Chernobyl 35 years on –the “Polish puzzle” Commentary It was 28th April 1986, early morning in Poland. The radiation monitoring station in Mikołajki, Mazury area (north-eastern region of Poland) showed that the radioactivity in the air was 550,000 times higher than the day before. The radioactive cloud from Chernobyl had travelled to Poland. The story of the catastrophe began here. Beata Cymerman
Defending Plurality: Four Reasons Why We Need to Rethink Academic Freedom in Europe Commentary Academic freedom is under attack, both in authoritarian democracies and in liberal Western democracies. Dominant discourses about academic freedom and free speech in the global north, lately especially in France and Germany, focus on an alleged threat to academic freedom through "political correctness" and "cancel culture", that, under scrutiny, often turn out to be exactly the opposite, namely defences of plurality and critical voices. Dr. Karsten Schubert
What Would The Human Rights Action Plan Do? Analysis The Human Rights Action Plan revealed by Turkish Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan makes bold claims of progress in human rights, freedom of expression, freedom the press and judicial independence. Here an analysis of what the action plan promise us Alican Uludağ
Super Trilogue Weakens Results-Oriented CAP Analysis The shift from compliance towards a result-oriented delivery model was highly debated in the super CAP trilogue on 26 March 2021. Have the EU co-legislators ensured that the CAP Strategic Plans are result-oriented, while still holding the delivery model accountable for taxpayers? Matteo Metta
Walking in London: people, space and governance European Mobility Atlas 2021 Walking is vital for liveable cities and a basic right for any city dweller. However, it has long been under-represented in practice and research, something London is planning to overcome. England’s capital intends to build on its prior success in improving walkability, through the elements of shaping individual behaviour, space inequalities and governance. Alexandra Gomes
Civil Society Must Be at the Heart of a Renewed Transatlantic Solidarity Commentary The new US administration offers the opportunity for a reboot of transatlantic relations, especially in relation to civil society. The calls and grievances expressed by Women’s movements, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the climate generation resonate strongly in both Europe and the US. Dr. Ellen Ueberschär, Nina Locher
Divided we fail - Vaccine diplomacy and its implications Background No country is safe from COVID-19 until all countries are safe from COVID-19. To state the obvious: To overcome a pandemic of this magnitude, vaccines must be made available quickly, cheaply, and fairly. Barbara Unmüßig, Dr. Alexandra Sitenko
Roadmap to nowhere - How the EU is gambling its last shred of credibility in Turkey policy Commentary The EU’s positive agenda in its Turkey policy is based on wrong assumptions where Europe’s strategic interests lie. Kristian Brakel
Hungary’s Fidesz will lose influence after departing the EPP, but how much? Analysis The Hungarian ruling Fidesz party’s delegation to the European Parliament announced on 3 March that they would leave the EPP parliamentary group after the latter approved changes to its internal rules, allowing the caucus to suspend or expel entire national delegations instead of individual MEPs only. Later, Fidesz left the EPP party family as well. It is, therefore, crucial to assess how the end of the Fidesz-EPP relationship will influence the Hungarian cabinet’s ability to represent national interests in the EU and the future of PM Orbán on the European political scene. In short: the decision constitutes a blow to Hungary, but not necessarily to Fidesz. Patrik Szicherle
Peace processes need a feminist vision! Background Much has been achieved at international level in the critical field of women, peace and security in recent years. Yet women are still woefully underrepresented in the Afghan peace process. The basic rights for which they fought so hard are at stake in the country’s internal negotiations with the Taliban. Anna Schwarz, Sarah Weiß