Europe

book cover and historical pic of Berlin Wall

The German Democratic Republic (GDR) is often painted as a “walled-in, Russian-controlled Stasi land”. However British-German Historian Katja Hoyer's 2023 book Beyond the Wall: East Germany 1949-1990 presents a more interesting and contradictory picture of a state where socialist solidarity, secret police, central planning and barbed wire co-existed, writes Alex Salmon.

election results

The May 12 regional election exposed Catalan independentism’s state of fragmentation, writes Dick Nichols.

People have flooded the streets of Georgia's capital Tbilisi against the passing of a new foreign influence law. This follows three weeks of protest after the bill was tabled, reports Brenna Dempsey.

Boris Kagarlitsky behind bars

Jailed anti-war sociologist Boris Kagarlitsky’s final appeal against his five-year jail term will be heard on June 5, reports Federico Fuentes.

In the Spanish Basque Country (Euskadi), all signs point to a difficult life for the incoming Basque Nationalist-Socialist Party of Euskadi government, following the April 21 election, reports Dick Nichols.

Boris Kagarlitsky behind bars

Former radical left British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn drew attention to the case of jailed socialist dissident Boris Kagarlitsky and other Russian anti-war political prisoners when he addressed the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on April 17, reports Federico Fuentes.

Ecosocialist Bookshelf

Climate and Capitalism editor Ian Angus presents seven important new books on slavery, capitalism, rebellion and ecological revolution.

book cover, historical protest

Alex Salmon reviews Janey Stone and Donny Gluckstein’s new book, The Radical Jewish Tradition: Revolutionaries, resistance and firebrands, which uncovers the hidden history of Jewish radicalism and solidarity between Jewish and non-Jewish communities.

man's face

Writing from a Russian prison, sociologist Boris Kagarlitsky penned this open letter in support of a broad solidarity campaign with left-wing Russian political prisoners.

city hall man's face

Renowned Russian sociologist Boris Kagarlitsky sent the following message from prison to his daughter, Ksenia, on March 26. In it, he discusses the fallout of the horrific terrorist attack carried out at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall on March 22. Translated by Renfrey Clarke.

man's face senegal flag

Opposition figure Bassirou Diomaye Faye, a former tax inspector from the Patriots of Senegal party (PASTEF), was sworn into office as Senegal’s new president on April 2 after his historic election on March 24. Susan Price looks at the factors behind his victory.

man and woman

Renowned Russian sociologist Boris Kagarlitsky was jailed on February 13 for five years on trumped-up charges of "justifying terrorism". In reality, his only crime has been to speak out against Russia's war in Ukraine. Renfrey Clarke has translated Kagarlitsky's first public letter sent from prison to his daughter, Ksenia.