Dragoș C. Mateescu (PhD) is currently senior analyst at the Romanian Diplomatic Institute, editor at Veridica, and guest lecturer in the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Bucharest. He previously served as lecturer in international relations and European studies at Izmir University of Economics (Turkey, 2002–2020) and as officer in the special operations paratrooper units of the Romanian Ministry of Defence (1991–2001).
He holds a BA in political science from the University of Bucharest (2001) and two MAs: one in European studies (Izmir University of Economics, Turkey, 2004) and another in American studies (Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey, 2003). Dragoș obtained his PhD in international relations from Nottingham Trent University (UK) in 2011 with a dissertation titled "The European Union, State of Exception and State Transformation: Turkey, Romania and Minority Politics."
He specializes in minority politics, Turkish politics, and the European Union's external relations. He has published numerous academic articles and book chapters on these subjects and is also a frequent contributor to Romanian media, being also invited in radio and television programmes. Dragoș edited the first Romanian translation of the biography of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk by Patrick Kinross (Atatürk: The Rebirth of a Nation, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1964), published by Omnium Publishing House in Bucharest in 2023 (Atatürk – Renașterea unei națiuni). Dragoș’s latest publication is the chapter titled ‘The Treaty of Lausanne and the Possibility of a Post-ethnocratic Regime in Turkey’, in “The Treaty of Lausanne:0 Impacts on Affected Countries in Europe and the Middle East, 1923–2023”, Charalampos Stamelos (ed.), London and Singapore, Springer, pp. 171–190.
Nationalist and conservative populism, the capture of the judiciary, and the "neutralization" (rather than elimination) of civil society and the opposition can transform a democracy into an authoritarian regime. This has already happened in several countries, including Turkey. Elements of this toxic cocktail for democracy can already be seen in Romania as well.
The Trump administration's distancing from the EU, which transpires in the new US national security strategy, could lead to a “rupture” within the Western family. This is a scenario in which the USA would stand to lose enormously, including in the context of the global competition with China. The EU, on the other hand, has the potential to emerge unscathed from such a crisis.
Erdoğan’s ally in Northern Cyprus has suffered a crushing defeat in the presidential election – a clear sign that Turkish Cypriots no longer support Ankara’s regional policies, at a time when those policies are also being challenged by the growing interest of the United States and other powers in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The campaign of arrests and court cases targeting Turkey's main opposition parties underscores the country's slide toward authoritarianism, a trend that has become increasingly clear over the past decade.
The PKK is giving up armed struggle, but wants recognition of the Kurdish minority. If Erdoğan accepts, Turkey can save its democracy and resume rapprochement with the EU, and the change in policy would also have regional implications.
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's efforts to consolidate his power at home, as well as his foreign policy, have led to both the erosion of his regime and the deterioration of Turkey's relations with its traditional partners.
Chris Farrands was my director of studies in the PhD programme at Nottingham Trent University, between 2006 and 2011. Our relationship meant many meetings in Nottingham, Izmir, Edinburgh or Bucharest. Chris is not only ”a great teacher”, but also a great friend. That is, until our conversations go into international politics, especially British and European Union politics. He knows so many details, deriving from such a vast personal experience (see the short bio at the end) that he overwhelms the audience. The interview with Chris, published by Veridica in two episodes, demonstrates all these aspects and it is, in my opinion, the richest and densest media text on Brexit published în Romania and, perhaps, beyond. The first part dealt with the economic consequences of Brexit for Britain and the second part explores the more delicate topic concerning Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales in the context. (Dragoş C. Mateescu)
Even though Britain has officially left the European Union, Brexit is a process that has not yet ended, according to British expert Chris Farrands. He explained to Veridica the impact and challenges of this ongoing process.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's Islamist AKP party sustained a bitter defeat in the local election. Is Turkey heading for a “reset” and the end of the Erdoğan era?
Azerbaijan's authoritarian leader, Ilham Aliyev, was re-elected president after winning the Nagorno-Karabakh war and can turn his country into an energy and trade hub halfway between Asia and Europe.