“2015 must never be allowed to happen again”: that is the mantra Published: 24 August 2021 Commentary This short sentence is all you need to understand why the German government committed an error of judgment concerning Afghanistan. An error of judgment that kills people every day – and democracy throughout the world as well, by the way. Dr. Ines Kappert
Is the EU a feminist actor? Published: 23 August 2021 Commentary The inclusion of feminist principles is an important progressive step in the EU’s external relations policymaking. A result of this inclusion has been the development of gender equality policies aimed at conflict situations and in international development assistance. Arguably, the EU is a leader in gender equality within the foreign policy arena. Yet, while the integration of feminism has supported concrete gender equality policies, the narrow interpretation of feminism undermines its transformative potential and highlights coherency gaps in the EU’s approach. Toni Haastrup
Afghanistan: saving lives and securing futures! Published: 19 August 2021 Appeal What is needed now is a special programme to resettle people living in danger in Afghanistan and to give Afghan nationals already living in Germany the right to remain and prospects for their futures!
Bees and Pesticides in Southeast Asia Published: 4 August 2021 Article Most beekeepers have, at one time or another, found themselves confronted with the painful experience of finding a carpet of dead bees on the floor of one of their hives, or of observing bees in front of their hives exhibiting tremors, uncoordinated movements and convulsions; all signs of insecticide poisoning. Eric Guerin
And yet it moves: monitoring the debate on the New EU Pact on Migration and Asylum Published: 28 July 2021 Analysis As part of the examination of the New EU Pact on Migration and Asylum proposed by the European Commission, the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Paris office publishes a series of analyses devoted to this subject. This second article examines the progress of the debates on the Pact at European level, considering in particular the external dimension of migration and asylum policies and the relationship with third countries, as well as the legal routes of entry of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants into the EU. Christopher Hein
Gendered disinformation: 6 reasons why liberal democracies need to respond to this threat Published: 9 July 2021 Policy brief Gendered disinformation is a form of identity-based disinformation that threatens human rights worldwide. It undermines the digital and political rights, as well as the safety and security, of its targets. Ellen Judson from Demos explains what gendered disinformation is, how it impacts individuals and societies, and the challenges in combating it, drawing on case studies from Poland and the UK. It assesses how the UK and EU are responding to gendered disinformation, and sets out a plan of action for governments, platforms, media and civil society.
Gendered disinformation: 6 reasons why liberal democracies need to respond to this threat Published: 9 July 2021 Policy brief Gendered disinformation is a form of identity-based disinformation that threatens human rights worldwide. It undermines the digital and political rights, as well as the safety and security, of its targets. Ellen Judson from Demos explains what gendered disinformation is, how it impacts individuals and societies, and the challenges in combating it, drawing on case studies from Poland and the UK. It assesses how the UK and EU are responding to gendered disinformation, and sets out a plan of action for governments, platforms, media and civil society. Ellen Judson
Three readings of one law: Reregulating sexuality in Hungary Published: 8 July 2021 Commentary The Hungarian government has received international criticism over a new law that bans the depiction or promotion of homosexuality to those under the age of 18. Andrea Pető argues that the law may well prove to be a miscalculation by the country’s Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán. Andrea Pető
Green jobs: the rhetoric and the reality Published: 29 June 2021 Commentary Britain has been promised a quarter of a million ‘green jobs’. But as the government continues to struggle to contain Covid-19, the details are lacking. Ros Taylor looks at the scale of the UK’s ambition and some of the obstacles to decarbonisation. Ros Taylor
The sociopolitical requirements of a potential democratic transition in Hungary Published: 23 June 2021 Analysis What might be done with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s political system after a potential opposition victory in 2022, considering that it is built mostly on informal power and privatized economic-financial resources? These questions are currently being debated mainly as issues of public law. Unfortunately, little is being said about the sociopolitical requirements for the democratic transition the opposition so desires. Róbert László