ABSTRACT Western support has long shaped environmental governance in the post-Communist region. This article examines Russia’s environmental nonprofit sector in 2023 amid international isolation and the absence of foreign funding. It asks how the consolidating state power has reshaped civil society behavior in Russia. Using an original dataset of 41 leading environmental NGOs, the study visually compares behavioral strategies across different NGO types. Findings reveal that higher levels of state engagement are associated with more clientelist behavior, while independent NGOs continue to display constrained resilience through depoliticized service provision.

ABSTRACT Whereas parties with transnational ties can influence domestic protest mobilization, the mechanisms for how this happens are not clear. I elucidate these mechanisms by drawing on resource mobilization and international party assistance literature and analyzing a likely case for this to occur: Euromaidan in Ukraine. Mechanisms through which transnational connections enhance the capacity for mobilization include (a) leveling the political field (b), socializing parties (c), membership conditionality requirements and (d) direct messages of empathy and support. In 2013–14, transnational ties provided important avenues for the challenger coalition to access resources in resistance to the increasingly authoritarian regime.

ABSTRACT Many Russians harbor distrust toward government institutions and official information. Amid the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic, they turned to social media for advice. This article analyzes how the Russian-language Telegram channel “COVID Resistance” contributed to the process of making sense of the situation. Based on a close reading of selected posts, we reconstruct four conspiratorial narratives promoted by this channel: “toxic vaccines,” “fascistoid restrictions,” “coronavirus as a hoax,” and “besieged nation.” We find that these narratives, despite often contradicting each other, served as a form of meaning-making, offering explanations that helped ordinary people navigate the crisis.

ABSTRACT This paper examines how ideas of European integration and values during Ukraine’s 2013–2014 Euromaidan evolved into a civilizational claim distinguishing Ukraine from Russia after the full-scale invasion. While the protests’ “Euro” reference initially signified alignment with Europe, it lost salience as state violence intensified. Drawing on interview and ethnographic data, the paper explores how protesters’ concrete and abstract images of Europe transformed as the movement became about Ukraine itself. It concludes by analyzing how Ukrainians framed their identity through democracy and European standards in contrast to Russian authoritarianism, positioning Ukraine firmly within a European civilizational path.

ABSTRACT Analyses of bicameralism have traditionally centered on the powers, congruence, and (recently) legitimacy of upper chambers, while overlooking how senators themselves perceive their institution’s role. This is vital because upper chambers may adopt different roles. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with Czech senators analyzed through qualitative content analysis, this study demonstrates that senators actively interpret and shape the Senate’s role within the political system. The key implication is that the role of an entire constitutional institution – and thus the nature of bicameralism, despite constitutional stability – remains fluid and depends, at least in part, on how its members perceive their role.

ABSTRACT The article examines spatial and temporal markers of memory relevant to the Chechen Republic in the 2020s. Spatial markers include toponymy and monuments from various historical periods. The Chechen capital’s memorial landscape is dominated by the Soviet era, while roughly one-third of the streets are named after contemporary figures. The article also examines holidays and memorial days. It shows that Chechnya’s memorial calendar has been updated, with most holidays and commemorative dates having national or religious features. Chechens forget old memorable dates and monuments and passively accept new ones, showing their rejection of an imposed socio-cultural reality.

ABSTRACT This paper explores how political opposition at the local level responds to national populism, focusing on Budapest’s reactions to Viktor Orbán’s government. It addresses the under-researched national–local nexus in populism studies by examining counter-populist strategies rooted in democratic values such as pluralism, inclusion, and solidarity. Through semi-structured interviews and analysis of documents and media, the paper maps how the lord mayor, district mayors, and their teams confront anti-democratic dynamics. By shifting the focus from local populist actors to local opposition, the study highlights the normative foundations of urban resistance to national-level populism.

ABSTRACT Why is electoral clientelism used to such a limited extent in some poor communities? This article examines which factors on the supply and demand sides affect the use of electoral clientelism in several Roma communities in Romania due to their economic vulnerability. The inductive thematic analysis uses semi-structured interviews conducted with activists from nongovernmental organizations specializing in defending Roma rights. We find that the limited use of electoral clientelism is the result of fewer people living in the community and brokers’ limited credibility. These results add nuance more broadly to the relationship between clientelism and poverty.

ABSTRACT Using an online survey from June 2020 (N = 1,527), we explored correlates of COVID-19 skepticism in Russia, where it was widespread: 38% of respondents supported the statement that the pandemic is a hoax and lockdown measures are an overreaction. Compared to non-skeptics, skeptics were more likely to be middle-aged males with low education. Covid experience reduced skepticism, while economic hardship increased it. Skeptics scored lower on Schwartz’s conservation values and higher on openness to change. They distrusted the traditional media, government, and healthcare, were more critical of the government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis, and held lower national pride.

ABSTRACT Mainstream literature on democratic backsliding has primarily focused on how states suppress opposition. However, a more challenging issue is rebuilding a new governing coalition to sustain power. This article examines the principle of “Patriots Governing Hong Kong” and argues that the asssociated electoral overhaul not only marginalizes opposition but also recentralizes political power within a new pro-China ruling coalition. Increasing numbers of China-affiliated elites are joining this governing alliance while the political influence of Hong Kong’s traditional capitalist elites is diminishing. This study provides a comprehensive theoretical perspective on power reconcentration with updated empirical data on Hong Kong’s political landscape.