EU/North America

With the constitutional amendments adopted on the 11th of March, Viktor Orbán has once again caused a surprise. The reactions of the Western European public show that there is still an inadequate grasp of how political power is exercised by Orbán’s government. European democrats now finally need to formulate a common position against the power centralization in the country.

Established in 2002, the Warsaw office works closely with partner organisations within the thematic priority areas of Democracy & Human Rights, International Politics and Energy & Climate.

Our Prague office manages the Foundation’s projects in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary and Croatia, supporting civil-society groups and empowering green movements within the region. The main focus of our regional activities is on the future of European democracy and on energy and climate policy.

The conference, which took place on the October 4th 2012 was organized by Védegylet (Protect the Future), the One Million for the Freedom of the Hungarian Press Movement (Milla) and the Heinrich Böll Foundation. It had a double objective: to discuss problems of democracy in Central and Eastern Europe and to present a new project  on democratic renewal to the Hungarian public. 

The current crisis is not a crisis of confidence, nor is it purely financial in character. The current crisis is, above all, a device for domination, spoliation, and precarisation. What we witness today is the depredation and expropriation of common goods, of wealth, and of rights. What we need is a common social, fiscal, and budgetary policy.

The EU is facing a crisis. But this crisis is not only about a currency. When Europe’s citizens are only spectators while governments are taking decisions, democracy is in danger. To reduce this lack of democracy we do need a better election system, effective participation instruments for EU citizens and European referenda. 

The World Cup victory of the US women’s team in 1999 triggered a virtual soccer boom among children. Today girls play soccer in the US - in the media, however, the sport has made a disappearance act.

On  February 5th an explosion on the Sinai Peninsula damaged a gas pipeline to Jordan. The consequences are far-reaching: Supply of natural gas from Egypt was suspended, which Jordan relies on for about 80 per cent of its electricity generation needs. Heinrich Böll Stiftung asked energy consultant Dr. Malek Kabariti about the implications of the latest developments.

Renewables in the electricity sector are often built in regional cooperations. The Example of the Baltic Sea Region shows, that there is a clear potential for an energy system built on 100 percent renewable production.

An impressive display of fireworks at the Mont des Arts concluded the Belgian EU presidency. Despite orignal doubts due to the Belgian government crisis, the Belgian presidency was a success. A look at the Trophy Cabinet of the belgian diplomats.