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NL Online Political Café: the future of Belarus
There is something unusual going on in Belarus (Belarus). Presidential elections were on 9 August and once again Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994, won the election. But, the population is moving and speaking out and the regime seems to be under pressure more than in other years.
Belarusians tear away from President Lukashenko
In the Republic of Belarus (Belarus), there have been protests for weeks against President Alexandr Lukashenko, who has been in power for 26 years. Democratic freedoms and values are not in his vocabulary. So far, more than 300 people, including one of his most promising challenger, Viktor Babariko, have been arrested during protests against the detention and exclusion of opposition candidates. These candidates were excluded during the presidential election on 9 August. Partly due to Lukashenko's corona policy and approach towards opposition candidates, activists, journalists, bloggers and vloggers, his support is rapidly crumbling. Harshly, the president is trying to maintain his power.
'Country of the Week' - Armenia
What exactly does FMS do? Where are you active? Who are your partners? Every week we will answer all these questions and more in our new initiative: 'Country of the Week'. Each time, we will highlight one of the countries in which we operate and highlight what we do there through videos, fun facts and stories from our projects! This week: Armenia!
'Country of the Week' - Ukraine
What exactly does FMS do? Where are you active? Who are your partners? Starting this week, we will answer all these questions and more in our new initiative: 'Country of the Week'. Each week, we will highlight one of the countries in which we operate and highlight what we do there through videos, fun facts and stories from our projects! This week we kick off with Ukraine.
In conversation with MP Kirsten van den Hul on the international approach to coronavirus
On Thursday 24 April, the FMS spoke with PvdA MP Kirsten van den Hul - spokesperson for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation - about the international fight against the coronavirus and its impact on countries in Africa (and other developing countries). What is the Netherlands' role in this?
The inheritance of 1989: a missed opportunity to grow together?
The autumn of this year offers a sad picture of Britain struggling with Brexit, Trump, Putin and Erdogan playing a cynical game with the Kurds in Syria and of the EU divided over the future of the enlargement process.
How different it was during the same period in 1989 when one communist regime after another collapsed and an European Community of 12 members was preparing for a leap forward after the planned completion of the Single Market. The European Commission was led by Jacques Delors, the French social democrat.
Commemoration of four disappeared Belarusians
Eindhoven commemorates four disappeared Belarusians for the 12th time
Progressive Women of Eastern Europe want more cooperation
Last weekend, we organised the Progressive Women's Summit of Eastern Europe, together with the UK Labour Party and the Social Democratic Platform in Ukraine. Women from four Eastern European countries - Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia and Georgia - came together in Kyiv, to share experiences and reflect together on possible solutions to the challenges they face.
Elections in Ukraine: how's it going?
Last Sunday there were parliamentary elections in Ukraine. The results showed an overwhelming success for Servant of the People, the party of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy: for the first time in the history of independent Ukraine, one party managed to get a majority in parliament without the need for a coalition. But then, Zelenskiy is a very popular actor/comedian with sufficient financial resources. How does something like this work with candidates who don't have that? Our partner in Ukraine, the youth movement SD Platform, participated in the elections for the first time this time with one candidate: one of its founders, Bohdan Ferens. Friso Ages travelled to Kyiv to participate in the last days of his campaign and to watch election day. Below is his report.
Female leadership training in Armenia
Last week, we organised a training in Armenia, together with Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF). It is difficult for Armenian women to advance to leadership positions in politics, due to prevailing stereotypes and a relatively conservative society. This training was designed to give a group of talented young women the necessary skills they can use against these obstacles and help each other.