communism
Europe reacts: what Gaddafi’s expiration means
On 20 October the world saw a mediatised repeat of bloody images and videos of Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein on their deathbeds: Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi, 69, was killed in his hometown of Sirte. French, US and British forces were part of the Nato airstrikes in the Libyan civil war which began in February 2011. Read presidential and prime ministerial postcards from Poland, Malta, Italy, France and Germany after the news broke
communism, josé luis rodríguez zapatero, germany, international trade, poland, david cameron, libya
Nichi Vendola: is communism the only alternative to Berlusconi?
He's catholic, homosexual, a communist, an environmentalist and an opposition candidate to Silvio Berlusconi in the yet-to-be-decided primary elections. In the face of negative forecasts and senior party officials he's a two-time winner of the regional elections in Puglia, and the 52-year-old has noticeable support for his ideas
Communism perspectives: 'discontinuous history of art in eastern Europe'
3 October marked twenty years after the fall of the communist regime. One exhibition in Paris this summer asked the central question: is there any value in the question of 'east-west’ opposition today?
communism, paris, poland, albania, romania, photography, culture calendar
Greece crisis: profiling rich, scot-free yacht-owners
The economic flavour of the Greek crisis tastes different for those on top - the shipowners, the yachting association bosses - than the diet prescribed for the masses. In Athens though, the latter rage against the state rather than the privileged classes. Lucky richies
communism, protest, money, economical crisis, greece, poverty, financial crisis
'Come to Romania': quest to brand Bucharest
Forging a skate culture, redesigning lei banknotes and offering a story to tourists, aside from the palace of parliament hotspot, the result of dictator Ceaucescu's tearing down a third of the city in communist times. These are just some of the ideas to boost the image and GDP of a crisis-riddled country
communism, money, advertising, bucharest, centrist, architecture, romania
Stalin, rock music and bad weather: story behind suicides in Lithuania
The River Neris splits Vilnius down the middle: to the North lies the university, the stadium and terraces with views; to the south is the heart of the capital: cobbled, colourful, and impeccable. But a sinister notice hangs from one of its bridges, followed by a telephone number
communism, joseph stalin, poverty, vilnius, eucrisis on the ground, cities, civil society
The 'M' word: breaking the Bulgarian complex
In January 2009, Sofia’s then-mayor and current PM banned anti-government protests after citizen disillusion with the country’s corruption; Bulgaria is officially the poorest EU state, according to Transparency International. One year on, the remnants of a ‘protest culture’ lie in the urban, cultural and mediatic fragmentation of a society rooted in tradition, the past - and the mafia, to an extent
communism, protest, urban space, radio, violence, mafia, journalism
‘Many people in Bulgaria are left-wing - but don’t dare to say it’
With only 18% of the vote in the last legislative elections in September 2009, the Bulgarian socialist party (BSP) is nowadays a rather sluggish opposition. Its leaders, nostalgic former communists, are joined on the left of the political spectrum by youngsters with ideas and dreams. Part two in a five part 'EU crisis on the ground' city series
communism, extremism, best of cafebabel.com, bulgaria, left-wing, politics, youth
Kinda green: five myths about sustainable development in Bulgaria
Ah, the Bulgarians. They're relatively apathetic. Most companies are interested in either doing only the legally required minimum for the environment or in using their ‘green’ activities as marketing tools. But counterintuitive though it may seem, the financial crisis actually promotes sustainability
communism, energy, copenhagen, environment, technology, myth, central and eastern europe
European bloggers describe their Berlin walls
Monday is 9 November, the day when the Berlin wall was brought down. To reflect on this iconic modern historical event for the eurogeneration, citizen journalists from five cafebabel.com local teams - Sofia, Budapest, Turin, Strasbourg and Istanbul - simultaneously blogged one day about the walls they see in their cities
communism, germany, event, architecture, budapest, blogs, blog review
2 days in Warsaw: Solidarnosc, cult Polish documentaries and Berlusconi
For two days at the end of April 2009, the Polish capital becomes the 'centre of Europe' as the EU's largest centre-right party descend on the city. Quality time spent between British, Spanish and Polish colleagues raises an understanding of what the last twenty years mean, and the gap between east and west. Opinion
communism, cinema, protest, warsaw, director, divorce, poland
20 years: fly on the Berlin wall
9 November 1989. The Berlin wall comes down, freeing the democratic motorways between the countries of the former Warsaw pact. Two decades on, many of these countries are in the European Union, tested in the climate of east-west precarity brought on by the economic crisis. In this edition: focus on those who were born after history was made, those who escaped that history and those who are staging it today on the floorboards in London and Berlin
- Read the special edition 20 years: fly on the Berlin wall
- What communism means to three central and eastern European women
- Solidarity turn their backs on 1989
- Mihai Mircea Butcovan: 'the majority of Italians ignore everything which Romania does for the EU'
- London and Berlin reviews of Mark Ravenhill's 'Over There' play
Seville: Cuba, communists and anticapitalists for the elections!
Spotlight on the epicentre of southern Spain, whose ruling socialist-communist government leans more towards Cuba than Europe. In the land of the mileuristas - so-called '1000 euros a month-ers' - the rude gap is being bridged with an increasingly politically alternative feeling before the European elections in June 2009
communism, olivier besancenot, university, bologna process, franco, cádiz, king juan carlos i
Czech Republic: EU equals protectionism equals communism?
With different visions of the market, politics and the EU, this is a country which is torn between its new role as the centre of Europe and the rejection of any type of communism
communism, economical crisis, international trade, praha, proteccionismo, nicolas sarkozy, europe on the ground
Moldova: violent disturbances in Europe’s poorest country
20, 000 demonstrators storm the parliament following the communists’ re-election
communism, manifestation, eudebate2009, european union, riots, moldova republic of, chisinau
