Quadrant
The Long Estrangement
Germany had long been on an anti-Western ” Sonderweg,” particularly in its policies towards Russia. It is a history of systemic failures and naivety culminating in recent geopolitical challenges.
Month: November 2025
Newsroom
Trump’s Thanksgiving ultimatum trusses Ukraine like a turkey
Ukrainian President Zelensky faces pressure to accept a contentious peace plan influenced by Trump and Putin, threatening Ukraine’s sovereignty and reshaping global alliances.
The Australian
Failing the politics of feels: why Luxon is tanking in NZ polls
New Zealand’s political landscape has shifted, where emotional connection and simple promises overshadow policy substance, leading to Labour’s surprising resurgence amid declining confidence in traditional governance.
Insights
Asset recycling needs governance, not ideology
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon proposes selling state assets, like Kiwibank, to fund infrastructure. The debate centers on ensuring proper governance for investment, not ownership ideology, to address urgent infrastructure needs.
Research reports
Go Dutch: Learnings from The New Zealand Initiative’s visit to the Netherlands
The New Zealand Initiative’s report emphasises learning from Dutch pragmatism, highlighting their cooperation, trust in institutions, and effective regulatory measures as key to achieving better outcomes.
The Australian
New Zealand teacher unions’ ‘colonialism’ cry doesn’t reflect classroom reality
In New Zealand, structured literacy reforms have significantly improved phonics knowledge among primary students, sparking ideological opposition from critics entrenched in traditional educational philosophies.
Newsroom
EU mistaking paperwork for power, acronyms for armies
Ursula von der Leyen’s ambitious plans for Europe reveal a disconnect between her promises and reality, highlighting Europe’s dependence on external powers and inability to effectively navigate global challenges.