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EU Commissioner Raises Alarm on Hungary’s Rule of Law

EU Commissioner Raises Alarm on Hungary’s Rule of Law EU Commissioner Raises Alarm on Hungary’s Rule of Law
  On May 27, 2025, the European Commissioner for Democracy, Michael McGrath, expressed serious concerns about the state of the rule of...
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Switzerland to host European Political Community summit in 2027

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Switzerland is set to host a summit of the European Political Community (EPC) in 2027, bringing together leaders from across the continent....
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Cracks in the Union: elections reveal rising democratic strain in the EU

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Across Europe, the democratic fabric of the European Union is under strain as populist and nationalist movements gain momentum, challenging...
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MEPs support new tariffs on Russian and Belarusian agricultural imports

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  The European Parliament's International Trade Committee has voted to impose new tariffs on agricultural imports from Russia and Belarus,...
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Metsola urges to "re-launch Europe as a global power"

Metsola urges to "re-launch Europe as a global power" Metsola urges to "re-launch Europe as a global power"
  In a keynote address at the Europe at the Crossroads event on Tuesday, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola laid out her vision...
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Belgian Minister launches Moldova visit to dissuade asylum seekers

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  Belgium’s Minister for Asylum and Migration, Anneleen Van Bossuyt (N-VA), will visit Moldova on Sunday as part of a campaign aimed...
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France and Germany collaborate on 30-day ceasefire plan for Ukraine, Macron says

France and Germany collaborate on 30-day ceasefire plan for Ukraine, Macron says   France and Germany collaborate on 30-day ceasefire plan for Ukraine, Macron says
  French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France and Germany are working closely to support Ukraine and are actively pursuing a...
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Germany labels far-right AfD party as extremist, earning praise from Jewish leaders

Germany labels far-right AfD party as extremist, earning praise from Jewish leaders Germany labels far-right AfD party as extremist, earning praise from Jewish leaders
  Germany has officially classified the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as an extremist organization, granting intelligence...
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Bardella poised to run for French Presidency in 2027 if Le Pen is barred

Bardella poised to run for French Presidency in 2027 if Le Pen is barred Bardella poised to run for French Presidency in 2027 if Le Pen is barred
  Jordan Bardella, president of France’s far-right National Rally party, has announced he plans to run for president in 2027 if Marine...
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Church of Norway sees surge in membership, driven by young families and a sense of community

Church of Norway sees surge in membership, driven by young families and a sense of community Church of Norway sees surge in membership, driven by young families and a sense of community
After years of declining numbers, the Church of Norway is experiencing a surprising revival. Membership is on the rise, especially among young...
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EU Commissioner Raises Alarm on Hungary’s Rule of Law

EU Commissioner Raises Alarm on Hungary’s Rule of Law EU Commissioner Raises Alarm on Hungary’s Rule of Law
  On May 27, 2025, the European Commissioner for Democracy, Michael McGrath, expressed serious concerns about the state of the rule of...
Read More...

Switzerland to host European Political Community summit in 2027

Switzerland to host European Political Community summit in 2027 Switzerland to host European Political Community summit in 2027
Switzerland is set to host a summit of the European Political Community (EPC) in 2027, bringing together leaders from across the continent....
Read More...

Cracks in the Union: elections reveal rising democratic strain in the EU

Cracks in the Union: elections reveal rising democratic strain in the EU Cracks in the Union: elections reveal rising democratic strain in the EU
Across Europe, the democratic fabric of the European Union is under strain as populist and nationalist movements gain momentum, challenging...
Read More...

MEPs support new tariffs on Russian and Belarusian agricultural imports

MEPs support new tariffs on Russian and Belarusian agricultural imports MEPs support new tariffs on Russian and Belarusian agricultural imports
  The European Parliament's International Trade Committee has voted to impose new tariffs on agricultural imports from Russia and Belarus,...
Read More...

Metsola urges to "re-launch Europe as a global power"

Metsola urges to "re-launch Europe as a global power" Metsola urges to "re-launch Europe as a global power"
  In a keynote address at the Europe at the Crossroads event on Tuesday, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola laid out her vision...
Read More...

