Promotion of Democracy

An amendment has made it illegal to sleep rough in world cultural heritage areas, which cover Budapest’s entire city-centre. Now there is a long list of additional areas in Budapest where homeless people can be subjected to forceful removal and penalties. How did we get here?

Philosopher Péter Rauschenberger ist co-founder of the Hungarian green party (LMP), which he left in January 2013. In his article he gives an overview on the different actors of the “democratic opposition” under the Orbán government and explains, why they struggle to build stable alliences.

On 29 August Attila Mesterházy, president of the Socialist Party, and Gordon Bajnai, leader of the Together 2014-PM alliance, announced that they had finally reached a deal that ‘would allow the democratic forces of the left to unseat the Orbán government’. What are the consequences of the agreement?

How successful is India in its struggle against poverty? India's national Planning Commission recently claimed that within 7 years, the number of poor in India has declined by 22 per cent. These numbers are being challenged by many experts, according whom India's economic growth has left behind many more people.

The political crisis in the Czech Republic, which led to the fall of the government, was triggered by police investigation. The prosecution of three former MPs in the country triggered heated debates and reactions.

In the recent elections Premier Hun Sen of Cambodia has learned that a large part of the Cambodians want a new political leadership. But even though his party has lost many votes, a change in the repressive political system is currently very unlikely.

Given the candidacy of so many sons of leading CPP politicians – having a son and a son-in-law of Hun Sen in parliament is among their aspirations – the ruling party can therefore fully concentrate on establishing a new Cambodian dynasty. It has little to do with a liberal democracy.

On June 19 the St.Petersburg based LGTB organization "Coming Out" was found guilty before court of operating as a "foreign agent". Olga Lenkova, head of communications for Coming Out, talks about the consequences of the verdict and the strong social and legal oppression that the Russian LGTB community is subjected to today.  

Dr. Ziad Majed is a Lebanese professor and political writer. The Syrian journalist Ahmad Silal talked with him about the international and Arab positions in relation to the Syrian revolution and the challenges that face it.

In July 2011, ISAF officially handed over seven areas to Afghan National Security Forces, beginning a process to gradually transition all security responsibility from international to Afghan leadership. Drawing on The Liaison Office’s experience in the region Loya Paktia, this paper examines the shortcomings of a transition strategy that focuses on security, while ignoring important social and political factors that could undermine the strategy.