🔔Our BiEPAG to the point is out! 🔹Reflections on the local elections in North Macedonia 🔶The biggest losers are the citizens - Low turnout (46%) reflects deep voter apathy and disillusionment. Read the one-pager to get the whole picture👇 #Elections #NorthMacedonia www.biepag.eu/biepag-to-th...

This is an article I have co-authored with @lurapo.bsky.social, analyzing #Serbia’s recent political developments and critically examining both the potential and the limits of grassroots-driven regime change for Berliner Gazette. 👇🏻 berlinergazette.de/a-just-futur...

📸On 13 June we gathered a distinguished crowd of Turkey experts to dicuss the topic „Mosque Politics: Re-Mapping Turkish Power and Religious Policies in the Western Balkans” at the Orient-Institut Istanbul 🕌 We thank all speakers and especially Prof. Christoph K. Neumann & Prof. Kerem Öktem

Thank you to @gresahasa.bsky.social, @uni-graz.at for organising a webinar about Albania's parliamentary elections today at 5 pm. Join us for an online discussion with Lura Pollozhani, Blerjana Bino, Florian Bieber, Besar Likmeta, Xheni Karaj, Celik Rruplli today👇 uni-graz.zoom.us/j/6802260008...

Join us on Monday, May 19 at 17:00 CET, for a critical assessment of Albania’s parliamentary elections, held the previous Sunday! The event will be held via Zoom, and participants can join using the link provided: uni-graz.zoom.us/j/6802260008... Meeting ID: 680 2260 0082 Passcode: 559771

What does the new German government mean for the Western Balkans? Listen to the latest @biepag.bsky.social podcast with Frauke Seebass (@swp-europe.bsky.social @dgap.org) & @adicerimagic.bsky.social .

📣BiEPAG blog with focus on #TrumpsTariffs 🖊 Branimir Jovanović @wiiw.ac.at "The current situation looks like a black swan – an unpredictable shock for which standard models offer limited guidance – meaning that the impact might be much bigger." More data-driven insights👇 tinyurl.com/mt2kfwhr

“Democracy may be in retreat, but resistance to autocratisation is vibrant and evolving." Our TWQ special issue on the "Limits of Autocratisation" featured on @globalsouthshub.bsky.social 👇

Arjun Appadurai and Sheldon Pollock on boards of trustees: “Who actually runs Columbia University?” www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Anyone not deeply disturbed by this is either an authoritarian or delusional about their own protections.

#REUNIR researchers have successfully wrapped up their fieldwork in Skopje, North Macedonia, after conducting insightful interviews & focus groups with experts & citizens. Now, we’re heading to our final stop: Belgrade, Serbia! 🇷🇸 @horizoneu.bsky.social @lurapo.bsky.social @bezbednost.bsky.social

#REUNIR Balkan Trip Continues: Pristina, Kosovo 🇽🇰 Our researchers conducted interviews with experts & policymakers in Pristina. In addition to these in-depth interviews, our experts participated in a compelling panel discussion @horizoneu.bsky.social @fbieber.bsky.social @lurapo.bsky.social

Join us next week in Prishtina!

A self-coup happening in Turkey! Istanbul mayor and the man to beat Erdoğan--Ekrem İmamoğlu--is arrested. Social media restrictions and ban on demonstrations in place... Threatened by surging opposition, Erdoğan is taking advantage of geopolitics & going full authoritarian! 1/2

1/ Latest article by DPC senior associate @valeryperry.bsky.social for @projectsyndicate.bsky.social, tying the Western Balkans to numerous processes and phenomena in the Trump 2.0 age: www.project-syndicate.org/magazine/wes...

See you tomorrow in Podgorica 👇

Recommended reading as #Serbia heads toward another massive protest tomorrow amid heightened tensions and the regime’s threats of violence. 👇🏻

6. When do protests succeed in challenging autocratisers? @lurapo.bsky.social & @fbieber.bsky.social examine the dynamics behind mass mobilisation & resistance in Serbia, North Macedonia & Montenegro: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

#TerrorInGeorgia: Students Fined 5,000 GEL ($1,800) and Forcibly Removed from Shota Rustaveli Theater and Film University After 80 Days of Nonstop Protest

Trump berates Zelensky, the leader of a democratic country courageously fighting Russian imperialism, while he allies himself with Putin, a dictator who started the bloodiest European war in 80 years. Sorry, President Trump. We believe in democracy, not authoritarianism.

Slava Ukraini! Trump and his administration will never understand what it means to fight for freedom or to be ready to die for their country.

