Arab Uprising by Bahraini_Activist, CC BY-SA 3.0

The Arab Uprisings: Causes, course and consequences

In-Depth Analysis By Gabriela Greilinger on June 18, 2020 | Reading time 17 min

2010/2011 mark the years of the so-called Arab Uprisings, which describe the series of civic, political upheavals and demonstrations that erupted in several countries of the MENA region. The protest that shook the Arab world had widespread consequences for the region – in some countries leading to civil wars that evolved into proxy wars between global powers, leaving people displaced, wounded or dead – leading to Europe’s biggest “refugee crisis” in decades. The uprisings started with the hope to achieve stable democracies and shake off authoritarian, corrupt leaders – a goal which has only in Tunisia, if at all, been reached. It remains questionable how long the conflicts will continue and whether peace can be achieved and stable democracies built anytime soon.

Victor Orbán by EPP

Hungary – On the Brink of Democracy

Brief Analysis By Gabriela Greilinger on June 16, 2020 | Reading time 8 min

Since Fidesz’s electoral victory in 2010, the Hungarian political and social landscape has been subject to numerous undemocratic reforms, transforming the state into a “hybrid regime”. Restricted media freedom, the backlash against NGOs and civil society, courts that lack impartiality and meddling with electoral districts (gerrymandering) are, amongst many others, signs of the illiberal state that Orbán tries to create. Meanwhile, the EU remains inactive, as it lacks the necessary means and/or political willpower to enforce basic democratic standards in its own member state.

Flags EU and Turkey

The EU-Turkey Statement: Background, recent developments and its impact on EU-Turkey relations

Brief Analysis By Gabriela Greilinger on June 14, 2020 | Reading time 4 min

In 2015, the EU negotiated a controversial deal with one of its neighbours and “partner”, Turkey, to curb migration from the Middle East to Europe. Regrettably, the deal has ever since caused more concerns than relief due to the unreliable nature of the EU’s partner country. As a result, it remains questionable whether the deal will hold at all and what the repercussion on the EU’s reputation as a global actor will be in the long term.

The EU-Turkey Statement – A human rights violation by design?

Brief Analysis By Gabriela Greilinger on | Reading time 5 min

2015 brought an unprecedented challenge to EU leaders and governments when they had to develop political solutions to the so-called “migration crisis”. For lack of quick fixes or better alternatives, they rushed to negotiate a deal with Turkey, which came to be known as EU-Turkey Statement. The “deal”, however, not only lacks any long-term sustainable solution to the challenge and made the EU cut a deal with an unreliable, authoritarian “partner” but, more importantly, outright violates refugees’ human rights.