Press freedom in France is threatened by crisis, concentration, and a lack of independence Commentary France is an outlier among other major European democracies for the mediocrity of its media system and the strong position of the far right within mass media. Over the past fifteen years, the French media landscape has been radically transformed. While demand for information has never been so high, thanks to the digital revolution, the overall supply of information has never been so low, giving rise to growing concern among media professionals represented by journalists' societies, unions, associations and collectives. By Fonds pour une Presse Libre (Fund for a free press)
Why Türkiye matters for Europe's migration challenges Commentary While the European Union is poised for alteration, it becomes important more than ever to remember why Türkiye matters for Europe’s migration challenges. The EU needs a stable Türkiye. A country in severe economic and political conditions, lacking sufficient support for refugees and migrants, perfectly illustrates the push factors that drive further migration where the EU is a near destination. A stable Türkiye benefits the EU, the population in Türkiye, and the surrounding region. This cannot be achieved with unfair policies. By Deniz S. Sert
Trade unions, collective bargaining and the green transition in the next EU legislative period Commentary The climate emergency is the number one policy priority, requiring a fundamental overhaul of our economic system. During the Val Duchesse Social Partner meeting, the European Commission announced the creation of a Social Dialogue envoy. However, the roles of social dialogue and collective bargaining remain underappreciated, and the European Institutions need to focus on strengthening the role of trade unions in shaping the just transition throughout the next legislature. By Béla Galgóczi
The EU AI Act and environmental protection: the case for a missed opportunity Commentary The AI Act has finally overcome its latest hurdle in the European Union’s legislative procedure after its adoption by the European Parliament. However, a void in its final version draws attention to the weakening of obligations aimed at reducing AI’s environmental impacts, despite the technology’s severe impacts on local communities, fauna and flora, both within and beyond European borders, particularly in the Majority World. This commentary investigates the opportunities missed by EU bodies to address such impacts during the AI Act debates. By José Renato Laranjeira de Pereira
Western Balkans and their uneasy road to (gender) democracy Interview In an interview for the Heinrich Böll Foundation Warsaw, Irena Cvetkovic talks strategies of dealing with structural discrimination, human rights situation in the Western Balkans, and creating a new progressive voice of the future. By Aleksandra Janowska and Maria Puchalska
Refugee protection in Europe: weakened at present, undermined in the future? Analysis The EU Commission, the European Parliament and EU Member States are negotiating a reform of the common asylum policy. The comprehensive reform package contains a large number of legislative proposals that would have massive consequences for asylum seekers. By Neda Noraie-Kia
75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Committed to a Peaceful Solution in the Middle East böll.column The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted seventy-five years ago this week. In view of the crimes committed in Germany’s name and the Shoah, this anniversary presents the country with a particular challenge in this post-October 7 world. By Imme Scholz
The Eleventh Commandment: Thou shalt not be indifferent! Interview On April 19, 1943, Jews condemned to death in the Warsaw Ghetto rose up in an unprecedented heroic struggle against the German occupation. The commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the ghetto uprising is approaching. Joanna Maria Stolarek, director of the Warsaw office of the Heinrich Böll Foundation spoke with Zygmunt Stępiński, director of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews POLIN in Warsaw about the commemoration, the nature of remembrance, and the universal message that the uprising and its commemoration bring. By Joanna Maria Stolarek
What will Happen if I Use my Voice? Interview Gendered disinformation online silences women in the public sphere. The disinformation and democratization expert Nina Jankowicz explains how. By Nina Jankowicz , Claudia Rothe and Georg McCutcheon
Lowering the standards of human rights protection Commentary On 10 March 2022, the politicised Constitutional Tribunal (CT) ruled that Article 6(1) of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, which guarantees everyone the right to a fair trial, is incompatible with the Polish Constitution. By Katarzyna Pabijanek