We perceive of democracy as a socio-political process driven by citizens' active participation and democratic institutions. "It is apt to say that the term 'democratisation' epitomises the most universal socio-political imperative of our age" (Hennis 1970).
Democratisation is a chief tenet of green politics and a central issue in political education. Still it is often far from clear how to translate the general notion of democratisation into concrete projects, campaigns, or educational programmes. "Civil society" is one such concept which, while widely embraced, is very contentious when it comes to questions of implementation. Other such issues are the crisis of party democracy, the media and democracy, as well as numerous fundamental questions surrounding the relationship between politics and science. All of these are part of the foundation's activities. A further focus of our work are programmes that tackle far-right politics and racism. For us political education means getting people involved, empowering people to participate in political processes, and advising political activists.
Concerning the EU and European policy, our focus is mainly on the following areas: Democracy and participation in the European Union; ecology and sustainable development; EU enlargement; a common European foreign and security policy; and the future of labour and social policy.

January 24, 2012 - SurVivArt has been inspired by the German Kulturstiftung’s initiative Über Lebenskunst and developed by the Heinrich Böll Foundation HQ with support from its offices around the world. By joining the “SurVivArt” initiative the Heinrich Böll Foundation Prague would like to contribute to the international mosaic with a rather different perspective. The Prague office has not approached any artists to elaborate a specific art project. The aim of the Prague project in its first phase is to provide a broader insight into contemporary artists’ practices, issues and projects in the Czech Republic and to outline whether and how they respond to current social and environmental challenges. more»

January 26, 2012 - Last week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán participated in a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The agenda included current political developments in Hungary. Shortly beforehand, the European Commission had launched three infringement proceedings against the country. The Hungarian prime minister had invited himself to this session. Eva van de Rakt more»

The beginning of the end? A subjective assessment of the political situation in Hungary

- January 6, 2012 - This is the fourth piece of a series of articles in which the author endeavors to lift the veil on significant social, political and cultural transformations since the right-wing government came to power in Hungary. Here his main concern is to assess the country’s predicament after the new Constitution came into force on the 1st of January and to spell out the dilemmas of the nascent democratic opposition. The text is written from the perspective of a long-time member of the Hungarian green movement who co-founded the “Lehet Más a Politika” (LMP) party. Kristóf Szombati / Foto:LMP more»

The public-private road to bankruptcy?

- December 22, 2011 - A failure to book public-private partnerships on balance-sheets allows governments to drive a hole through plans to cap deficits in current fiscal and financial crisis, Juraj Mesík writes in his commentary. more»

Far right mobilization and the roots of anti-Roma sentiment in Hungary

- July 22, 2011 - This is the third piece of a series of articles in which the author endeavors to lift the veil on significant social, political and cultural transformations since the right-wing government came to power in Hungary. Here, he looks at right-wing extremism through the lenses of the recent ethnic conflict in the village of Gyöngyöspata, which rocked the Hungarian political scene and also made international headlines. The text is written from the perspective of a long-time member of the Hungarian green movement who co-founded the “Lehet Más a Politika” (LMP) party. Kristóf Szombati more»

The betrayed republic. Hungary’s new Constitution and the “System of National Cooperation”

- May 3, 2011 - This is the second piece of a series of articles in which the author Kristóf Szombati intends to lift the veil on significant social, political and cultural transformations since the right-wing government came to power in Hungary. In what follows Szombati seeks to outline and interpret the most significant changes brought about by the new Constitution which the Fidesz-KDNP coalition has decided to bequeath to the country. The text is written from the perspective of a long-time member of the Hungarian green movement who co-founded the “Lehet Más a Politika” (LMP) party. Kristóf Szombati more»

Sticks in the spokes of the “booth revolution”

- March 24, 2011 - This is the first piece of a series of articles in which the author intends to lift the veil on significant social, political and cultural transformations since the right-wing government came to power in Hungary. His main concern here is to assess and explain the political situation in Hungary.  Kristóf Szombati more»

What is happening to Hungary?

- Prior to the Hungarian EU-Presidency the country’s new media law has caused an international stir and a lot of criticism from abroad. The new media law is only the tip of the iceberg: Since April 2010 the Orbán government has passed several bills in an incredible speed. This has been possible due to the two third majority of the governing party Fidesz within the Hungarian Parliament. 

