Author: Gidi Brandes
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Rethinking Enlargement for a New Age of the EU
Main question: How can the EU reconcile the strategic necessity for swift neighborhood integration with its slow, legally rigid binary accession machinery? Argument: The EU must adopt a layered enlargement model that establishes a dual-track framework, allowing candidate states to participate in sector-specific policies before achieving full membership Conclusion: This dual-track approach satisfies immediate geopolitical…
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PDSF 2026
Main question: How can sovereignty be protected in a volatile, disrupted world? Argument: Power now depends on resilience, partnerships, chokepoints, and institutions able to challenge their own assumptions. Conclusion: Sovereignty today cannot mean isolation; it requires strong alliances, diversified dependencies, diplomacy, and honest debate.
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The Eastern Mediterranean as Transmission Belt
Main question: Why is a region linking multiple geopolitical systems persistently underdiscussed? Argument: The Eastern Mediterranean functions as a systemic transmission belt structured by a maritime–energy nexus across sub-, system-, and supra-levels. Conclusion: Neglecting its connective structure increases the risk of cross-regional spillover and strategic surprise.
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The External Politics of the Israel-Hamas War
Main Question: Why does the Gaza war persist despite international efforts to end it? Argument: Regional powers exploit the Gaza conflict to advance strategic interests, fueling its continuation. Conclusion: Only by reshaping regional incentives and fostering genuine cooperation can the cycle of violence be broken.