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illiberalism

August 27, 2025

🧭 How Hungary and Serbia expose the EU’s enlargement vulnerabilities

Rafaela Gonzalez Lucioni EU enlargement, without credible enforcement of democratic standards, threatens the Union’s integrity. Cases like Hungary and Serbia expose the dangers of performative reforms and weak accountability. Rafaela Gonzalez Lucioni argues that to remain a values-based project, the EU must reform internal mechanisms and adopt a phased, conditional approach to accession Read more
August 15, 2025

🌊 How Romania’s educational institutions resisted illiberal pressures

Gabriela-Elena Plăpămaru Amid rising illiberalism, Romanian democratic institutions face growing pressure. Gabriela Plăpămaru reveals how the traditional right tried to undermine Romania’s education sector — and how progressives responded with institutional resilience Read more
July 31, 2025

🧭 Can the EU overcome Hungary’s veto on Ukrainian membership?

Tyyne Karjalainen Hungary’s blocking behaviour risks derailing Ukraine’s fragile pro-European momentum. If not addressed, it could fuel Euroscepticism, embolden authoritarian spoilers, and hollow out the EU’s enlargement promise. Tyyne Karjalainen explores what options are on the table to restore credibility to the accession process Read more
December 23, 2024

How Turkish anti-gender actors interpret Trump's win

Didem Unal Abaday Islamist anti-gender actors in Turkey celebrated Donald Trump’s recent victory in the 2024 US presidential election. They believe it will reinforce a growing transnational backlash against gender equality and LGBTI+ rights. Didem Unal Abaday argues that Trump's return to power will indeed strengthen the global anti-gender movement The US election and resistance to gender ideology […] Read more
May 3, 2024

🌊 Czech coat and Slovak cassock in illiberal movements

Natália Noskovičová Two nations, one name, divergent paths: Natália Noskovičová delves into the illiberal mobilisations of the Czech and Slovak Alliances for Family and National Marches for Life. Here, she navigates the religious and secular strategies of anti-gender movements in the heart of Europe Read more
April 8, 2024

🌊 How illiberalism threatens the urban freedoms of women and marginalised groups

Cătălina Frâncu In recent decades, real progress has been made to inclusivity in urban policies and in access to urban spaces. Cătălina Frâncu warns these gains are now under threat. Here, she explores the impact of illiberalism on the exclusion of women and marginalised groups from urban public spaces Read more
April 2, 2024

🌊 How Hungary’s so-called child protection referendum was invalidated through a grassroots campaign

Dóra Oprics Dóra Oprics explores the 2X civil society campaign in Hungary in 2022, which resulted in 1.7 million Hungarians successfully invalidating an exclusionary child protection referendum. The outcome reveals insights into the mobilising powers of grassroots activism against attempts to demonise the LGBTQIA+ community Read more
March 20, 2024

🌊 Buying women's votes through welfare in Turkey

Bengisu Savran Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's authoritarian AKP has governed Turkey for more than twenty years. The regime has consistently rolled back gender rights. Despite this, many women continue to vote for it. Why? Bengisu Savran suggests clientelism and welfare benefits may provide the answer Read more

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Advancing Political Science
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