Ústav mezinárodních vztahů

Presidential System in Turkey
On 16 April 2017, Turkish voters approved a package of constitutional amendments aimed at replacing the existing parliamentary system with an executive presidency and thereby granting President Erdoğan to extend his power. AKP (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi/Justice and Development Party), led by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has ruled the country since 2002 and since the fail coup attempt in 2016, he consolidated power because of the state of emergency.

A brief look at the European Budget and its role in the EU integration
When economic problems flourish, they highlight any other already existing inner or outer problems of a country. In our current times, those problems damaged the EU cohesion and created some uncertainty among the member States. Do we have any solution?

Is global politics approaching a perilous interregnum?
Mezinárodní Politika has established cooperation with the Peace Research Center Prague, a newly-established interdisciplinary center of excellence at the Charles University, with focus on prevention, management, and transformation of conflicts in world politics. This article is part of the policy brief series published by the PRCP and Mezinárodní Politika. For more information, visit http://prcprague.cz

Western Balkans as Russia’s New Anti-Western Playground
Is Russia back to the Balkans? Is Moscow playing the provoking destabilization card in the Balkans’ countries that are still out of the EU’s (and NATO) umbrella in order to return to the region’s identity its famous reference of being “a powder keg of Europe”? If so, this in turn will prevent EU’s enlargement throughout and over the whole region.

Likely Impact of the Ban Treaty on the NPT Review Process
Mezinárodní Politika has established cooperation with the Peace Research Center Prague, a newly-established interdisciplinary center of excellence at the Charles University, with focus on prevention, management, and transformation of conflicts in world politics. This article is part of the policy brief series published by the PRCP and Mezinárodní Politika. For more information, visit http://prcprague.cz

Scotland’s Future in the UK and Europe
Scotland stands at a crossroads. Following the EU referendum vote in June of 2016, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made it clear that the possibility of a second Scottish independence referendum should not be discounted. But, by voting decisively to remain in the EU and the UK, the Scottish electorate have pushed the SNP-led Scottish government into showing its hand. Given the ongoing political turmoil and the potentially disastrous implications of Brexit becoming a reality, now seems the time to push for independence, but the path leading there is far from clear.

Korean Summits: Is a ‘Spring Coming’ to the Peninsula?
For the second time in the modern history of South Korea, the Olympic games held on its soil represented a symbolic diplomatic breakthrough. The 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul came down in history as the benchmark of South Korea’s transformation into a global economic power when the international community finally took note of the ‘Miracle on the Han River’. Now, the PyeongChang Games earned the nickname of the ‘Peace Olympics’ as they provided an opening for negotiations regarding the politics of the peninsula after another series of rising security tensions. Though the commentators differed in their predictions on whether the political détente will outlive the games or not, it is undeniable that the Games brought about some unprecedented displays of soft power. The two Koreas marched under the same flag, put together a joint female ice hockey team and a combined Tae-Kwon-Do demonstration, and oversaw a set of art performances by the red-coated cheerleaders.

Why there has been no general election in Malaysia yet?
Malaysia has become well-known in the field of political science for its extraordinary appearance regarding electoral politics, having utilized a snap election process ever since the nation obtained independence in 1957. Going against this practice, the contemporary PM continues to postpone the date of the general election he is responsible for.  Is there any motivation behind this abnormal action?  Indeed there may be, with at least five key aspects that deserve a mention.

Fly Ash from Coal Combustion as a New Source of Rare Earth Metals
Rare earth metals (REMs) is a group of elements, which has a strategic usage in the production of high-end technology such as space satellites or defence technologies. Currently China controls the majority of sources producing REMs.

19th CPC Congress: Doctrinal Context
Between October 18 and 24, 2017, the Communist Party of China (CPC) held its 19th National Party Congress. National Congresses, recently organized every five years, bring together delegates from various sectors of the party, government, the military, social organizations and the countryside.