🚀 Come work with us! 🌍📚 The PhD call for applications in Political and Social Sciences at the University of Bologna is now open! Find all the details and apply here 👉 www.unibo.it/en/study/phd... 📅 Deadline: April 3

Thank you to my @biepag.bsky.social colleagues, who’ve done a lot throughout the years to keep the attention high on the rule of law in the Balkans — domestic issues and foreign linkages alike. If you don’t follow their work yet, now is a great moment to start: BiEPAG.eu

A police crackdown is underway against civil society organizations in Serbia, allegedly investigating fraud related to USAID grants. www.nedeljnik.rs/tuzilastvo-p...

Police raid on 4 NGOs in Belgrade. Tabloids published that information even before police arrived to premises. Full support and solidarity with CRTA, Trag foundation, Civic initiatives (gradjanske) and the Center for practical policies.

So happy that this article we worked on together with @fbieber.bsky.social is now published (open access) in Third World Quarterly. We explore social movements and protests in North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia drawing lessons on mobilization in the context of competitive authoritarian regimes.

Finally did an analysis with dear Donika Emini on the Kosovo elections for @biepag.bsky.social . You can read the piece below 👇🏼

✍️ A joint BiEPAG blog by Donika Emini and @lurapo.bsky.social 🔹#KosovoElections: A Step Toward Pluralism, but Stability Remains Elusive 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵? #Kosovo #EU #Vetëvendosje #AlbinKurti Read it at 👉 tinyurl.com/34av47tx

I launched my Substack with a reflection on the 10 years since I wrote the Balkan Prince. open.substack.com/pub/florianb...

Hope you have time to read our piece on the protests in Serbia, and the possible scenarios towards change 👇🏼

🔔New BiEPAG policy brief 📝Authors: @fbieber.bsky.social@markokmezic.bsky.social @lurapo.bsky.social and @Claudia Laštro. 🔹The Future of the Protests and Democracy in Serbia 𝙍𝙪𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙖𝙬 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙐 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙙𝙤. #StudentProtests #Serbia #EU Find it at👇 tinyurl.com/4u49kkzr

Our latest piece on the protests in Serbia (w. @markokmezic.bsky.social @lurapo.bsky.social & Claudia Laštro) euobserver.com/eu-political...

Tbilisi now 🇬🇪🇪🇺 #GeorgiaProtests Day 77 ✊🔥 📸 @sakartveloa.bsky.social

Our take on possible (and impossible) scenarios for the future of protests in Serbia. Key take: the stability which motivates EU passivity is completely elusive. euobserver.com/eu-political.... w/ @fbieber.bsky.social @lurapo.bsky.social and Claudia Lastro.

I wrote this article for the 🇮🇹 think tank Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa, examining the student movement in #Serbia and the strategies that have made their protests successful so far. You can find the article both in English and Italian. 👇🏻 www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Areas/Se...

🔊New podcast episode of Seriously Balkans - The #BiEPAGtalks. 🔹#StudentProtests in #Serbia 🎙️BiEPAG Coordinator @fbieber.bsky.social discusses the demands, the protests themselves and the atmosphere with two students from University of Belgrade. #SerbiaProtests 🎧 tinyurl.com/59y3ae6z

Nearly 400 academics and students from all over the world have signed the petition in support of the students in Serbia. You can also join the list: forms.gle/aWDQ2RjzeVL8...

In their latest op-ed for @euobserver.com, DPC co-founders @kurtbassuener.bsky.social and @tobyvogel.bsky.social write that the EU's position on the mass protests in Serbia effectively amounts to siding with the regime and needs to be urgently rethought.

In the last two days more than 250 academics and students from universities worldwide have signed the petition in solidarity with the students in Serbia. You can still sign below 👇 forms.gle/W1BR3HWu4M6E...

I’ve written this piece for @biepag.bsky.social, exploring three potential scenarios that could unfold following the student protests in #Serbia. Take a look! 👇🏻 biepag.eu/blog/is-this...

Please sign the petition in solidarity with the students in Serbia (the content is the same as the other link, but this one includes affiliation) docs.google.com/forms/d/1A56...

📢BiEPAG stands with the students in #Serbia fighting for justice, equality, and democracy. Student voices matter, and their courage inspires us all. A bold call to #EU institutions: take action now! #StudentProtests #Serbia 📝Read our open letter of support here👇 www.biepag.eu/news/letter-...

117 civil society organizations in #Albania have reacted following the interrogation, expulsion, and banning of #Albanian activists from entering #Serbia, after their participation in a regional civic forum supported by @erstestiftung.org. www.facebook.com/share/143KQF...

Solidarity with the brave students and citizens of Serbia on the streets protesting dignity and rule of law

Happy that my first post here is about one of my favorite authors, Han Kang. Wrote this piece to reflect on her books, and my own struggles, including contemplations on patriarchy, humanity, memory and bearing witness. It was nice to write abt and through literature for a change bit.ly/499tEeh