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NL North Macedonia with Thijs Reuten
North Macedonia with Thijs Reuten
On Sunday 31 October, the FMS travelled with Thijs Reuten, MEP (PvdA) to northern Macedonia for a three-day working visit to various civil society organisations, students, our sister party, other parties and political foundations. This trip took place at a politically turbulent moment: Zoran Zaev had resigned as prime minister because his party had lost the local elections. With this working visit, we wanted, among other things, to show our solidarity and demonstrate that northern Macedonia and the rest of the Western Balkans are not alone. Indeed, Thijs Reuten is in the European Parliament dealing with the Western Balkans, asylum and migration, human rights and rule of law and the community of values within the European Union.
New Romanian government after struggle for power
A new coalition government appears to have been clinched in Romania. The smaller, progressive coalition partner disappears and a large, conservative partner comes to rule with the Liberals. This new coalition emerges after six months of power struggles within the Liberal Party (PNL).
FMS seeks 'democracy' and 'development' intern
Are you looking for an internship for spring 2022? And are you interested in international politics? Then come and do an internship at the FMS. For the period February to June 2022, we are again looking for 2 interns!
Social Democratic Women of the Arab Spring
Ten years ago, there was a wave of optimism known as the Arab Spring. Change was coming to the region following the tragic death in Tunisia of Mohammed Bouazizi on 17 December 2010 which led to a wave of protests throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Women played a crucial role in the protests. The European Forum for Democracy interviewed four social democratic women activists from some of the countries of the Arab Spring. Each of them describes how under the auspices of the Arab Spring they were able to put women's rights on top of the agenda. How much of the changes were these women activists able to sustain?
EU cannot let migrants at the Belarus-Poland border down any longer
As the nights grow longer and colder, the dangerous situation at the border between Belarus and Poland intensifies. Hundreds, or maybe thousands, of migrants huddle together on the border in hopes of crossing over to Poland to reach the EU. This is a result of a ploy by Belarus's President Lukashenka to fly out migrants from the Middle East and Africa to Minsk with promises of guiding them towards EU territory.
Fighting for our democratic values
In the summer of 1988, as a 19-year-old history student, I visited Berlin. The wall divided the city and in my mind there was only room for the East-West world, in which we lived.
The Afghanistan lecture: Afghan women fight for rights and equality
On the 23rd of October FMS, together with the PvdA, organised the Afghanistan lecture with as special guest Dr Massouda Jalal, former Minister of Women's Affairs. The session was focused on women's rights in Afghanistan and international solidarity.
Coup d'état triggers new massive protests in Sudan in support of civilian rule
This Monday, the people of Sudan were once again confronted with a coup d'état. Sudanese military officials arrested the prime minister Abdalla Hamdok and have dissolved the transitional civilian government, citing political infighting and instability as the reason. As a result, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in support of civilian rule. How did we end up back here?
EU needs to condemn and tackle pushbacks more forcefully
The noises about so-called 'pushbacks' at Europe's external borders are getting louder and louder. Meanwhile, there are countless stories of refugees being harshly stopped, and even sent back, after they have already set foot on European territory. At a time when the EU expresses great concern about the many refugees trying to reach the EU via Belarus, it is all the more important to be aware that these refugees too are entitled to a fair asylum procedure in Europe. Repressing them with illegal methods should thus be out of the question.
FMS seeks 2 interns for Africa Day 2022
Do you possess organisational and/or creative talent? Then apply now for one of the two internship vacancies available at Foundation Max van der Stoel for the organisation of the Africa Day 2022. After a two-year absence, the Africa Day will be back on 9 April 2022 as the biggest event in the field of Africa and international cooperation in the Netherlands. The FMS is looking for two interns to organise this day.
