democracy

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.  

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.

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.

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. 

What does Kosovo\'s path to the EU look like? What should we know about Kosovo\'s struggle for independence? What geopolitical tensions should we be aware of in the Western Balkans? And what is the situation of the Kosovar in Warsaw, Poland? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Ambassador Drilon S. Gashi, the Chief of Mission of the Consulate General of the Republic of Kosovo in Warsaw.

Who are the challengers to the European mainstream? What are the issues that unite and divide the challengers of the European project? And what can we learn from the Italian case and Giorgia Meloni?Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Teresa Coratella, the Deputy Head of the Rome office at the European Council on Foreign Relations’ (ECFR) Rome office. 

Why has the Portuguese politics become volatile and fragmented? What should we know about the Portuguese politicians and their conflicts of interest? How to address the problem of the Chega party and the rise of populism in Portugal? And what is the current status of the relations between Portugal and the EU? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Ricardo Silvestre, an author and a political scientist who is an Associate Fellow at the European Liberal Forum (ELF).

What are the main Iranian actors and their options in the conflict with Israel? Are negotiations possible? What is the legitimacy of the regime and the potential for change from within the Iranian society? And can Eastern Europe serve as an inspiration for the Iranian reformists? Leszek Jazdzewski talks with Dr. Walter Posch, a trained orientalist who works as a Middle East expert at the Institute for Peacekeeping and Conflict Management at the National Defense Academy in Vienna.