Whilst waiting on the political and governmental reforms of the EU, we should be aware of our contemporary situation and stay modest in small steps: only such small steps could keep us on track with optimism of our founding fathers, both of the EU and liberal democracy.
The COVID-19 pandemic has served as an opportunity for many to intensify attacks on national and international norms and standards, including further weakening of checks and balances, broadening of corruption, and undercutting media freedom.
The pandemic can rule the agenda, but it cannot rule the ideology. This is the main lesson of the past few days in Hungary. The government has introduced restrictions and a crisis management plan, while PM Viktor Orbán has began writing the new chapter of the Hungarian ideological-cultural war in the meantime.
Bulgaria had its autumn of discontent. The mass protests proclaimed as a crusade against corruption and state capture have failed, while the prospects for reform of the oligarchic model from within are bleak at best. Hence, Bulgarians are looking at a winter of stagnation and political blockage.
Coalition Conservative People’s Party (EKRE) MP Kert Kingo said on the “Otse Postimehest” webcast that the referendum would heal the rift in society caused by the passing of the Registered Partnership Act.
Joe Biden’s victory at U.S. presidential elections is not something all sides to the Estonian government welcome. This is a shame because Estonia’s relationship with the United States has never nor should it depend on who is president in America, Marko Mihkelson writes.
The only way to limit damage to what has already been done would be to cancel the hatred-inciting referendum plan, MEP Urmas Paet writes. The principal damage to be done by this so-called marriage referendum that works to tear apart Estonian society is that the mere fact it will take place along with the base rhetoric that accompanies it will directly place a part of society in a situation where they feel unwanted. And an…
Polish laws on abortion are the strictest in Europe. The government refuses the right to safe abortion to people with wombs, allowing for abortion tourism and self-induced miscarriage. This wasn’t enough for religious fundamentalists in the Polish parliament.
The Polish government’s war with both Brussels and a significant part of the Polish population over the rule of law is against Poland’s national interests. On October 26, the European Parliament adopted a resolution criticizing the Polish Constitutional Tribunal’s decision to ban over 95% of legal abortions in Poland.
In democratic societies, elections are determined by the vote of the people. The democratic process in the United States elected President Trump in 2016. Four years later, after all legal votes are counted and verified, the same process may require that he peacefully transfer that power to someone else.
