Politics

The Sunday shopping ban (initially on selected Sundays, later on almost all) has been in force in Poland since 2018. The bill proposed by the Third Way intends to restore trade on the first and third Sundays of each month, in line with the Coalition’s parliamentary campaign promises. Even restoring trade every other Sunday should be regarded as a step in the right direction.

The Minister of Family, Labor and Social Policy, Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, has once again declared that her ministry is working on a list of professions to be protected from the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), along with regulations that would limit or even ban the use of AI in certain jobs. This move could turn Poland into an economic backwater and harm Polish citizens, including those working in the professions in question.

Employment policy has been crucial to the success of Fidesz, Hungary\'s governing party since 2010. Their so-called \'work-based society\', which has led to skyrocketing employment rates, combined with a lack of political alternatives, has made poor, geographically isolated, ethnically diverse regions much more likely to vote for Fidesz.

Compromise has always been important in politics. Coalition governments or parties, when trying to draft new legislation, often give up some of their values to achieve their most important goals and to work together. Parties also cooperate when they choose the best candidate in a primary election like Hungarian opposition parties did in 2026.

Hungary has been governed by the populist Fidesz party for 15 consecutive years, maintaining a parliamentary supermajority throughout all four of its terms since 2010. This remarkable success story is most intriguing because it is often argued that populist parties thrive in opposition but lose momentum once they get into government.

Why are students protesting in Serbia? What are the social and political reasons for the upheaval? What is the state of the Serbian democracy? Is the European Union choosing interests over values? And should we fear the recent geopolitical tensions in the Balkans? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Ivan Vejvoda, Permanent fellow at the IWM. Ivan is the head of Europe’s Futures program and a host of Vienna Coffee House Conversations.

\"Estonia will never recognize the forcible seizure of Ukrainian territory,\" Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) said. Despite differences between Ukraine, European countries, and the US on peace, the Prime Minister remains hopeful about progress in upcoming talks after Wednesday\'s summit in London drew a blank.

Why were the presidential elections in Romania annulled? Who was behind the TikTok campaign of Călin Georgescu? And what is the state of democracy in Romania ahead of the repeated elections? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Georgiana Gheorghe, the Executive Director of APADOR-CH, a leading human rights organization based in Bucharest, Romania.

What should we know about Europe’s defense industry? What capabilities does Europe need to develop to deter the Russian aggression? What are the consequences of the German debt brake reform? And is a common European defense single market possible? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Guntram B. Wolff, a Senior fellow at Bruegel.

Deregulation has been a loaded word among many European politicians and experts lately, with growing discussions on reducing bureaucracy and easing the burden on citizens and businesses. However, is this often-used term and concept actually feasible? And how has progress been made on this so far? It has undoubtedly become a European trend, discussed not only by EU leaders but also within EU institutions.