Europe
Dilemmas of Democracy
As extremist parties like Germany’s AfD and France’s National Rally edge closer to power across Europe, states are weighing bans and disqualifications. But excluding some political actors runs the risk of eroding democracy itself.
Harris’ Balkans Problem
The Biden administration’s policy of embracing Serbia’s authoritarian leader in an attempt to lure him out of Russia’s orbit has backfired, deepening dangerous fissures in Bosnia. If Kamala Harris is to regain U.S. influence in the region she must reorient Washington’s foreign policy in the Balkans.
Georgia’s Orthodox Bishops Are Fueling a Resurgent Stalin-Worship on TikTok
From Stalin’s purported superpowers to the Georgian patriarch’s alleged ties to the Soviet security services, the reasons for one of the world’s oldest churches taking an interest in reinventing the image of an atheistic, authoritarian communist who massacred millions are as complex as they are bizarre.
How Prominent Muslims in Austria Were Painted as Enemies of the State
In 2020, my home was raided by the Austrian police as part of Operation Luxor, a crackdown on Muslim civil society activists. Only later would I discover what lay behind the branding of prominent Muslim voices as Islamist enemies of the state and made my life in Austria impossible.
I Grew Up by Sicily’s Lake Pergusa; Now I Can Walk Across It
What has happened at Pergusa is a foretaste of what other fragile ecosystems will face in the future if action is not taken soon. Here, in the heart of Sicily, in the heart of the Mediterranean, we have witnessed the end of the seasons.
A War on Universities in the Netherlands
Budget cuts imposed by the Netherlands’ right-wing government are just the latest in a series of problems plaguing Dutch universities, including debates over English-language instruction. Whether imposed for ideological or economic reasons, the cuts further a populist agenda against higher education as a bastion of internationalism and so-called woke activism.
How Ukraine Caught Putin’s Forces Off Guard in Kursk — And Why
Ukrainian border raids into Russia are nothing new, although none has been undertaken with the type of forethought and ambition shown in the Kursk campaign. In under a week, Ukraine may have taken more of Russia than its adversary took of Ukraine in the entirety of 2024.