Spotlight for ZOiS website: Many countries in South-Eastern Europe have been experiencing recurring waves of mass protests for years, often leading to the fall of governments and new elections. This cycle shapes the political system – and, despite the resulting instability and political crises, keeps the promise of democracy alive.

By presenting the first comparative data of trade union and workers’ protests since Covid-19, based on local sources, this article attempts to fill a significant gap in the empirical research on cross-country comparisons of labour mobilizations. The findings indicate a high level of labour protest activity, with trade unions driving most mobilizations. While elements of…

Our platform in KonKoop, ZOiS – Centre for East European and International Studies, presents comprehensive information on 51 accessible collections of protest event data for countries in Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia. This includes the countries and time periods they cover, data sources, types of events, research publications utilising the data, references,…

New Book Out: Handbook of Progressive PoliticsEdited by Alice Mattoni | Published by Elgar Publishing How has progressive politics evolved in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in the last three decades? In our chapter with Julia Rone, we explore progressive mobilization across Bulgaria and Romania, the Baltic states, the Visegrád Group, and the Western Balkans.…

How did the protests in 2013 and 2020 impact Bulgaria’s party system? This is the key question my colleague Dragomir Stoyanov and I explore in our latest research. We analyze various mechanisms through which people can influence political change. Our chapter on Bulgaria is part of the book “Power and Protest in Central and Eastern…

Students in Serbia have formed the largest student movement in contemporary Europe, growing into a powerful force with support from diverse social groups.The text was first published on the ZOiS website and later translated and re-published by media outlets in multiple languages around the world.