Politics

Right-wing populism has been on the rise in Europe, and despite some exceptions, it doesn’t seem to be backing out. The group of people that seems to be most convinced by radical right-wing ideas is the youth - people aged 18 to 29. In the US, however, an unexpected change in this regard was initiated by Zohran Mamdani, currently mayor-elect of NYC. In the recent mayoral election 78% of people aged 18-29 voted for Mamdani, a democratic socialist.  

In Hungary, FIDESZ-KDNP has been ruling the country with a two-thirds constitutional majority since 2010, now for 15 years. Under Orbán’s regime, there is a particular focus on the country’s media landscape and the crisis of its credibility. It is no exaggeration to state that the public media is effectively under political control and has lost its legitimacy.

Are we witnessing the weakening of political parties? If that is the case, what are the effects of this phenomenon on democracy? Is there a market for centrist politics? Has the US turned populist? And what is the future for Argentina under President Javier Milei? Leszek Jazdzewski talks with Samuel Issacharoff, the Bonnie and Richard Reiss Professor of Constitutional Law at the NYU School of Law.

After the summer recess, the Bulgarian Parliament rushed to change the rules for electing the chair of the National Statistical Institute (NSI). However, under the pretext of improving independence, this is simply an attempt to remove an inconvenient director who refuses to comply with the demands of political parties and institutions, even when they are contrary to the legislation and principles on which the statistical institute is based.

Is the Green Deal dead or is it just resting? Does it make sense for Europe to create ambitious climate goals without the United States and China? And what should we know about climate-focused industrial partnerships of the European Union? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Susi Dennison, a Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR)

What is the secret of the populist narrative? Why should we shy away from liberal nostalgia? And what are some of the sources of hope for the future? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Jan-Werner Müller, a Roger Williams Straus Professor of Social Sciences and a Professor of Politics at Princeton University.

Labubus, with their naughty smiles, have stolen their way into most homes with kids, but their colorful furs hold a sinister secret. They are the newest presentation of a Chinese soft power takeover. With the US clogging up its channels of influence, we had better prepare for a wave of Chinafication. Soft power is marked by the promotion of positive values.

What are the polls telling us about the forthcoming October election in the Czech Republic? Will Andrej Babiš come back to power? What are some of the issues and scandals that dominate the political debate ahead of the election? And what will be the Czech position on Ukraine, the NATO, and security under the new government? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Martin Ehl, a journalist and writer, a reporter of Czech economic daily Hospodářské noviny (hn.cz).

Despite the increasing international prominence of mayors and municipal networks, local governments across Europe face numerous challenges. In the UK, local councils lack the resources to fulfill their extensive responsibilities, while in France, attempts at decentralization have been hindered by a lack of clarity over the distribution of responsibilities and a relatively high degree of central government interference.

What game is President Donald Trump playing with Vladimir Putin? Is peace in Ukraine attainable? And what is the role of the EU in the negotiations, if any? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Piotr Buras, the Head of ECFR\'s Warsaw office and a Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.