Democracy

All over the world, people stand against injustice, misuse of power and bad living conditions, and lead campaigns for improvements. During these activities, new forms of citizen participation in political and administrative affairs are being created and improved. We support all efforts for better democracy and participation.

Discriminatory Czech abortion law should change - interview with A.S.A.P. collective

Interview

Although abortion is legal in the Czech Republic, it is not accessible to everyone. Half of Czech hospitals would not provide the procedure to citizens of other EU Member States, according to a new survey. People living with disabilities or low incomes also face obstacles, says Rafał Szwajkowski of the A.S.A.P. (Abortion Support Alliance Prague) collective.

By Kateřina Boťová

“Democracy cannot 'do the magic' and protect itself”

Interview

As part of an EU Democracy research project funded by the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union office, Sophie Pornschlegel interviewed European Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová, during the summer break of the European Commission. In their conversation, Vice-President Jourová reflected on five years of efforts to safeguard democracy, human rights and the rule of law in the EU, amid increasing threats against democracy and a shifting geopolitical context, not least due to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

By Sophie Pornschlegel and Věra Jourová

Some of Slovakia’s newly elected MEPs on election night

EP election results in Slovakia: Disinformation does not always come out on top

Commentary

For the Hlas party, whose candidates won big in elections to the national legislature and the presidency in Slovakia, harsh anti-EU rhetoric and disinformation was a new tactic in the elections to the EP – the wrong one, as it turned out.

By Barbara Zmušková

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Památník holokaustu Romů a Sintů v Čechách

The Lety memorial also represents the ongoing fight for the dignity of today’s Roma

Commentary

With a major contribution from foreign sources and partly from the Czech Government, a memorial has been built on the site of a former concentration camp in Lety after the industrial pig farm previously located there was removed. In addition, forcibly sterilized Romani women should finally be receiving compensation. What do these milestones mean for Czech Romani society, and what reflections do they encourage?

By Renata Berkyová

Submission, Resistance, and Emancipation? Two decades of the EU’s eastern periphery.

At the turn of the millennium, the eastern enlargement of the European Union was understood as part of the liberal “end of history.” In the mid-2020s, it has long been evident that history has ended neither in Central and Eastern Europe nor in the EU. Today, we can reflect on the 20-year membership of Central European nations in the EU with respect to their former ambitions.

By Daniel Šitera

Imitation and Revolt. What the Visegrád Group is and what it could become.

Commentary

Cooperation among the countries of the Visegrád Group is directly dependent on the current political situation in each country. In recent years, the alliance has attracted attention for its criticisms of Southern European countries and its anti-immigration rhetoric. While the more liberal of the Visegrád countries tend to blindly imitate the West, the nationalists dream of a conservative Central Europe.

By Klára Votavová

Publications

Feminist Foreign Policy Principles in Czechia

Discussion paper

Feminism faces prejudice in the Czech Republic. However, feminist foreign policy means more than just gender equality: principles like participation or accountability are already partly a reality here. How to move forward was explored through focus groups by researchers from the Institute of International Relations, Ondřej Horký-Hlucháň and Míla O’Sullivan, in collaboration with the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Prague.

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Reproductive justice and access to abortion in the Czech Republic

Report on the accessibility of abortion in the Czech Republic, conducted by the Abortion Support Alliance Prague with the support of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Prague.

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Reality is always a bit further afield then the latest news

Böll.Facts

Heinrich Böll, a renowned German author, achieved bestselling status with his poignant works. In 1972, he made history by becoming the first German writer to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature after World War II. His novels and stories, still widely studied in schools today, have earned him a place among the literary classics. However, the personal experiences and motivations that shaped Böll's writing remain lesser known. This concise introduction aims to shed light on the life and driving forces behind one of Germany's most influential post-war voices.

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