Social Movements

The time has come to review the democratic workings of the European Union. Ideally, this should be the subject of a new Convention, but it is also possible to strengthen, here and now, European democracy.

An interview with Claude Turmes, Green MEP from Luxembourg (Die Greng).

Nearly 30,000 people took to the streets of Berlin on January 18, 2014 to protest the industrialisation of farming and the E.U.-U.S Free Trade Agreement currently under negotiation. In addition to making their demands heard, the organisers gave a voice and a face to Agrarwende, a citizen movement that is gaining steam in Germany and that calls for a rethinking of agriculture.

Nelson Mandela personified the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and became a worldwide symbol of hope in the face of discrimination. Although apartheid was ended, racism and discrimination still remain present in our society, and that needs to be remembered.

“Right2water” is the first successful European Citizens’ Initiative and has got everyone talking about water. What accounts for the success of this initiative, and how can others learn from it?

Blonde young women stripping off their shirts to protest for… women’s rights.

The Greens want to change the trajectory of the CAP to make European agriculture “greener” as this is the only way in which it will have a future. An urgent and long-term project against the conservative agribusiness model, and one which should be developed in cooperation with the first people affected: the farmers. Interview with José Bové, Greens/EFA MEP.

The emergence of ‘Real Democracy Now’ and other similar movements such as ‘Occupy’ has raised awareness that many European citizens do not feel represented in the established party system. Spain 2011 – the origins of a movement for more democracy On 15 May 2011, around 100 people decided to occupy the ‘La Puerta de Sol’ […]

The Transition Initiative movement is growing rapidly. It is an innovating and positive contribution to the debate on sustainability, but what are its potential pitfalls?

In the 2009 European Parliament elections, the Green Group of MEPs won 13 more seats to become the 4th largest group. However when the European Parliament faces elections again in 2014, the political environmental will be vastly different. How to the Greens repeat their success of 2009 in such a situation? The Green European Journal talks to European Green Party Co-Chair Reinhard Bütikofer about his plans.