Articles

The student protests have sparked a wave of democratic mass mobilization throughout Serbia. However, it remains to be seen whether the students’ demands can be translated into political and parliamentary action to enable a peaceful democratic new beginning. On March 15 2025, the most massive protest action yet is called for. Here are some assessments from an activists, journalists, analysts and representatives of the political opposition.

A new study examines how the transition to a circular economy can be made fair globally. Against this background, we evaluate the Clean Industrial Deal presented by the European Commission in February 2025.

In this Böll·Europe Podcast episode we focus on the snap federal elections in Germany, which took place on Sunday 23 February 2025. Our guest is Dietrich Herrmann, since 2024 Head of the Government, Administration and Political Parties Division at the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung's headquarters in Berlin. Dietrich holds a PhD in modern history from the Free University of Berlin. From 1994 to 2013 he worked in political science research at Dresden University. He worked at the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group in the Saxon State Parliament from 2015 to 2020. From 2020 to 2022, he established the new Department of Citizen Participation in the Saxon State Ministry of Justice and for Democracy, Europe and Equality.

The Kremlin denies sovereignty and territorial integrity not only to Ukraine but also to Georgia. But unlike Ukraine, the ruling Georgian Dream party follows the Russian playbook and uses the Russian threat to maintain authoritarian power. 

This week marks 100 days of the von der Leyen II European Commission. A deadline by which President von der Leyen promised a range of initiatives, as outlined in her 2024-2029 political guidelines. We take a look at the main initiatives launched, in a time when Europe is adapting to shifting geopolitical paradigms.

After years of hesitation, the EU – driven by geopolitical shifts – is finally moving forward. The special summit in Brussels shows momentum in defence policy. But Europe remains vulnerable without a big step forward.

It's not just about money. We can be the innovative and cultural magnet of the world. That is the strength of democratic and open societies.

There is a broad consensus that no significant change can be expected in Russia so long as Vladimir Putin remains in power. The big question is: what will happen when he steps down or dies in office? Summary of Jens Siegert's book "Where is Russia Heading? Scenarios for the Time Afterwards", presented in Brussels on 6 March 2025.

Massive vote buying overshadowed the 2024 elections in Moldova - over 35 million euros were spent on influencing voters. Robert Sperfeld and Julian Gröger spoke to former State Secretary Mariana Lucreteanu about coming to terms with the scandal and the lessons learned for the 2025 parliamentary elections.

Europe must step up. While EU leaders have expressed solidarity in the wake of the Trump-Vance-Zelensky Oval Office meeting, tweets and statements do not help on the battlefield. Ukraine needs weapons and financial support. The challenge Europe faces is not a lack of capability, but a weakness of will. Europe possesses immense resources but struggles to mobilise them effectively.