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Tag: elections

Resisting foreign interference: Poland’s presidential election and the Russian challenge

During the months leading up to the June 1st presidential run-off in Poland, the government in Warsaw repeatedly warned of Russian disinformation and interference. But as the dust settled after the vote, a different picture began to emerge. Did Poland really face the threat it claimed – and has it passed the test?

June 10, 2025 - Agata Pyka

What Poland’s election teaches us about Trump’s war on Harvard

Poland's election reveals how authoritarian movements gain ground by turning less-educated voters against the institutions that safeguard democracy. Trump's war on elite universities like Harvard follows the same playbook - discredit expertise, weaken oversight, and rule by resentment.

June 6, 2025 - Dan Perry

How Romania defeated populism: a blueprint for Europe

Recent years have seen the term anti-establishment proudly embraced by radicals with often controversial links to Russia. Despite this, the recent victory of a pro-Europe liberal in Romania’s presidential election shows that the forces of centrism can offer something beyond just more of the same.

June 2, 2025 - Maria Branea

Europe is the only alternative

An interview with Salome Zourabichvili, fifth president of Georgia. Interviewer: Wojciech Wojtasiewicz

WOJCIECH WOJTASIEWICZ: Madame President, I would like to start by asking about your political plans and how best to resolve the current political and constitutional crisis in Georgia?

SALOME ZOURABICHVILI: Don’t ask me about plans, because there are no plans when you are fighting. Practically speaking, Georgia now has a dictatorship, or a Russian-style regime. Since the so-called elections, which were clearly manipulated, the Georgian Dream parliament and government have been pursuing repressive measures in the country. Day after day, they are applying measures to crush the protests and civil society.

May 5, 2025 - Salome Zourabichvili Wojciech Wojtasiewicz

Post-election Kosovo plunges into the unknown as western allies wane

Kosovo’s recent election has brought up various questions regarding the country’s future. A search is now underway to determine how a majority can be formed in parliament, with the incumbent Albin Kurti likely to continue his leadership. At the same time, such developments could well have an impact on the nation’s relationship with western states.

February 20, 2025 - Alejandro Esteso Pérez

Georgian Dream turns into Georgian Nightmare: election fraud, escalating protests, and a confrontation with the EU

The unrest that erupted in Georgia following the recent parliamentary elections shows no sign of ending. As the Georgian Dream government comes under increasing pressure, the country now stands at a crossroads regarding not only its democracy but also its place in the world.

December 19, 2024 - Lasha Gamjashvili

While Moldova is making progress, Georgia is falling back

It is hard to believe the shift in Georgia and Moldova’s prospects for accession. While Chisinau has emerged from a long period of uncertainty to champion the EU cause, Tbilisi is rapidly losing momentum in its negotiations. The reason for this change lies in two clearly contrasting governments.

December 16, 2024 - Irakli Machaidze

Czechia’s known and unknown

One year ahead of Czechia’s parliamentary elections, polls show a substantial lead for ANO, the populist party founded by one of the richest oligarchs and former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. Like it or not, Babiš’s comeback seems inevitable. Yet with this inevitability comes uncertainty regarding with whom and how Babiš will govern again.

Czechia’s Andrej Babiš has been a heavyweight political player since the 2013 parliamentary elections. At that time, ANO had its first electoral success. Unexpectedly, it placed second in the race, capturing over 18 per cent of the vote, trailing only behind the Social Democrats, who secured the top position. This electoral success allowed Babiš to join the coalition government as finance minister. Four years later, in subsequent parliamentary elections, ANO won decisively. A score ten per cent higher than in 2013 gave it an absolute victory and first place in the race. Second was the right-wing Civic Democratic Party or ODS, which received only 11.32 per cent of the vote. In 2021, even though ANO lost by a minimal margin to the ODS-led Spolu (Together) coalition, it still recorded a good score of more than 27 per cent of the vote.

November 21, 2024 - Michal Lebduška

Pivotal elections: Georgia goes all in

Georgians overwhelmingly support NATO and EU membership and deserve a government that aligns with their aspirations. The West requires reliable partners in the South Caucasus and access to critical checkpoints in connectivity and trade. The current decline in relations between Tbilisi and the West can only be seen as a victory for Russia and China. The elections in October 2024 will provide one last chance for the country and its democratic perspectives.

Georgia is a small country with unique geopolitical importance to Russia, China and the West. Its regional and international positioning is heavily determined by the role of connecting Europe and Asia through the Black Sea. In this light, Russia’s war in Ukraine has profoundly affected the shift in Georgia’s foreign trajectory and democratic backsliding.

September 17, 2024 - Nino Lezhava

Elections in North Macedonia: the importance of election observation in young democracies

On May 8th, landmark elections took place in North Macedonia. With many important issues on the line, including future EU membership, the validity of the elections was more important than ever. For this exact reason, observers from the Danish NGO “Silba - Initiative for Dialogue and Democracy” set out to observe these elections. In this account of the mission, a coordinator and two observers share their experiences and discuss the importance of election observation.

June 5, 2024 - Daniela Lange Andersen Jelle Baartmans John Bracken Stijn van der Veen

Double elections end North Macedonia’s de facto duopoly, but sometimes more is less

Dissatisfaction with the Social Democrats and nationalist demands from Bulgaria have shifted the country to the right.

May 14, 2024 - Kristijan Fidanovski

A super elections year: Romania’s 2024 political landscape

This year Romanians will experience an unprecedented four elections: local, European, presidential and parliamentary. The ruling mainstream parties have already demonstrated their joint strategy to curb the rise of populist and extremist parties. How the society will vote in this marathon of democracy remains unknown.

Romania has never had four rounds of elections in a single year. However, 2024 brings them all: European, local, presidential and parliamentary. Over the past year, there have been discussions about the possibility of merging some of them, especially European and local elections. Yet, until recently, the political calculations within the governing coalition did not favour this option as a means of simplifying the electoral calendar.

April 11, 2024 - Eugen Stancu

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