in the war against Azerbaijan, France, arguably the leader of the EU, has strongly been a resort for arms sales and strengthening the military For example, in October 2023, Paris declared it would sell an air defense system to Armenia and provide other military and humanitarian aid Thus, in a time when Armenia feels dangerously besieged, the EU appears as an inevitableoption
On the other side of the story, the EU would benefit strategically from swaying Armenia to its side
First and foremost, a foothold in Armenia presents an opportunity for military pressure on Türkiye but also, obviously, Russia
Moreover, in the long run, leverage in Armenia can, should any geopolitical shifts take place, provide access to energy resources through Azerbaijan and potentiallyavoidTurkishand
Russian hegemony over it Not only so, but seeing the widespread Armenian diaspora, especially in the Middle East, the EU would also gain several political influences in the region, for instance, in Türkiye and Lebanon
Nevertheless, a shortcoming that the EU might discover later is that expanding into Armenia could translate into a consistent risk of immigrant influx from Central Asia, the Caucasus, Russia and the Middle East region Inevitably, too, the geopolitical benefits will translate into further tensions with Iran, Türkiye and Russia as these countries begin to feel surrounded The EU may have to interfere politically and potentially militarily on several occasions if the aforementioned countries decide to act upon or create political traps for theEUcountries
AstoRussia,apartfromthepolitical and security messages, Armenia joining the EU will be seen as an intrusion in a region historically dominated by it, which puts Putin’s narrative of an alternative to the Westunderdoubt
But, Armenia is not in continental Europe.
The precedent for a non-European geographic country being in the EU exists if we consider Cyprus as being part of Asia or looking at the non-European territories of France andotherEuropeancountriestoo.
As to Russia, apart from the political and security messages, Armenia joining the EU will be seen as an intrusion in a region historically dominated by it, which puts Putin’s narrative of an alternative to the West under doubt.
Nottoforget,joiningtheEUismore reliant on upholding the values assigned in the Maastricht Treaty and the Copenhagen Criteria, which do not give reference to geographic location Moreso, Armenia has already politically engaged with Europe through participation in bodiesliketheCouncilofEurope
Isitaseasyasitsounds?
It would be naïve to assume that Armenia joining will take place in a matter of months Firstly, EU accessions are known to take years, often decades, to be fully completed By the time a full accession takes place, if it ever does, the geopolitics of the region and the role of Russia might have shiftedsignificantly
Apart from the natural time constraints, there are still over 10,000 Russian troops in Armenia In April, however, Yerevan sent an official request to Moscow to remove its troops from Zvartnots International Airport, as Armen Grigorian, Armenian Security Council Secretary has said The Kremlin (at the time of writing) denies receiving an official request, explaining why it has not started any withdrawals Nonetheless, it is doubtful that Moscow would commit to withdrawal as it would lead to Russian loss of influence In the past, Russia has pressured the continuity of Russian troops on exUSSR territory, whether forcible or willingly,suchasinGeorgiaand
Crimea; hence, it would not be surprising if Russia decides to infringe upon Armenian sovereignty to protect its regional hegemony In the future, it would be expected to see that this infringement will keep on increasing the closer Yerevan becomes to Brussels The real question would be to see whether Russiamightbefurtherpressuredby Armenian rapprochement to the EU that it intervenes militarily or leads a coupd’état
Another difficulty is geography: are small European states willing to deal with the threats surrounding Armenia, especially at a time of the rise of the European right? In light of the recent rapprochement between Hungary’s Orban and Türkiye’s Erdogan, will a hampering of the process of accession also take place by Türkiye via Orban? Lastly, Armenia is geographically isolated from most trade with the EU, so it remains to be seen whether or not further economic integration plans will be proposed and are feasible even;inanothersense,willthedriver for accession remain only for security purposes for Armenia? In a decade’s time, if no economic integration proposals take place, the incentive to join the West might change, thus slowing or even ending theattempt.
