EU

Three months after holding general elections Belgium has failed to create government, while separatist voices call for its split.

Belgium is divided into two larger regions - the Dutch-speaking Flanders in the north, and the French-speaking southern region of Wallonia. Friction among both ethnic groups and even calls for Belgium's split from the leaders of both groups left Belgium over three months without a government.

Read more about the historic and political background of the current situation in the New York Times as well as on Bloomberg.

Join the global debate in our forum: Why bother to vote?

The Parliament of Zimbabwe passed a constitutional bill that will allow current President Robert Mugabe to pick his own successor. Furthermore, the new constitutional amendment enables early parliamentary elections in 2008.

Zimbabwe's political and human rights situation is critical. Therefore, UK's Prime Minister Gordon Brown challenges the up-coming summit of the African Union and the EU. He will not attend the meeting if President Mugabe is present.

Read more about PM Brown's announcement in The Independent and find related articles in our del.icio.us-archive.

Join the global debate in our forums: Are dictators ever good?

Find out how other African leaders face today's problems by watching our documentary Iron Ladies of Liberia!

Emissaries from the EU, the USA, and Russia met with politicians from Serbia today to discuss the status of Kosovo.

While Kosovo's Albanian Prime Minister works towards the independence of Kosovo, Serbia does not want to lose the province. Since 1999 the region is under a transitional interim UN administration.

Read more about the background and the discussions on Al Jazeera online, in the International Herald Tribune and in the Southeast European Times. Find related articles in our news or on our del.icio.us-archive.

Join the global debate in our forums: Who rules the world?

Three years after facing the Orange Revolution, Ukraine continues to struggle with political instability: During a summit with officials from the European Union and the Ukrainian government, the achievements of the country, which entered talks with the EU after its peaceful revolution, will be assessed today.

Both sides agree that there are major challenges for Ukraine, but there is no doubt that further and stronger cooperation between the EU and Ukraine is the preferred way to solve societal and political issues and stabilize relations.

Read more about Ukraine's path towards democracy on Radio Free Europe, EUbusiness, in the International Herald Tribune and on BBC News online.

Read the statement of Oleksandr Chalyi, deputy head of the Secretariat of the President of Ukraine, in the Guardian's Comment is Free section and discuss in our forums: What would make you start a revolution?