Top ten articles of 2016

Over the last year, Political Critique covered a wide array of topics united by their importance for Central and Eastern Europe. Apart from news from the region, we presented analytical features on outside events affecting it – such as Brexit, Donald Trump becoming President, and the worldwide rise of populism. We interviewed experts, politicians and artists, we gave voice to activists and promoted political discussion every step of the way.

Take a look at the ten articles published last year that managed to speak to most readers:

1. Leader of Czech anti-Islam movement arrested for staging ISIS invasion of Prague
By Petr Zewlakk Vrabec
Political Critique was the first international medium to republish A2larm’s breaking photo report from anti-Islam activist Martin Konvička’s bizarre staging of an invasion of Prague on a camel. The story later made it into Der Spiegel, Focus, El comercio, Russia Today, Mirror and International Business Times… among others.

2. Bauman: History repeats itself. We are coming back to the small, tribal states. [Interview]
By Helena Celestino
We cannot see that the EU is not the cause of the injustices we face. The late, great Zygmunt Bauman talked about Brexit and its impact on the world.

3. Activist Alena Krempaská beaten up in Bratislava
By Peter Weisenbacher
Following false accusations in the media and verbal assault at a peaceful protest, the Slovak right-wing opposition’s supporters went a step further and attacked Alena Krempaská physically.

4. The need for a progressive international movement was never as urgent as today
Slawek Blich interviews Srecko Horvat
Some view Trump’s election as a complete disaster, some see it as a signal for change. Srecko Horvat rallies the progressives across Europe and America to join forces and oppose Trump before things get out of hand.

5. Your house is now ours
By Jakub Dymek
Blackmail, vandalism, disproportionally rising rents – the reprivatization of buildings in Warsaw had new owners employ extreme measures, all in order to get rid of the people who lived in them while the officials just watched.

6. The rule of the market in East-Central Europe is absolute [Interview]
Jaroslav Fiala interviews Gaspár M. Tamás
Hungarian philosopher Gaspár M. Tamás talks about the brutality of capitalism, Orbán’s Hungary, and the failure of the European system.

7. Free Ameer Alkhawlany
By Hanna Gospodarczyk, Joanna Grzymała-Moszczyńska, Michał Małszycki, Katarzyna Lisikiewicz, Mateusz Trzeciak, Marta Tycner
An Iraqi PhD student was arrested in Poland for reasons at best flimsy and at worst fabricated. He is still in detention now, with the threat of deportation ever looming over him.

8. Fox: I am on the Left and I want to exit
Slawek Blich interviews Claire Fox
Writer and think tank director Claire Fox explains why she voted for Brexit – and she feels hopeful about what lies ahead for Britain.

9. Debate: There is no Europe without solidarity
The ex-Minister of Finance of Greece and founder of DiEM25 Yanis Varoufakis introduces a debate on the goals of international social movements in Europe.

10. Would Žižek vote for Hitler?
By Roman Kanda
A literary historian’s polemic with Slavoj Žižek’s line of thinking regarding the necessity of someone like Trump to break the establishment before it can move on.