From Istanbul to Ankara, Kastamonu to Adana, shockwaves were felt all across Turkey on March 31 Some were dancing on the streets celebrating their win, while others were staring at their TV monitors, trying to comprehend the unusual results The 2024 local election was a historical one indeed, marking a significant change of narrative in the political stage of Turkey While governing AKP took serious damage with their biggest loss to date, CHP - the secular and Kemalist main opposition party, won the majority of mayorship in the cities for the first time since 1977 More importantly, it was CHP who won the presidency in almost all metropoles In the capital Ankara, Mansur Yavaş retained his position as the mayor, getting 6038% of the votes, almost 30% ahead of the runner-up AKP candidate Turgut Altınok This was the highest difference ever recorded in an election in Ankara Imamoglu defeated his opponent AKP’s Murat Kurum to win in Istanbul for a second term with 5114% Other metropoles İzmir and Antalyasawthere-electionofCHP as expected On the other hand, votes were demanding a change in Bursa where the mayor’s party shifted from AKP to CHP Yet, Bursawasn’ttheonlycitywiththis radical shift Generally known as conservative cities such as Kastamonu, Adana, and more also voted for CHP, leaving the AKP era behind
CHP also had the majority in the elections for districts in key cities In the Turkish electoral system, cities are divided into smaller districts based on their population density and citizens vote for the president of the district they reside in In Ankara, CHP won in 16 districts while AKP prevailed in only 8 In Istanbul, CHP increased its districts from 14 to 26 while the numberofAKPdistrictsdecreased from 24 to 13 The trend of even conservative cities voting for CHP mayors was also seen on the district level as Gaziosmanpaşa, Avcılar, and Beylikdüzü in Istanbul shiftedfromAKPtoCHPrule
On the other hand, elections for both cities and districts in the Eastern part of Turkey were dominated by the DEM Party, the KurdishParty Therestofthe
votes were divided between new emerging parties The biggest shock of them all was the Yeniden Refah Party, an Islamist party, which got 69% of the votes across the country This was quite high considering that this was their second local election Yeniden Refah is essentially the continuation of the Refah Party, which was banned by the Constitutional Court of Turkey on the basis of threatening the secularism clause in the Constitution The party was founded by Necmettin Erbakan and was one of the most powerful parties in the early 1980s It is also the party where Erdoğan started his political career In 2018, Erbakan’s son Fatih Erbakan reopened this party with a new name Yeniden Refah Party Their conservative Islamist agenda gained support from the religious demographic, and YenidenRefahtookaconsiderable amount of votes away from AKP Even though people were carried away by the success of the secular CHP, the votes for an emerging extreme-right Islamist party may pose a potential threat in future elections
The local elections took place just months after the 2023 Presidential election, which saw Erdoğan’s re-election The surprising decrease in the votes for Erdoğan’s party since the presidential elections can be explained by four decisive factors Firstly,themajorityofthevotesof citizensover45yearsoldhadbeen in support of AKP in the previous years According to the polls conducted by IPSOS (a social research company) in 2018, 43% percent of the sample of +45 citizens said they would vote for AKP in the parliamentary elections and 54% for Erdoğan in the presidential elections However, in this election, this has changed due to the issue of pensions Turkey was ranked the lowest on the pension rates in Europe with approximately 270 Euros per month This is an extremely low amount considering the 685% inflation rate according to the government-affiliated Turkish Statistical Institute – research by independent organizations such as ENAG assert that the true rate isover120% 217%oftheover65
age population is below the poverty threshold and 12% still have to work to afford living expenses Hence, the dissatisfaction of the older demographic was reflected in the ballots, causing a significant loss to AKP The other reason is that Turkish citizens living abroad were not permitted to vote in the local elections, unlike the presidential or parliamentary election according to the third paragraph of Article 94/A of Law No 298, on Basic Provisions of Elections and Voter Registers which reads as "Overseas voters canvoteinparliamentarygeneral elections, presidential elections, and referendums" Hence the citizens with residency outside of Turkey did not have the right to vote in the local elections This was also a decisive contributor to AKP’s loss as Erdoğan secured a remarkableamountofvotesfrom overseas countries in the 2018 elections To illustrate, Erdoğan got 94% of the votes from the Turks residing in Lebanon while the main opposition candidate Muharrem Ince only got 4% and the difference is quite similar, though not as high, in the majorityoftheothercountriesas Erdoğan received 75% in Belgium, 73% in the Netherlands, and 72% in Austria Considering that 1,53 million citizens voted from overseas in total, this was a huge contributortoErdoğanandAKP's winwhichwasnotthecaseinthis year’s local elections The third reason is AKP’s foreign policies with the Israel-Palestine conflict AKP voters, who are generally more religious, are not satisfied with Turkey’s ongoing trade relations with Israel and the insufficiency of support for Palestine Lastly, the emergence of Yeniden Refah as an alternative to AKP was also a contributing factor These are some of the most important reasons why AKP was defeated but they are just the tip of the iceberg Then, it is important to highlight that the results of these elections were deemed by the insufficiency of the AKP government In other words, it wasn’t the things CHP did but ratherthethingsAKPdidn’tdoor fell short of that led to the reactionary votes determining the political future of the country
The article “Why Napoleon Isn’t Gladiator -- On Judging Historical Fiction Films” appearing in the Feature section of the March 2024 edition in collaboration with Cinementongraphe, was attributed to an incorrect author The article was written by Jawad Asaria.
The will of the people in Turkey remains above any political party and, hopefully, will stay that way.