Ebook: “The Future of the Visegrad Group”

The ebook examines internal developments within the Visegrad Group and sketches scenarios for its engagement at the European level

Summary

The ebook examines internal developments within the Visegrad Group and sketches scenarios for its engagement at the European level. Distinguished scholars and renowned political figures from the region contributed to this publication, presented jointly by the Foundation for European Progressive Studies and Das Progressive Zentrum.

The ebook examines internal developments within the Visegrad Group and sketches scenarios for its engagement at the European level. Distinguished scholars and renowned political figures from the region contributed to this publication, presented jointly by the Foundation for European Progressive Studies and Das Progressive Zentrum.

The Visegrad Group (V4, consisting of Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) has been in the European spotlight lately. This once peripheral, regional alliance suddenly proved capable of single-cause impromptu mobilisation within the EU-framework. The ebook „The Future of the Visegrad Group“ explores how sustainable this alliance is and how can it affect the European Union. Thereby, it not only takes stock of the status-quo but also maps out two scenarios about the future course of the Group. After all, many normative questions demand answers since the European community has been facing a “polycrisis”, lacking a consent on which principles it should follow.

The publication is the product of a joint initiative by the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS), and the Berlin-based think tank Das Progressive Zentrum. It aimed to capture the diversity of the region and provide fresh, creative insights. Thanks to the engagement of distinguished scholars and renowned political figures from the region, this collection presents a more holistic, trans-regional reflection on the Visegrad Group in the European context.

The editors hope that this book will help better understand the positions and interests of the four younger member states in question – for the benefit of the whole European Community.

Contents Overview

I. Mapping the Interests within the V4

  • Czechia: From a V4-Enthusiast to a V4-Sceptic and Back Again
    by Tereza Novotná, Zuzana Stuchlíková
  • Hungary and the Visegrad Four
    by Tamás Boros
  • Poland’s European Policy – Drafting Away From the Mainstream
    by Agnieszka Łada
  • Slovakia: Squaring the Visegrad Circle
    by Radovan Geist

II. Future Scenarios for the V4

  • Diverging Visions for Europe: EU and Visegrad Group at the Midterm of Legislative Period 2014 – 2019
    by Ania Skrzypek
  • Lessons from 26 years of Visegrad’s History
    by Ireneusz Bil

III. Possible Progressive Alliances

  • Czechia: The Rise of Populism and the Crisis of Identity of Centre-Left
    by Miroslav Poche
  • The State of Progressive Ideas in Hungary
    by Ildiko Lendvai
  • Opinion on the Left in Poland
    by Sławomir Wiatr and Przemysław Potocki
  • Slovak social democracy: focus on social issues
    by Ľuboš Blaha

IV. Epilogue

  • The Future of V4: Where Have All the Progressive Ideas Gone and When Will They Come Back?
    by Andrea Pető

Background of the Visegrad Project

Here you can learn more about our thematic V4 roundtables held in 2017 in Berlin and in Brussels.

“The Future of the Visegrad Group” is a joint project of Das Progressive Zentrum and the Foundation for European Progressive Studies.

Authors

Dr. Maria Skóra

Policy Fellow
Maria Skóra ist wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin am Institut für Europäische Politik und Policy Fellow beim Progressiven Zentrum. Zuvor war sie Leiterin des Programmbereichs Internationaler Dialog des Progressiven Zentrums.
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Ania Skrzypek

Foundations for European Progressive Studies
Ania Skrzypek wurde 1979 in Warschau geboren und ist Direktorin für Forschung und Ausbildung bei den Foundations for European Progressive Studies (FEPS). Sie promovierte mit Auszeichnung in Politikwissenschaften an der Universität Warschau mit ihrer Dissertation "Die Zusammenarbeit der sozialistischen und sozialdemokratischen Parteien bei der Einigung Europas.

Content

Summary
Authors

Dr. Maria Skóra

Policy Fellow

Ania Skrzypek

Foundations for European Progressive Studies

Wir entwickeln und debattieren Ideen für den gesellschaftlichen Fortschritt – und bringen diejenigen zusammen, die sie in die Tat umsetzen. Unser Ziel als Think Tank: das Gelingen einer gerechten Transformation. ▸ Mehr erfahren