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NL Three years after 'February 24' - the crucial role of women in Ukraine
Three years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, uncertainty remains high. Although there are talks of a possible ceasefire at the urging of Donald Trump, the war continues and the consequences remain dire. Millions of Ukrainians, both inside and outside the country, have gone through hard times. Their voices must play a central role [...]
Political prisoner in Russia: 'Ibrahim was beaten for hours'
Alleged spies and terrorists are increasingly punished in Russia. Torture is used to force unwilling suspects to confess. Ibrahim Orudzhev studied for translator English and French at the University of Belgorod not far from the border with Ukraine. During a stay in his hometown of Moscow, he was detained by police. He allegedly [...]
Russian gas was and is a threat to our security
Photo: Construction work on the Nord Stream pipeline - FMT Robert Fico, Slovakia's prime minister, made headlines in recent weeks with bizarre statements about Ukraine and a visit to Russian President Vladimir Putin. After Ukraine decided not to renew a contract allowing Russian gas to be transported across their territory to Europe, he accused [...]
The bustling activities of the FMS
As the FMS we support people in their quest and journey towards and with social democracy. Throughout multiple events we have been able to connect with our partners and participants in a wonderfully wide range. This past weekend, the FMS organised five events focussed on supporting social democratic movements with our partner parties. One of [...]
Georgia's unfair elections should not be recognised
The opposition gathered in front of the Georgian parliament on 28 October in protest against the conduct of the elections (Source: Flickr) An abridged version of this post appeared earlier in the FD Last week, elections took place in Georgia - a crucial moment for the country's geopolitical orientation. The [...]
Choosing between Moscow and Brussels: an analysis of the Georgian parliamentary elections
Photo: Georgian flag - Flickr On 26 October, Georgia will hold its next parliamentary elections. This will take place against the backdrop of some controversial bills recently passed. For instance, on 17 September, the Georgian parliament passed a law officially banning any form of LGBTQ+ representation. In addition, earlier this [...]
Demonstration in Brussels: Freedom for Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Ales Bialiatski and all other political prisoners in Belarus
For three years, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Ales Bialiatski has been innocently imprisoned in Belarus. On 25 September, in front of the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in Brussels (Belgium), Libereco - Partnership for Human Rights (Libereco) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) urge his release and that of all over 1,300 [...]
Religion and Russian Identity: Implications for Ukraine
The Kubinka Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces, source (Wikimedia Commons) This article was written by one of our guest authors and published in English. Would you also like to contribute to the FMS with your analysis on international politics and democratisation? Mail your submission to info@foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl In recent years, the interplay between religion and nationalism [...]
LGBTI inclusion in the Western Balkans on the agenda during EuroPride
Photo: Participants of the training by FMS, Rainbow Rose and Labour at EuroPride in Thessaloniki Although significant progress has been made on LGBTI+ rights in recent decades, the struggle for full equality remains an ongoing challenge. Discrimination, violence and lack of legal protection are still widespread in many parts of the [...]
What does the future hold for Armenia?
Last week, the first of a series of trainings took place in Armenia, with the Max van der Stoel Foundation partnering with the SD Platform Armenia. The SD Platform has been doing important work for several years to motivate young people across the country to bring about political change from the bottom up. With its 'Future Factory' programme [...]