The Czech and Slovak Parliaments After the Lisbon Treaty

- This publication is an output of a project called "New role of the national parliaments in the EU decision-making processes: previous experience and new challenges pursuant to the Lisbon Treaty", undertaken by EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy together with the Institute of Public Affairs in Warsaw and Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik in Berlin with the financial support of Heinrich Böll Foundation. 

"Enfant terrible" of the Eurozone - Why did Slovakia refuse to bail out Greece?

- August 31, 2010 -

Shortly after a new ruling coalition formed Slovakia’s new center-right government, a small shock wave rolled through Europe. First the Slovak government and then parliament voted to withhold Slovakia’s share of a European bailout loan for Greece’s embattled economy. Not that Slovakia’s minute share of the package would mean a lot for the eurozone – the decision’s importance lay in its symbolism and, therefore, in politics.

Juraj Mesík more»

Electing a new President for Germany

- July 4, 2010 - Politicians in Germany were facing the task of finding a new Federal President at a time where many citizens are loosing trust in the country’s leadership. According to various observers, the governing coalition desired a President who would not cause additional discussions and who would be acceptable to many of its supporters, in order to demonstrate unity. Lisa Reichmann more»

The Election is Over – What is Ahead for Slovakia?

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In the second of his analysis of the Slovak parliamentary election Juraj Mesík gives his assesment of the results and their impacts on the Slovak politics. In early July 2010 we still can hope for better though only time will show whether the new elite will change the corrupt and intransparent way of Slovak policy-making. In the previous article, also available here, he assesed the pre-election debate.

 

 

 

Juraj Mesík more»

The role of the Parliament in the EU's Human Rights Policy

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Gender Politics Makes a Difference - Experiences Across the World

- April 29, 2010 - Politics can only succeed when it is inclusive of all genders. Gender justice is an ambitious goal, one that the Heinrich Böll Foundation is pursuing together with many different allies worldwide. This publication gives an overview of their work. click the link below»

Beijing +15 process review

- March 12, 2010 - The Fourth World Conference on Women produced the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA), a comprehensive women’s human rights paradigm that envisioned the transformation of power relations. After 15 years the implementation seems to get stuck. click link below to read more»

The History and Memory of Communism in the Czech Republic

- March 9, 2010 - The Czech reflection on communism is still undertaken in peculiar waves even twenty years after its fall. Indifference and extreme anti-communism with the accompanying desire to name and marginalise the culprits of past evils regularly alternate or supplement one another. Cleansing society of representatives of the past regime and understanding the past are two different things which are only loosely connected. It is a bit late for the former, while most of the latter still lies ahead. Michal Kopeček a Matěj Spurný more»

Czech EU Presidency – a Missed Opportunity

- October 19, 2009 - When evaluating the Czech EU presidency, the first question we need to deal with is what we might expect from a successful presidency. Mats Braun more»

Waiting for Vaclav Klaus

- Even following the unequivocal Irish “Yes” to the EU reform agreement, the European Union still cannot heave a sigh of relief. After the Polish President, Lech Kaczynski signed the agreement on 10 October, the European Union is at present only waiting for his Czech opposite number, Vaclav Klaus.    Eva van de Rakt More articles»

TWENTY YEARS AFTER: POST-COMMUNIST COUNTRIES AND EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

- September 6, 2009 - In the words of the Polish journalist and dissident, Adam Michnik, 1989 was Europe’s annus mirabilis. The peaceful revolution of that year was a miracle effected by the people in central and eastern Europe. Hardly any one (and certainly no western head of state or politician) had foreseen that a popular movement active in different countries would, in just a few months, topple socialist regimes and force the mighty Soviet Union to retreat behind the borders of Russia. more»

Polish Shades of Green

- July 27, 2009 - The publication of the European Green Foundation attempts to find answers for the question about the future of Green politics in Poland. The publication stems from the research ordered in 2008 by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and coordinated by Przemysław Sadura. The research concerned the prevailing reception of Green ideas and perception of Green political powers by the Polish society. On its bases, the Author analysed the Greens’ chances of finding a permanent place on the Polish political scene. more»

The Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU

- In January 2009 the Czech Republic assumed the Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Presidency provides the Czech Republic with a unique opportunity to influence the agenda of the EU for six months. The full Dossier is available here»