A farmer stands near a fire as farmer gather as part of the nationwide protests against agricultural policies in Plouisy, Western France on 20 February 2024.

When Green Dreams Meet Peasant Schemes

‘The protests today, like the Peasants’ War, are not merely about specific policy grievances but represent a broader disillusionment with political and economic systems that seem increasingly out of touch with the needs and values of significant portions of the population. Both movements illustrate how new social forces can galvanize widespread action, pushing societies to a tipping point where change becomes inevitable.’

Jan Brueghel the Younger, Allegory of War (1640s). Private collection

How Democracies and Autocracies Fight Wars

‘For material, political, and geopolitical reasons, democracies trend towards long-duration, remote, low-exposure, naval, air, and space warfare. An absent-minded reading might leave a reader with a sense of dissonance between democratic tendencies and democratic victories in two world wars. In fact, the world wars were distant and long-lasting for the few democracies that won in the end.’

The Year of Anticipation — What Does 2024 Hold for the War in Ukraine?

As the war in Ukraine enters its third year, the prospect of peace remains as distant as it did 24 months ago. However, with the upcoming political events in Europe and the United States, 2024 holds the potential for significant changes. With these crucial events ahead, there is hope that 2025 could finally become the year of peace in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy’s Nearing End Game

Tensions are escalating between the political and military leadership in Ukraine, as press reports indicate that Volodymyr Zelenskyy attempted to dismiss Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny. The Ukrainian president’s room for manoeuvre seems to be diminishing, and he needs his European allies now more than ever to survive.

Ilaria Salis in the courtroom in Budapest on 29 January 2024.

Antifa Posing as Martyr: Another Opportunity to Misrepresent Hungary

Ilaria Salis is one of the 20 radical left-wing, apparently anti-fascist activists, who arrived in Budapest last February with the explicit purpose of attacking ‘neo-Nazis’ and/or ‘neo-Nazi sympathizers’ ahead of the so-called Day of Honour events organized by Hungarian extreme-right groups. The randomly chosen victims suffered grave injuries including shattered bones and stab wounds.