The Foreign Desk

In our final episode before US voters decide whether or not to renew Donald Trump’s lease on the White House, we look at whether a more reasonable – or at least less obviously deranged – politics is still possible. We’re joined by the satirist PJ O’Rourke, whose new book, ‘A Cry from the Far Middle’, wonders how America got so divided – and if it ever wasn’t.

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The response of Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to the murder of Samuel Paty in Paris is characteristic of his culture war on freedom of expression. Andrew Mueller explains why that is both ironic and futile.

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In much of Europe this winter feels depressingly like last spring: a spike in coronavirus transmissions and a surge in lockdowns and other restrictions. But are we any wiser about what works and what doesn’t? Or the costs of shutting down cities and countries? Andrew Mueller is joined by Chris Smith, Margaret Harris and Tran Le Thuy.

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In presidential and parliamentary elections last weekend, Bolivians voted overwhelmingly for Luis Arce, the leader of exiled former president Evo Morales’s socialist party. Andrew Mueller looks at what that means for Bolivia – and for Morales.

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President Macron always looked like he wanted to reassert France as a global power. As his presidency has overlapped with domestic crises consuming France’s traditional allies the US and the UK, he has found himself with even greater foreign policy opportunities than he might have anticipated. What kind of influence does Macron think France should have – and why? Andrew Mueller asks Sophie Pedder, Philippe Marliere and Leila Molana-Allen.

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Cyprus has suspended its “golden passport” initiative after undercover ‘Al Jazeera’ journalists exposed a trail of corruption leading to Demetris Syllouris, president of the Cypriot parliament. Andrew Mueller explains.

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After nearly 500 days of negotiations, Belgium finally has a national government. It consists of seven parties but excludes the two biggest – both Flemish nationalist parties. Is Belgium’s complex political system workable in the long term? And can the country hold together? Andrew Mueller asks Régis Dandoy, Carl Devos and Barbara Moens.

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Andrew Mueller dissects the ongoing situation in Kyrgyzstan after violent protests followed disputed election results.

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Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought over Nagorno-Karabakh many times before. The renewed fighting this week seems more serious than usual, however, with both sides deploying heavy weaponry and weighty rhetoric. As casualties on both sides mount, and as Turkey and Russia both take a close interest in the conflict, Andrew Mueller asks Siranuysh Gevogyan, Arzu Geybulla and Peter Liakhov why this is happening again – and if there is a long-term solution.

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Quim Torra, the president of the regional government of Catalonia, has officially been disqualified from office for displaying a pro-independence banner. But, as Andrew Mueller explains, Spain’s attempts at quelling dissidents may be backfiring.

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