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
Hungary’s domestic politics turned upside down, but this is not the end of the Orbán regime Commentary Fidesz performed worse in terms of vote share than in any previous European Parliament election; however, this does not mean they were a total failure. The election results are unlikely to derail the Orbán regime in the short term, but a newcomer has entered the political arena who could be a serious challenger in the 2026 parliamentary election. At the European level, since the far-right parties are likely to remain fragmented due to ideological and political differences, their influence on decision-making remains limited, while Orbán seems to be swimming against the tide even on the far right. By Róbert László and Richárd Demény
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
Not a Step Forward Without the EU. The European climate agenda in the Czech Republic. In the Czech Republic, the environment remains sidelined as a policy issue in comparison to many other EU Member States. While there have been some positive developments thanks to EU measures and financial support, numerous challenges remain unresolved. By Marta Martinová
Karel Schwarzenberg was a human rights activist, politician and European Karel Schwarzenberg (1937-2023) died on 11 November 2023. We remember him as a passionate European with whom the Heinrich Böll Foundation has always been closely associated. We will miss his foresight, his judgment and his humor.
The Czech Presidency of the EU Council: Europe as a task Analysis On 1 July 2022, the Czech Republic took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for six months. Our office Directors in Brussels and Prague, Eva van de Rakt and Adéla Jurečková, analyse the priorities of and challenges facing the Czech EU Council Presidency. By Eva van de Rakt and Adéla Jurečková
Solidarity with Ukraine We declare our full solidarity with Ukraine. We stand by the side of our Ukrainian partners and colleagues, and at the same time also by the side of our partners in Russian civil society who are under harsh state repression. By Dr. Ellen Ueberschär and Barbara Unmüßig
A brief analysis of the German federal election 2021 Analysis Germany has voted. The SPD, Greens and FDP come out of the elections as the winners, but take a very different view of the results – depending on their expectations and the pressure they feel upon them to act. By and large, the trend towards a party system in which no single party dominates continues. Constituency seats played a very particular role in these elections. This brief analysis provides an overview of the initial results, with a more comprehensive, empirical analysis to follow in the next few days. By Stefanie John
The Horrifying Right to One’s Own Context: Seven Rules of Culture Warfare Essay The conflicts dividing contemporary society do not necessarily reflect the right–left dichotomy. This transformation of the political map is linked to a transitional situation in which the feuding parties’ very identities are subject to change. The invasion of politics into the personal and the moral spheres of life enables virtually anybody to take their own part in culture wars. By Ondřej Slačálek
Swedish Ambassador: “Feminist policy” prompts discussion more than gender balance does Interview A feminist approach is transforming the system much more than traditional foreign policy has, says Swedish Ambassador for Gender Equality and Coordinator of Feminist Foreign Policy, ANN BERNES. According to her, in the beginning the concept of feminism in politics surprised even the Swedes themselves. ”The giggle effect is there no more, because our experience is that change is possible,“ she claims. By Lucia Yar