Belgian Minister launches Moldova visit to dissuade asylum seekers

Belgian Minister launches Moldova visit to dissuade asylum seekers Belgian Minister launches Moldova visit to dissuade asylum seekers
  Belgium’s Minister for Asylum and Migration, Anneleen Van Bossuyt (N-VA), will visit Moldova on Sunday as part of a campaign aimed...
Read More...

France and Germany collaborate on 30-day ceasefire plan for Ukraine, Macron says

France and Germany collaborate on 30-day ceasefire plan for Ukraine, Macron says   France and Germany collaborate on 30-day ceasefire plan for Ukraine, Macron says
  French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France and Germany are working closely to support Ukraine and are actively pursuing a...
Read More...

Germany labels far-right AfD party as extremist, earning praise from Jewish leaders

Germany labels far-right AfD party as extremist, earning praise from Jewish leaders Germany labels far-right AfD party as extremist, earning praise from Jewish leaders
  Germany has officially classified the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as an extremist organization, granting intelligence...
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Bardella poised to run for French Presidency in 2027 if Le Pen is barred

Bardella poised to run for French Presidency in 2027 if Le Pen is barred Bardella poised to run for French Presidency in 2027 if Le Pen is barred
  Jordan Bardella, president of France’s far-right National Rally party, has announced he plans to run for president in 2027 if Marine...
Read More...

Church of Norway sees surge in membership, driven by young families and a sense of community

Church of Norway sees surge in membership, driven by young families and a sense of community Church of Norway sees surge in membership, driven by young families and a sense of community
After years of declining numbers, the Church of Norway is experiencing a surprising revival. Membership is on the rise, especially among young...
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Fiji's recent election in December 2022 marked a milestone in the country's democratic journey, with a coalition government led by Sitiveni Rabuka, a former prime minister, coup

leader, and military commander, promising to get rid of controversial laws that restricted basic freedoms. However, the election also saw a significant decrease in women representatives, with the number of women in the Fiji Parliament dropping from ten out of 51 MPs (19.6%) to six out of 55 (10.9%). This decline in women's political representation has significant implications for Fiji's fragile democracy.

Despite concerted efforts to widen the space available for women in politics, the setback in women's representation has occurred. The women's movement in Fiji has ramped up its public advocacy campaigns to encourage more women to exercise their right to vote and run for office. The Fiji Women's Forum was established in 2012 by a coalition of women's organizations to promote the goal of increased women's political participation. Women are seemingly well-represented in senior party positions across Fiji's political landscape. However, women are still under-represented as parliamentarians, and part of the issue may lie with the electoral system.

Under Fiji's open-list proportional representation (PR) system, electors cast a vote for an individual candidate, and party candidates' personal vote shares are then pooled to determine the number of seats the party has won. In previous elections, a "coattails" effect has been observed, with women (and men) candidates coming into parliament on the back of a strong vote share by the party leader, despite small personal vote shares themselves. In 2022, the major party leaders - Bainimarama and Rabuka - dominated the vote share again, but this did not translate into access for women candidates. With a more fragmented result than previous elections and an increase in the number of parties winning seats in parliament, the opportunities for women appeared to decrease. This highlights the open-list PR system's lack of safeguards for gender diversity.

The decline in women's political representation highlights the enduring power of Fiji's masculinized political system - exemplified by the election itself, with the two major party leaders both male ex-military commanders and instigators of coups. In his inaugural speech, the Speaker of Fiji's Parliament highlighted the male dominance of Fiji's political sphere. There is urgent and important work to be done to increase the number of women standing for, and being elected to, parliament.

The decline in women's political representation suggests a democratic deficit that complicates the story of Fiji's 2022 election. Now that Fiji's coalition government has assumed office and is promising a new era of politics, ensuring that women's rights are fully integrated into the transitional institutions and reforms being implemented is more important than ever. Equal rights for women cannot be an afterthought but rather should be an integral component of these new beginnings. Photo by Fijiisparadise, Wikimedia commons.

deneme