Southeast & Eastern Europe

The 13th edition of its European History Forum was held under the title: “80 Years of Narratives about the End of the Second World War”. How is the pivotal year 1945 remembered in the countries of Eastern and Southeastern Europe? 

"The only approach we haven't tried is a transitional government tasked with establishing proper electoral conditions, which is why we're proposing it now." – Radomir Lazović and Biljana Đorđević on engagement, resistance, and the future of the Green Left in Serbia.

Anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric has been a central element of the Georgian Dream’s anti-democratic turn towards the far right. How do anti-LGBTQ+ statements and policies help GD expand its grip on power, and why does this strategy work? 

Michael Martens reviews Shkëlzen Gashi's book on 83 massacres during the Kosovo War, documenting crimes by Serbian forces and reprisals. The author's merit is to provide new information about the victims, the perpetrators and the search for justice.  

While Brussels may see the Jadar lithium mining project as a strategic step toward a greener future, Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić sees it as a tactical tool to reinforce his grip on power - just as hundreds of thousands rise to reclaim democracy.

The judiciary of Bosnia and Herzegovina has issued arrest warrants for Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska and two other officials for violating the state constitution. The political crisis threatens state institutions and the rule of law.

The student protests have sparked a wave of democratic mass mobilization throughout Serbia. However, it remains to be seen whether the students’ demands can be translated into political and parliamentary action to enable a peaceful democratic new beginning. 

The Kremlin denies sovereignty and territorial integrity not only to Ukraine but also to Georgia. But unlike Ukraine, the ruling Georgian Dream party follows the Russian playbook and uses the Russian threat to maintain authoritarian power. 

Massive vote buying overshadowed the 2024 elections in Moldova - over 35 million euros were spent on influencing voters. Robert Sperfeld and Julian Gröger spoke to former State Secretary Mariana Lucreteanu about coming to terms with the scandal and the lessons learned for the 2025 parliamentary elections.

On May 11, 2025, Albania will hold parliamentary elections, the first since officially opening EU accession negotiations. While some significant changes mark this election—most notably, diaspora voting and partial candidate list openness—major systemic factors remain unchanged. The Socialist Party (SP), in power since 2013, appears poised for an unprecedented fourth mandate.