Prague
In 2004, the Central European and Baltic countries joined the European Union as new members. The Prague office seeks to strengthen liberal forces, both political and intellectual, in the region. Our project office particularly supports the 4liberty.eu network, which serves as a centre of competence and a platform for dialogue.
News
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Harsh election campaign: Does Europe have to fear a Slovak Orbán?
Violence, hate speech and fights accompany the last phase of the election campaign of the snap parliamentary elections in Slovakia. The focus of the election campaign is on the alleged biggest threats to Slovakia: progressivism, liberalism, LGBT and gender ideology, illegal migration, the USA, Brussels, Soros NGOs, the media and so on. Role models are being sought in Poland, in Hungary and even in Russia. Will Slovakia ultimately continue its pro-Western course or fall prey to populism and pro-Russian propaganda?
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Political actors accuse polling agencies of manipulating pre-election polls, anti-LGBT rhetoric intensifies
Amid Slovakia's approaching parliamentary elections, unfounded allegations of poll manipulation gain traction, while attacks on NGOs and a surge in anti-LGBT rhetoric add to election campaign turmoil. Various political actors, driven by their own agendas, are leveraging diverse topics to garner public support, intensifying their efforts as the election date approaches. Read more in the new Desinformation newsletter!
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Impacts of the Russian War in Ukraine on CEE
4liberty.eu, a network of representatives of liberal think tanks from Central and Eastern Europe, is pleased to present you the latest issue of their Review, titled “Impacts of the Russian War in Ukraine on CEE”. This time, the network's primary focus is on the response to the Russian aggression in the region, as well as various related phenomena and challenges.
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FREEDOM GAMES
The Turning Point is NOW! Don't miss the jubilee edition of the Freedom Games, the biggest liberal forum in CEE. Join us in Łódź or online and shape the future with us! Together, we'll confront geopolitical, economic, environmental, and social challenges. Our future and the next generation's safety are at stake.
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From Poland with Love - August
Poland gears up for October's Sejm and Senate elections. President Andrzej Duda sets the date, triggering a rush of registrations by parties and coalitions. Former Nowoczesna leader Ryszard Petru's intriguing move and controversial transfers to PiS lists take center stage. Plus, disruptions in the transportation sector and exciting developments in space missions. Stay informed about Poland's dynamic landscape.
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Prigozhin’s death and continuing military support to Ukraine sparked a wave of pro-Russian conspiracy theories and disinformation
The war in Ukraine is still the biggest topic of disinformation in Slovakia. In addition to the constant questioning of support for Ukraine, the disinformation scene has been overwhelmed by the sudden death of the leader of Wagner's group. In addition, the disinformers are once again trying to spread fear about migration, which has become the top topic of the last 14 days.
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Disinformers are accusing government representatives of staging a “police coup”
Recent arrests of intelligence officials in Slovakia have sparked allegations of a "police coup" orchestrated by the government. This narrative is mainly promoted by the SMER-SSD party, which is leading in pre-election polls and continues to spread disinformation about its rival, the Progressive Slovakia party, and the president. In addition, they claim that the parliamentary elections may be rigged.
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Fidesz vs. Freedom of Education
On 6 July, a new law came into force in Hungary that worsens the working conditions of teachers in a fundamental way. The "revenge law" (as called by the opposition) brings more workload on teachers, who are now quitting their jobs in large numbers and taking part in protests. However, many of those who took part in the demonstrations lost their jobs as revenge by the government. Freedom of education in Hungary is under serious threat.
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Being queer in Slovakia? A nightmare
Slovak queer people barely enjoy any rights in their homeland. In the still strongly catholic country, there are no officially approved partnerships for people with same-sex orientation. On the contrary, marriage is anchored in the constitution as a unique bond between a man and a woman. The anti-LGBTQI+ and anti-gender narratives of top Slovak politicians and the Catholic Church, are contributing to this.
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From Poland with Love – July
Poland is currently dominated by the issue of security, as Wagner Group exercises have been taking place on the Polish-Belarusian border since the end of July and migrants are once again accumulating there. Tensions are also growing in the education sector, with the Minister for Education interfering in the evaluation of science and, among other things, stopping subsidising German language lessons, which has affected thousands of children of the German minority in Poland.
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Hungarian PM Orbán calls Slovakia a "breakaway territory", and some Slovak politicians strive to defend his claims
Disinformers in Slovakia continue to exploit the topic of the Ukrainian war and question the military aid to Ukraine. Food reform has become a big topic for the anti-EU narrative in recent days. Both agendas have also been manifested in the suppression of criticism of Viktor Orbán, who has labelled Slovakia as "breakaway territory" in one of his recent speeches.
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Discrimination to Stay in Power - Orbán Has Declared the LGBT+ Community an Enemy
Hungary's ruling party Fidesz has discriminated against the LGBT+ community for years. For example, teachers are not allowed to teach about homosexuality, the sale of books dealing with LGBT+ issues is restricted and speeches by Fidesz politicians contain an open discrimination against the LGBT+ community. The European Commission is therefore taking Hungary to the Court of Justice of the European Union.
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A Case of Evidence: The Evolution of LGBTQ+ Equality in the Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is facing a crucial debate on "marriage for all": two bills with opposing views were adopted after the first reading in parliament. In the past, the country was considered progressive on LGBTQ+ rights. Many organisations are tirelessly campaigning for a more inclusive future, while there is hope for a compromise in the current debate. Which current will prevail in the end, however, remains unclear.
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From Poland with Love - June
The topic of the month in Poland is the new EU migration pact, which the Polish government is once again protesting against. Now Jarosław Kaczyński has returned to the government, becoming the only deputy prime minister, in order to consolidate the weakened position of PiS ahead of the elections. In early June, hundreds of thousands of people protested against PiS after the government introduced a controversial commission to investigate Russian influence in politics.
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Between Repression and Hope: Being Queer in Poland
Poland is currently experiencing challenges regarding the rights and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. Poland's history is marked by both periods of relative tolerance, but also periods of intense persecution. The current political situation is deeply divided. The country used to be and still is strongly shaped by the influence of the Church and the very conservative views followed by the practiced catholicism, but slowly there is change to be seen in this.
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