Democracy Impacts

EU Threatens Sanctions Over Controversial Belarus Elections

August 12, 2020

Continuing tense relations between Belarus and European Union officials, following large public protests over an allegedly compromised election resulting in President Lukashenko securing 80% of the vote relative to opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovska, the EU has threatened sanctions.
Politico: British Citizens Resident in the EU Will Have Expanded Right to Movement Privileges

August 10, 2020

According to Politico, European Commission officials have confirmed that, subject to some limitations, British citizens who moved to the EU before the end of 2020 will be able to settle in a different country within the bloc, a development which expands the right to movement granted to UK citizens under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.
Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine Form an Alliance to Strengthen Regional Cooperation

August 04, 2020

Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine have announced the creation of the Lublin Triangle, a new platform for increasing cooperation in security, economic, and political matters, which is designed to strengthen their mutual national relations and with the European Union and NATO.
EU Announces Changes to Rules For Online Content

July 07, 2020

The European Commission has announced that social media platforms will now have to follow the same EU broadcasting rules on hate speech and harmful content as traditional media companies.
U.S. Travelers Barred From European Union Citing Coronavirus Concerns

July 01, 2020

Using national virus levels as a basis for determining who from foreign countries may enter the 27 European Union Member States, initially, U.S. visitors will be denied entry.
As Counter-Disinformation Campaign Funding Ends, EU Countries Debate Stance on China.

June 26, 2020

The European Commission has accused China of spreading disinformation about the COVID-19 crisis and now a political battle is brewing over how to fund part of Brussels' work aimed at uncovering foreign interference.
CJEU Rules that Hungary has Breached EU Law

June 23, 2020

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that Hungary had breached EU law with 2017 legislation that forces NGOs to disclose donations from abroad and label themselves as foreign-funded groups, resulting in Prime Minister Orban warning that liberal/progressive imperialism reigns in western Europe and international courts.
Hannan: The Unholy Alliance of Big Government and Big Tech

June 23, 2020

Former UK MEP Daniel Hannan describes how Big Tech is now very much in the politics business, offering multimillion-dollar salaries to ex-politicians as part of their lobbying efforts.
London Mayor’s New Commission to Decide Future of London’s Landmarks

June 10, 2020

As reported by The Spectator, London Mayor Sadiq Kahn's “Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm” will review London’s landmarks “to ensure that the physical landscape of the capital conforms to current ideological sensitivities.”
Kuisz and Wigura: Central and Eastern European Liberals Should Respect Cultural Sentiments

May 13, 2020

Writing in Foreign Policy, Jaroslaw Kuisz and Karolina Wigura explain why liberals in Central and Eastern Europe should empathize with the cultural sentiments that are causing many citizens to embrace populist policies.