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Funding Cuts to Czech NGOs Fuel Populist Surge Ahead of Elections
Amid declining international support, small organisations face existential threats
Czech NGOs are bracing for an uncertain future as US-linked funding cuts bite, exposing cracks in an already fragile financing system that even the largest organisations struggle to navigate.
Read moreFar-Right’s Upper Hand in Presidential Run-off in Poland
The far-right mobilisation is the decisive factor in the presidential run-off
Poland’s presidential election has set the stage for a defining runoff between reform and rupture. With KO’s Rafał Trzaskowski and PiS-backed Karol Nawrocki neck and neck, the 1 June vote will determine whether Warsaw moves forward with long-delayed reforms that would strengthen its position in Europe – or remains paralysed...
Read moreRomanian President-Elect Defeats Kremlin-Troll. New Headache: Fiscal Imbalance
Democratic Security Outlook 2025: 19-25 May
Now the hard work begins… Pro-European forces breathed a collective sigh of relief yesterday as liberal centrist Nicușor Dan staged a remarkable turnaround and defeated nationalist pro-MAGA George Simion to become the next Romanian President.
Read moreWounds That Won’t Heal: Trauma, Power and Politics in Slovakia – COMMENTARY
When political fear fuels societal fracture and threatens democratic discourse
A year after the assassination attempt on Slovakia’s prime minister, political divisions have hardened. Trauma is no longer a wound to heal, but a weapon to silence critics and intimidate journalists.
Read moreIsolationist Hypocrisy: Fico Courts Russia and Sells Ammo to Ukraine
An interview with Róbert Ondrejcsák
Róbert Ondrejcsák offers a sharp assessment of shifting alliances, strategic confusion in Bratislava and what’s at stake for NATO unity.
Read moreRomania’s Presidential Election: European Alliances vs Authoritarian Drift
This weekend's presidential race will test Romania’s commitment to liberal democracy, economic reform and NATO’s eastern flank
Romanians are heading to the polls this weekend to choose their next president, but this is more than a domestic political contest. It is a referendum on the country’s democratic trajectory, its role in European security and its economic future at a time of mounting regional volatility.
Read moreFormer Taiwanese President Visits Lithuania as Bilateral Ties Face Uncertainty – QUICK TAKE
A strategic tour at a critical moment
Former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to Vilnius comes as Lithuania’s new government reassesses its ties with Taiwan, raising questions about whether past solidarity will translate into future cooperation.
Read moreNationalist Simion Poised For Victory in Romania. Poland’s First Round
Democratic Security Outlook 2025: 12-18 May
Liberal Mayor Nicușor Dan is trailing by 10 points. The frontrunner pledges to get Cǎlin Georgescu into power. If polls are to be trusted and George Simion wins on 18 May, Romania will soon become a soft underbelly in NATO’s eastern flank. On the same day, in Poland, Rafał Trzaskowski...
Read moreFoot-and-Mouth Disease Has Hit Slovakia, but Disinformation May Be the Bigger Threat
How disinformation is undermining the Fico government’s battle against foot-and-mouth disease
In Slovakia, the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak has become more than just an agricultural emergency – it’s a political battleground. As PM Fico grapples with the virus, disinformation from within his own party is threatening to unravel the government’s response, eroding trust in institutions just when it’s needed most.
Read moreWhat Victory Parade? Fico and Vučić Get Sick Leave For Putin’s Day
Democratic Security Outlook 2025: 5-11 May
Vučić cites blood pressure problems. Fico has anxiety from his assasination attempt. This year, no European leaders will be present in Moscow for Russia’s ‘Victory Day’ on 9 May. Instead, this week Kyiv will ratify a minerals deal with the US, EU ministers will meet in Warsaw for informal Gymnich...
Read moreThe Great Reset Goes Transatlantic
How US and European ultra-conservatives are building an alliance to dismantle the EU and reshape it in their image — one nationalist policy at a time
A transatlantic alliance of far-right think tanks is promoting an illiberal reset of the European Union. With roots in the US Project 2025 and growing links to European actors, this effort aims to weaken EU institutions, roll back rule-of-law mechanisms and challenge the Union’s democratic foundations.
Read moreA Nobel Peace Prize For Trump – COMMENTARY
It would solve a number of problems at once
It would solve a number of problems at once.
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STRATEGIC FORESIGHT
We map out scenarios for Europe’s future
The critical question for democracies today is how to wield their collective will and resources for a credible defence posture. For now, European democrats are primarily reactive and demobilised against mounting geopolitical pressures. This report presents perspectives on how the EU can safeguard democracies, based on the EU Values Foresight project conducted in four Central European countries.
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