标签： Europe

Thousands of Croatians took to the streets across multiple cities on Sunday in a powerful display of opposition against escalating far-right activities that have heightened ethnic and political tensions within the European Union nation. Organized under the banner “United against fascism,” the demonstrations saw participants in Zagreb, Rijeka, Zadar, and other urban centers chanting “we are all antifascists!” while condemning right-wing groups’ attempts to spread fear and suppress dissent.

The protests emerged in response to a series of extremist incidents, including November’s targeting of ethnic Serb cultural events in Zagreb and Split, where groups of young men dressed in black chanted pro-fascist slogans and nationalist rhetoric. Participants demanded authorities take decisive action against hard-right groups that frequently employ symbols from Croatia’s World War II pro-Nazi puppet state, the Ustasha regime, which operated concentration camps responsible for executing tens of thousands of ethnic Serbs, Jews, Roma, and antifascist Croats.

Journalist Maja Sever addressed the Zagreb rally, warning that recent developments represent “very dangerous” trends and praising demonstrators for their commitment to defending democratic values. Meanwhile, counter-gatherings organized by right-wing supporters resulted in minor scuffles with police, leading to at least one detention according to local media reports.

This surge in far-right activity traces its political roots to last year’s parliamentary election, when Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic’s conservative party formed a coalition with a far-right faction, excluding an ethnic Serb party from government for the first time in years. The trend reached a cultural climax with a mass concert in July featuring controversial right-wing singer Marko Perkovic (known as Thompson), whose use of the Ustasha-era slogan “For the homeland — Ready!” in his music has long been a source of national division.

Prime Minister Plenkovic has rejected accusations that his administration turns a blind eye to neo-fascist hate speech, instead blaming leftist opponents for exaggerating the problem and deepening societal divisions. The current tensions evoke painful memories of Croatia’s 1991-95 war with ethnic Serbs, which claimed over 10,000 lives following the breakup of Yugoslavia. Despite joining NATO in 2009 and the EU in 2013, Croatia continues to grapple with the legacy of its wartime past and the resurgence of extremist ideologies.

Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin has issued a forceful condemnation of Dublin City Council’s proposal to remove the Herzog name from a public park, calling the motion “overtly divisive and wrong” and demanding its immediate withdrawal. The controversial proposal has drawn international concern from Israel’s presidential office and sparked a unified response from Ireland’s highest government officials.

The park in question, located in Dublin’s Rathgar area, was named in 1995 to honor Chaim Herzog, the Belfast-born sixth president of Israel who spent his formative years in Dublin. The current Israeli President Isaac Herzog, son of the late statesman, has expressed serious concern about the potential renaming, characterizing such action as “shameful and disgraceful” in an official statement released on social media platform X.

Prime Minister Martin emphasized that the proposal represents a denial of Ireland’s complex history and would unequivocally be perceived as anti-Semitic. “Our Irish Jewish community’s contribution to our country’s evolution in its many forms should always be cherished and generously acknowledged,” Martin stated, referencing the Jewish community’s participation in both the Irish War of Independence and the establishment of the emerging Irish State.

The political backlash has been swift and comprehensive. Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Simon Harris declared his complete opposition, asserting that “We are an inclusive republic” and that the proposal violates this fundamental principle. Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee and Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan similarly condemned the motion, with O’Callaghan noting that renaming the park because of current Middle East conflicts “unfairly suggests Irish Jews are responsible for the appalling actions of the current Israeli Government.”

The Jewish Representative Council of Ireland has described the move as “deeply concerning,” with Chair Maurice Cohen urging councillors to reject what he characterized as “an attempt to erase our Irish Jewish history.”

The controversy emerges against a backdrop of deteriorating relations between Ireland and Israel, including last year’s closure of Israel’s Dublin embassy following accusations of “extreme anti-Israel policies” by the Irish government. This historical context includes the 2014 removal of a blue plaque marking Herzog’s Belfast birthplace after repeated vandalism and security concerns.

Council members Fiona Connelly (Labour Party) and Conor Reddy (People Before Profit) initially raised questions about the naming procedures in late 2024 and early 2025, respectively. The council’s Commemorations and Naming Committee had previously recommended the name removal in July with only one objection.

The park’s namesake, Chaim Herzog, was born in Belfast in 1918 and eventually emigrated to Israel, where he served as ambassador to the United Nations and president from 1983 to 1993. His father, Rabbi Isaac HaLevi Herzog, served as the first chief rabbi of the Irish Free State, establishing a deep historical connection between the Herzog family and Irish society.

GENEVA — Swiss citizens have decisively rejected a landmark referendum that would have established gender-neutral mandatory national service, maintaining the country’s current system that primarily applies conscription requirements to men. The proposed “citizen service initiative” sought to transform Switzerland’s approach to civic duty by expanding compulsory service to include women and broadening the definition of national security to encompass environmental protection, food security, and elderly care.

The initiative’s proponents argued that universal service would strengthen social cohesion and enhance Switzerland’s resilience against emerging threats including natural disasters, cyberattacks, energy shortages, and potential spillover from Russia’s war in Ukraine. Campaign organizers emphasized that “everybody takes responsibility to work for a stronger Switzerland that’s able to stand up to crises” amid growing individualism and societal fragmentation.

However, the Swiss government and parliament mounted strong opposition, citing prohibitive costs and potential economic disruption. Official estimates projected the measure would nearly double both participant numbers (from approximately 35,000 to 70,000 annually) and associated costs (from 1 billion to 2 billion Swiss francs, equivalent to $1.25-2.5 billion).

The government also raised gender equality concerns, noting that mandatory service would “place an extra burden on many women, who already shoulder a large part of the unpaid work of raising and caring for children and relatives.” Rather than advancing equality, authorities argued the measure would disproportionately affect women given existing workplace and societal disparities.

Under Switzerland’s current system, young men must complete military service or join civil protection teams, with conscientious objectors permitted alternative service options. Women may volunteer for service but face no compulsory requirements. The defeated initiative would have also granted parliament authority to extend service obligations to foreign residents.

The referendum outcome provides significant insight into European attitudes toward mandatory national duty at a time of heightened security concerns across the continent.