Italy: political/culture change?
31 May 2018
Following difficult negotiations after the 4th March election Italy has agreed to have a coalition government. Ministers are drawn from both the anti-establishment Five Star (M5S) and the right-wing League. Their newly chosen minister, Giovanni Tria,…
Belarus: LGBT row with UK embassy
24 May 2018
Belarus has accused the UK embassy in Minsk of ‘creating problems’ by flying a rainbow flag for International Day Against Homophobia. The embassy said the banner directed attention to the discrimination that LGBT people encounter constantly.…
Sweden: migration and approaching elections
24 May 2018
Far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) have seen growing support in polls as campaign discourse focuses on refugees and migrants. With national elections due in September, migration policy is shaping up to be a core campaign issue for…
Greece to ease overcrowding in island camps
18 May 2018
Greece’s parliament passed a bill on 15 May aimed at making asylum procedures simpler and faster and easing overcrowding in its refugee camps. Five camps on islands close to the Turkish coast hold more than double…
Facebook: Zuckerberg agrees to EU grilling
18 May 2018
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive, has agreed to face a grilling from European Union lawmakers over how the data of as many as 2.7 million Europeans could have ended up in the hands of consulting firm…
Russia/Greece/France: protests
11 May 2018
Two days before President Putin’s fourth inauguration, over a thousand people were detained after protests against his extended rule turned violent. Riot police barricaded protesters who then ran into adjoining streets, chanting, ‘Putin is a thief!’…