Adam Reichardt is a journalist and political scientist. Editor in chief of New Eastern Europe and co-host of the Talk Eastern Europe podcast. Member of the Eurozine editorial board.
Trying to predict Donald Trump’s second-round presidential moves can be nerve racking. Media, having already backed out of supporting the Democrats, look set to hedge their bets further. Surviving the roller coaster once might be reassuring, but progressives are reflecting on historical grassroots action for overcoming internal attacks on democracy.
Until almost the very end, Milan Kundera refused to let his work be translated into Czech or Slovak. Now that is changing, he is being rediscovered by a new generation. Although his wish to return was unfulfilled, his work is experiencing a homecoming.
Media acceleration puts enormous emphasis on speed, creating a pressure on politics that the elaborate procedures of cross-party cooperation cannot withstand. Modelled after Roman democracy, modern liberal democracies may as well have an expiration date, George Blecher argues.
The European elections have been key to determining citizens’ priorities, albeit with one significant caveat in Ireland. In Poland, voters clearly care more about social welfare than abstract issues like rule of law. And issues of real consequence for the Western Balkans may finally be addressed, now that the elections are over.
In the run up to the European Parliamentary elections in May, editors from the Eurozine network will be reporting on national debates from across the EU. First up in the series are views from Kraków, Nicosia and Dublin.
