Editorial paper at Robert Lansing Institute

From Protest to Responsibility: The Budget Deficit as a Test of AfD’s Governing Capacity

An analysis of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party program in Saxony-Anhalt identified a risk of an annual deficit of at least €2.2 billion. In total, researchers counted 136 measures…

August 12, 2026AfD, Germany

Governance Intelligence ops National Security

From Diplomatic Cover to Agent Networks: The Russian Factor in Austria’s Espionage Law Reform

At least 21 of the 117 employees serving at Russian diplomatic missions in Austria have been identified as having confirmed or possible links to Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), military…

August 11, 2026Austria

Governance

Crisis Within the BSW and the Rise of the AfD: Implications for Germany’s Political Stability and Russian Interests

Twenty-one members of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt simultaneously resigned from the party. Those leaving included members of district councils and local party leaders from Halle, Burgenlandkreis, and Mansfeld-Südharz. In…

August 10, 2026AfD, BSW, Germany

influence ops Propaganda and Disinformation

Foreign Influence Operations in Italy: Assessing Russian, Chinese, and Iranian Information Warfare Against Democratic Institutions

In its latest report, the Italian Parliamentary Committee for the Security of the Republic (Copasir) concluded that Russia, China, and Iran are conducting coordinated disinformation and influence campaigns aimed at…

August 7, 2026China, Iran, Italy, Russia

Governance ideology

Italy’s Ukraine Policy Under Pressure: Domestic Politics and the Future of NATO Cohesion

The issue of military assistance to Ukraine is becoming an increasingly divisive fault line in Italian politics ahead of the 2027 parliamentary elections. Former Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, leader…

August 6, 20265SM, elections, Italy, Ukraine

Democracy Governance

George Weah’s 2029 Comeback Bid: Electoral Prospects and Implications for Liberia’s Political Stability

Former President George Manneh Weah’s declaration that he will contest Liberia’s 2029 presidential election immediately makes him the strongest identifiable opposition candidate and transforms the election from an open succession…

August 5, 2026Liberia

Economy Energy

Russia’s Shadow LNG Fleet: Can Moscow Preserve Energy Revenues After the EU’s 2027 Import Ban?

Russia is actively developing a dedicated "shadow fleet" for the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in preparation for the European Union's planned ban on imports of Russian LNG, which is scheduled to take…

August 5, 2026LNG, Russia, shadow fleet

Governance Propaganda and Disinformation

Manufacturing a Migration Crisis: The National Rally’s Use of the Ceuta Incident in France’s Electoral Campaign

The recent migration incident in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta became a focal point for France's far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National, RN), which rapidly incorporated the episode into its domestic anti-immigration campaign ahead…

August 4, 2026France, Spain

influence ops Propaganda and Disinformation

Engineering Polarization: Russia’s Hybrid Information Campaign Targeting Germany’s 2026 Elections

The dissemination of more than 180 fabricated social media posts across X, Bluesky, and TikTok ahead of Germany's upcoming state and local elections represents a coordinated Russian influence operation designed to manipulate the country's political…

August 4, 2026AfD, BSW, elections, Germany, Russia

National Security Warfare

Potential Trump Administration Decision to Authorize Ukrainian F-16s to Employ ERAM Missiles Against Russian Ballistic Missile Launchers

Assessment Subject Political, strategic, and military-economic assessment of the potential authorization for Ukraine to employ ERAM air-launched cruise missiles against military targets located on Russian territory without specifying individual targets,…

August 3, 2026ERAM, Ukraine, USA

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