democratisation

What is the difference between a revolution and a coup d’etat?

In the midst of the popular revolts which have seen the fall of dictatorships across the Arab world, almost 31 years have passed since the events of '23-F', an attempted coup d’état against the Spanish government on 23 February 1981

by Aníbal Tierno @ // 05/01/12

democratisation, violence, army, revolution, spain, religion, politics

Bye bye eat pray sado-love Europe 2011

Humiliation, pain and sadism were some of the key emotions felt over this past year. Unemployed, previously unheard European citizens helplessly clung onto the wheel of fortune 2011 as we watched key political figures fall and saw a strengthening of belief in ourselves as we tried to understand the change that was happening. It was a violent year but a certain peace navigated the courses of the waters and a long-lost love ranked high on the charts. All we aim to have left for 2012 is hope. Season's greetings and see you in the 'happy' new year! (Illustration: © Kristof)

• Read the special edition Bye bye eat pray sado-love Europe 2011
• University of Love questionnaire for EU
• 'What if?': students re-imagine 2011's big events
• Hope in 2011: Tahrir and Puerta del Sol utopias
• Peace in 2011: 'solutions to conflicts do exist’
• 2011: God Bless Relativised Europe

Blogger Khelil Ben Osman on Tunisian elections

There's no official result in the Tunisian elections yet. Nonetheless the moderate islamist party ennahda is on the verge of victory. One of the pioneers of the digital awakening during the jasmine revolution gives his view of the first great moment of democracy in Tunisia

by Matthieu Amaré @ // 27/10/11

democratisation, tunisia, jasmine revolution, islamophobia, revolution, islamic revolution, islam

Pan-European indignant revolution viewed from Brussels

The capital of Europe is moving to the rhythm and vibe of the #spanishrevolution; young students from Spain living in Germany, Portugal and Greece amongst others started organising people’s assemblies not far from their embassies on 15 May, and it's still ongoing. Perspectives

by Amelie Mouton @ // 01/06/11

democratisation, arab spring, bruxelles, 'indignant citizens' movement, youth, society

Arab spring 2011 and Europe’s fall of communism in 1989

As the Maghreb goes through its transitions, a look at the lessons learned from central and eastern Europe. Opinion from Daniel Novotny, deputy director of the research centre at the association for international affairs in Prague

by Daniel Novotny @ // 24/05/11

democratisation, 1989, morocco, conflict, peace, post-soviet states, algeria

'Real democracy NOW!': #spanishrevolution becomes #europeanrevolution

Spain’s so-called 15-M has become 29-M, referring to the dates of the sit-in protests of a Spain in May which saw local elections swinging to the favour of the opposition conservatives. The rage is sweeping Italy, Belgium and France

by Emmanuel Haddad @ // 23/05/11

democratisation, internet, madrid, arab spring, jasmine revolution, revolution, brussels

Mohamed Elhamdi: are Italian pilots attacking Libyans?

African mercenaries, commissions on civil assassinations and the alleged support of Italy in the repression are some of the horrors of today’s ‘Libyan genocide’. The president of Libya House (Casa Libia) in Spain left his country 38 years ago, devoting himself to socio-cultural issues, until the revolution kicked off on 17 February. Hundreds have died; interview

by Argemino Barro @ // 22/02/11

democratisation, genocide, violence, arab spring, silvio berlusconi, muammar al-gaddafi, revolution

Egypt: President Mubarak's men in pro-democracy clashes

Several people were killed in Cairo on 2 February in the violent clashes between supporters and opponents of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. The Slovenian, Swedish and German press blames the regime for the escalation of violence and bemoans the low level of EU and US support for the opposition

by eurotopics @ // 03/02/11

democratisation, foreign policy, arab spring, common foreign and security policy, egypt, egypt, hosni mubarak

Birgitta Jonsdottir, Iceland's woman politician blogger

The politician, blogger and Wikileaks ‘friend’ from Reykjavik, 43, proposed a law which aims to convert the island into a model of digital transparency and safe haven for journalists; it was passed in June. Interview with a mother-of-one who is ‘everything but your traditional politician’

by Matthieu Amaré @ // 31/08/10

democratisation, iceland, internet, european media, blogs, journalism, citizen journalism

Elections, elections: buy a vote for 50 euros in Bulgaria

That's how much a vote can be worth in some areas of Bulgaria. Shortly after the country’s entry into the EU, in the 2007 national election, the problem was so prevalent in local elections that Brussels became alarmed

by Dave Keating @ // 30/03/09

democratisation, eudebate on the ground, corruption, european elections 2009, sofia, best of cafebabel.com, eudebate2009

Regional representations can communicate EU policy to citizens

At a regional policy debate on 8 October, journalist Sabine Berger commented that ‘regional representations and MEPs can help.’ Over 250 regional representations in Brussels voice the interests of their respective areas.

by Hilary Arrowsmith @ // 03/12/08

democratisation, euweek, commitee of the regions, politics, european democracy

Exploiting unpaid interns: rites of passage?

Associations like Generation Precarity or Fairwork expose an exploited flexible labour force with intermittent incomes and no job security

by farah boucherak // 28/04/08

democratisation, labour, future of europe, germany, education system, development, erasmus

Cinema: Persepolis hits the UK

Released on 25 April in an English-dubbed version, a review of Franco-Iranian artist Marjane Satrapi's Oscar-nominated animation of a girl displaced in Vienna

by jens wiesner // 25/04/08

democratisation, vienna, middle east, discrimination, tehran, comics, iran islamic republic of

Serb elections: blackmail Europe

Serb incumbent Boris Tadic needs every vote he can get in the second round of presidential elections on 3 February. PM Kostunica supports his pro-European coalition partner - but on his own terms only

by norbert rütsche & marzena uchowicz // 01/02/08

democratisation, balkans, left-wing, serbia, central and eastern europe, right-wing, kosovo

Democratic index for Europe

After Eurobarometer and the ‘Index of Happiness’, a new index launched by a British think tank on 31 January aims to ‘measure’ democracy in 25 European countries – and get Europe's citizens to customise their own indices online. Interview

by Nabeelah Shabbir @ // 31/01/08

democratisation, london, freedom of movement, belgium, index, united kingdom, interview