"They should have tried harder": Czechia cannot find an answer to populism Analysis Czech populists are on a roll, partly due to the antisocial policies of the country's right-wing government. While liberals put the blame on disinformation, the left continues to languish or to flirt with fascist ideas. And migrant-phobia has long become mainstream. By Petra Dvořáková
Following parliamentary elections in Slovakia: What does Robert Fico’s comeback mean? Analysis Robert Fico is back as Prime Minister of Slovakia. What does his election victory mean for the democratic opposition and civil society? What should the EU be prepared for? And which lessons can be determined for democracy? By Adéla Jurečková
Current Populism in Europe Publication The book Current Populism in Europe: Gender-Backlash and Counter-strategies aims at exploring populism from various new conceptual, empirical and methodological perspectives. pdf
Glorious past and identity – the driving forces behind the populist resurrection? Based on Adam Balcer’s new study “Beneath the surface of illiberalism: The recurring temptation of ‘national democracy’ in Poland and Hungary – with lessons for Europe”,WiseEuropa and Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, in cooperation with Political Capital, organise a round table to discuss populist and illiberal tendencies in the CEE region with a special focus on politics of identity and memory, and significance of these developments for the political situation in particular countries and their impact on the future of the EU.
“A coalition is not a love match” – Interview with Ralf Fücks Are the Greens compatible with Angela Merkel? An interview with Ralf Fücks, president of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, on coalitions with Merkel, the rise of the AfD, as well as the foundation’s development over the past 20 years. By Ralf Fücks
Call for Papers: Current Populism in Europe and the Role of the Media 3rd International Populism Conference will take place in Prague 22 – 23 May 2017. The conference programme will focus mainly on analysis of the relationship between populism and the media and will discuss the phenomenon of “media populism” in the context of upcoming elections in various EU member states. Applicants are invited to submit their abstracts by 28 February 2017.
Demophilia demolishes democracy? Populism stirs up emotions. This claim holds true not only in the relations between politics and society or the media, but also in the academic community. Participant of the conference "Current Populism in Europe: Impact on the Political Landscape” reports how sources and consequences of this political phenomenon were analysed in the context of Europe's future.
The 2016 elections in Slovakia: a shock No parliamentary elections in Slovakia have ever caused so much surprise, consternation and dismay as those held on 5 March 2016. The results can be readily characterised as shocking. By Grigorij Mesežnikov
International conference: The Current Trends of Populism in Europe - A Threat to Liberal Democracy? The growth of contemporary European populism represents one of the most topical problems that liberal democratic states on the continent must face. To understand the nature of the success of populists on a general level and in individual countries, it is useful to examine the causes of this phenomenon during the period from the outbreak of the economic crisis to the present. The event is dedicated to a comparative analysis of individual European countries where populism in on the rise.
