Democracy

Actually European!? 2025

Published: 24 June 2025
Executive summary
A majority of citizens in Germany have a positive view of the new federal government‘s pledge for a stronger leadership role in the EU, but clearly advocate for doing so in a cooperative manner. These findings come from the latest edition of our long-term study 'Actually European!?' on Germany’s role in the EU.

Reality is always a bit further afield then the latest news

Published: 23 April 2024
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.

Feminism in Pictures: Global Feminist Pitch

Published: 6 November 2023
“Feminism in Pictures” is the result of a collaboration with seven incredible feminist illustrators from Brazil, Iran, India, Georgia, Pakistan, Turkiye, and Kenya for the Global Feminist Pitch 2023. These graphic novels are evidence of the continuing streams of feminist resistance and resilience in diverse global contexts.
Reproductive justice - An Introduction

Reproductive Justice

Published: 31 August 2023
Self-determined decisions about one's own body and family planning are often influenced by laws and prevailing norms that act like barriers. This publication is an attempt to make hidden injustice visible and to fought against it. So that reproductive justice can become a reality for all.

Stories of Feminist Mobilisation:

Published: 12 December 2022
Under the banner “For Feminist Mobilisation”, the Global Feminist Pitch 2022 wanted to give attention to feminist movements that do not get the deserved space in the public discourse. Twelve feminists from Brazil, Syria, Jamaica, Belarus, Venezuela, Kenya, Romania, the Philippines, Nigeria, Nepal, and Hungary had the opportunity write about the feminist mobilisation in their respective regions in a format of their choice. The result is “Stories of Feminist Mobilisation”.
ROMA LGBTIQ MINORITY

The Roma LGBTIQ Minority and its Status in Selected EU Countries (CZ, SK, HU)

Published: 22 December 2021
The present analytical report on the situation of LGBTIQ Roma is part of the project Roma LGBTIQ go visible: supporting activities for Roma LGBTIQ minority, implemented by ARA ART in conjunction with Quo Vadis and Diverse Youth Network, and funded by the European Union’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme (2014-2020). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic research study of its kind within the European Union that provides not just theoretical, but also practical insight into multiple/intersectional discrimination with respect to the situation of LGBTIQ Roma from the perspective of public authorities and CSOs working in the field.
Current Populism in Europe

Current Populism in Europe

Published: 28 April 2021
Publication
The book Current Populism in Europe: Gender-Backlash and Counter-strategies aims at exploring populism from various new conceptual, empirical and methodological perspectives.

Political integration of Hungarian students, 2019

Published: 10 June 2019
After a four-year absence, the Active Youth (Aktív Fiatalok) Research Group has returned with a new survey about the political attitudes of higher education students in Hungary. The significance of this year’s findings relies on the fact that the political views of the majority of students sampled in this most recent survey – including some born as recently as 2000 – were formed during consecutive terms of prime minister Viktor Orbán and his government, considered by many political scientists and commentators to be a hybrid regime.

Political integration of Hungarian students, 2019

Published: 10 June 2019
After a four-year absence, the Active Youth (Aktív Fiatalok) Research Group has returned with a new survey about the political attitudes of higher education students in Hungary. The significance of this year’s findings relies on the fact that the political views of the majority of students sampled in this most recent survey – including some born as recently as 2000 – were formed during consecutive terms of prime minister Viktor Orbán and his government, considered by many political scientists and commentators to be a hybrid regime.

Phantom Menace. The Politics and Policies of Migration in Central Europe

Published: 14 February 2019
Despite the presence of migration in the discourse of politicians, media and the general public in recent years, there is a persistent lack of facts about the life situations and motivations of newcomers to Europe. With this book the the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Institute for Public Affairs aim to contribute to a fact-based debate on the politics and policies of migration in Central Europe. 

The Centrifugal Civilization and Challenges for Progressive Policy NGOs

Published: 9 January 2019
Check the new think piece by social scientist Petr Lebeda. It is asking two questions: why has there been so strong an onset to this “populist backlash” against solidarity, equality, civil and minority rights, environmental responsibility and various forms of pluralism so fast and across so many countries and what might the NGOs advocating progressive policies do to address its deeper causes in the longer term?

Civic Strategies Against Governmental Populism and Hate Campaigns

Published: 27 May 2018
The interpretation of the Hungarian “illiberal state,” in terms of political philosophy and political science outlines a set-up in which even though the constitutional institutions typical of democracies still formally exist, they however no longer function—even while occasionally adopting decisions that comply with constitutionality—as intended at the system level: Instead of serving as true checks on how the government wields power, they function as institutions stabilising the autocratic workings of the state. This paper aims to examine one of the crucial features of how “illiberal states” operate, namely populist and inflammatory government communication that seeks to make public debate hegemonistic and the closely related government actions intended to silence critical opinions, together with the legal instruments available to counter these things.

Refugees, Asylum and Migration Issues in Hungary

Published: 27 December 2017
How far does Budapest's influence extend? How has the "refugee crisis" affected regional cooperation? This study gives background information, facts and data on the last three years of the “refugee crisis”: its social, political, policy and diplomatic repercussions. An analysis of the Orbán government’s rhetoric and policy measures with regard to refugee, asylum and migration issues, highlighting the regional context.

Menenkültügy és migráció Magyarországon

Published: 27 December 2017
Milyen messze terjed Budapest befolyása? Hogyan hatott a „menekültválság" a regionális együttműködésre? E tanulmány fontos háttérinformációkkal, tényekkel és adatokkal ismerteti meg az olvasót a „menekültválság” elmúlt három évéről, és annak társadalmi, politikai, szakpolitikai és diplomáciai utóhatásairól. Az Orbán-kormány menekültekkel, menedék- és migrációs ügyekkel kapcsolatos retorikáját és szakpolitikai lépéseit elemzi, de be is mutatja azok regionális kontextusát.

Building Blocks for a Renewed Human Rights Narrative

Published: 27 December 2017
This study aims to lay the foundations of a collaboration that can be joined by other organisations still being formed, as well as by actors sharing human rights values who can reach out to additional potential supporters. This text is designed to be continuously expanded in the future, so as to further incorporate increasingly sensitive analyses along with a growing pool of creative ideas and recommendations.

German Greens in Coalition Government

Published: 23 March 2017
How does good governing work? How does government participation change the decision-making processes and the political objectives of a party? The study by Arne Jungjohann analyzes Green government participation of previous years and arrives at interesting conclusions.