After the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) introduced restrictions aimed at completely isolating Russian athletes from international competition. Initially this was a full ban on participation in tournaments, but through behind-the-scenes pressure and lobbying from Russia, they were later permitted to compete under...
Hungary is using the energy crisis as a tool of pre-election mobilization
In the spring of 2026, Hungary once again found itself at the center of an energy and political crisis that, at first glance, appeared to be just another episode in the confrontation over Russian energy supplies to Europe. However, a closer look at the events surrounding the Druzhba and TurkStream...
How the Italian mafia turned European grants into a tool for enrichment
The Italian mafia has long ceased to be an ordinary paramilitary structure that profits from racketeering, banditry, and territorial control. Having abandoned the high-profile terrorist attacks and street violence that drew excessive law enforcement attention in the 1990s, mafia clans adopted a strategy of invisible infiltration into the legal sectors...
How France turned its suburbs into powder kegs
France has been grappling for several decades with a phenomenon that has gradually evolved from an urban planning problem into one of the country's key political challenges. This concerns the formation of suburban enclaves — the so-called banlieues — where social marginalisation, high unemployment, and ethnocultural segregation are concentrated. These...
Where is Babiš’s government leading the Czech Republic
The return of Andrej Babiš to the position of Prime Minister of the Czech Republic in December 2025 has led to noticeable shifts in Czech policy. His coalition with the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy party (SPD) and the right-populist Motorists for Themselves (Motoristé sobě) formed a new configuration of...
Russia builds a recruitment and training network of saboteurs to destabilize Europe
In the spring of 2026, materials from an investigation by Moldovan law enforcement agencies made it possible to reconstruct in detail one of Russia’s largest hybrid operations. It concerns the creation of a transnational network involving the recruitment, training, and use of agents to destabilize the political situation both in...
Slovenia after elections, coalitions decide everything
The parliamentary elections of March 22 were the tenth since Slovenia declared independence on June 25, 1991. They took place amid an unprecedented level of social polarization, and never before had the future of this small European country depended so heavily on the outcome of a vote. Slovenians were electing...
Who is really interfering in the parliamentary elections in Hungary
All of Europe will be closely watching the Hungarian parliamentary elections on April 12. The parliamentary campaign, which Fidesz strategists and leadership had intended to be another routine procedure for legitimizing Viktor Orbán's power, has now turned into a fierce battle for the survival of his regime. The dynamics of...
MAGA reaches out to European eurosceptics
Spring 2026 saw a Washington event that could become a turning point for European politics. The "Alliance of Sovereign Nations" (ASN) conference brought together representatives of right-wing and national-conservative parties from Europe alongside American politicians from the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. Though formally dedicated to "protecting national sovereignty,"...
How the Hungarian authorities use EU funds for enrichment and abuse
Hungary remains one of the key recipients of European financial assistance in Central Europe, eligible for around €22 billion over the 2021-2027 budget cycle. However, a significant amount of these resources currently remains blocked by Brussels due to problems with the rule of law and corruption scandals at all levels...