Armenia – further changes and challenges ahead in 2018
Current developments in Armenia, following the April 2018 revolution ('Velvet Revolution') and advent to power of Nikol Pashinian, seem to prompt a mix of optimism and caution. On the upside,…
Articles, Briefings and Essays
The views expressed in the articles are those of each respective author and do not necessarily reflect the views or position of the Foreign Policy Centre.
What Brexiting Britain can learn from Bern
At first sight, EU relations with Switzerland might seem a ‘niche’ topic for a British observer. But in fact current developments are rather important in understanding potential models for the…
The rise of illiberal civil society: Executive summary
This publication examines the growing influence of illiberal, anti-Western and socially conservative civil society groups, popular movements and political forces in five post-Soviet states: Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova.…
Introduction: The Rise of Illiberal Civil Society?
From Trump to Duterte, from Orbán to Erdogan, from Putin to PiS, socially conservative, nationalist and populist political forces are on the rise across the globe. The claim that we…
From a Pro-Russian to a Pro-Georgian Narrative
The 2018 State Security Service of Georgia report[1] set out for the first time, the major objectives of ‘foreign intelligence services’ in Georgia: to encourage anti-Western sentiments in Georgian society;…
Public Space: The battleground in the Revanchist City
On May 13th 2018, the space encompassing the Parliament building, Kashueti church and Freedom Square, 'Les Lieux de Mémoire'[1] in Tbilisi for the most of Georgians, was physically and symbolically…
Rise of the illiberal civil society in Georgia and its organisation
Aggression and violence towards liberal groups have risen significantly in Georgia since 2017. The rise of Neo-Nazi groups has been partly consolidated as a protest in response to the government’s…
The unique extra-parliamentary power of Ukrainian radical nationalists is a threat to the political regime and minorities
The Ukrainian far right and Euromaidan Electorally Ukrainian far-right parties have not been successful in comparison with their Western European counterparts. Before 2012 only a few MPs from any Ukrainian…
Moldova: How can we get back to the future?
The evolution of the illiberal/conservative discourse in the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) is similar to what is happening in the rest of Europe: a rise of xenophobia, nationalism,…
The rise of illiberal civil society in Moldova
The Republic of Moldova is a former Soviet country, caught in internal and external conflicts, powered by geopolitics and with a strong division of society. Different social groups are divided…