Media - European Foundation for Democracy

Article 23 January 2015

What to expect from Syria peace talks in Moscow

EFD Fellow Anna Borshchevskaya considers what we can expect from upcoming Syria peace talks in Moscow. She states that, while the talks are unlikely to produce immediate results, Moscow could use them to gain leverage to shape its preferred outcome in Syria....

Mention 21 January 2015

Gauck’s debate about domestic peace: what is going wrong in Germany?

The German president Joachim Gauck brings together 50 experts, including EFD Programme Director Ahmad Mansour, to discuss the dramatic increase in instances of discrimination and polarisation in German society. Among the topics for discussion are the anti-Islam movement known as PEGIDA, Islamic radicalisation, anti-Semitism, and right-wing extremism. At this seminar, Ahmad calls for new educational methods to counter anti-Semitism among Muslim yo...

Broadcast 20 January 2015

The imams are both part of the problem and part of the solution

Following the Islamist terror attacks in Paris, EFD Programme Director Ahmad Mansour speaks on German television about Islam and radicalisation. At a time when Germany's Pegida demonstrations are attracting an increasing number of supporters, Ahmad calls for a more sensitive debate about radicalisation, and stresses the need for a debate within the Muslim community about the some of the content of mainstream Islam....

Interview 16 January 2015

Terrorism, the expert: ‘Threats by attacks. The mosques? It is right to build them, but the problem is who manages them’

EFD Senior Policy Advisor Lorenzo Vidino, in an interview with Italian newspaper Il Giorno, explains how even if the terror threat in Italy is low compared to other European countries, it must keep its guard up. The construction of Mosques in Italy does not pose a direct threat of Islamic terrorist attacks, Vidino says, however he warns that they should be run by Islamic communities with “correct ideologies” that protect human rights....

Interview 15 January 2015

Europe’s porous borders pose problems in hunt for terrorists

The attacks in Paris last week and yesterday's raids against militants in Belgium highlight the trend of European Muslims travelling to Syria and Iraq to fight. EFD Senior Policy Advisor Lorenzo Vidino speaks to PBS Newshour about Europe's porous borders and the challenge of monitoring possible suspects....

Article 13 January 2015

500 Muslims against Islamic terrorism

The French newspaper Le Monde published on 10 January 2015 a list of 500 signatures of Arab Muslims who condemn the attacks to satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and to the Hyper Cacher supermarket in Paris. EFD Senior Fellow Valentina Colombo writes that this is an efficient and concrete response to the generalisations surrounding Islam and Muslims, and to those who question the presence of moderate Muslim voices....

Interview 13 January 2015

Integration ‘not an antidote’ to Islamic extremism

EFD Senior Policy Advisor Lorenzo Vidino discusses the challenges Switzerland faces with regard to Islamic radicalization, refuting the notion that a higher level of integration is a safeguard against attacks such as the ones which took place in Paris....

Interview 13 January 2015

We are not actually doing anything, we are just reacting

Following the terror attacks in Paris, EFD's Ahmad Mansour speaks in Germany's Tagesspiegel newspaper about his renewed determination to instigate a meaningful debate on issues relating to Islam. Ahmad calls for long-term prevention approaches to radicalisation instead of reactionary measures....

Article 12 January 2015

Western allies must share intelligence on returning jihadists

EFD Programme Director Ahmad Mansour participates in the New York Times' "Room for Debate" series on the question of how Western governments should handle citizens who return to their countries having joined militant Islamist groups abroad....

Interview 10 January 2015

Muslims have no answers to radicalisation

The day after the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris, EFD Programme Director Ahmad Mansour is interviewed in Switzerland's Berner Zeitung on the challenges we face regarding Islamic radicalisation....

Article 10 January 2015

Whilst condemning the attacks at Charlie Hebdo, Saudi Arabia is flogging the liberal blogger

In an article on I Tempi EFD Senior Fellow Valentina Colombo describes how Saudi Arabia, a country which condemns the attacks to satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris, is at the same time flogging liberal blogger Raif Badawi. Valentina writes that the West should understand that to fight Islamic terrorism it must first tackle the ideologies that fuel it....

Article 09 January 2015

Al Rashed, ‘Fighting against jihadists to defend Muslims’

EFD Senior Fellow Valentina Colombo reflects upon the words of Abd al-Rahman al-Rashed who has openly spoken out against those within Islam who preach hate and violence, who are also responsible for the growing sentiments of Isalmophobia in Europe. She urges institutions and communications and media outlets to give voice to the plurality of Muslims in Europe, especially those who are victims of Islamic extremism....

Article 08 January 2015

Charges of ‘Islamophobia’ prelude to terrorism

EFD Senior Fellow Valentina Colombo highlights that abusing the accusation of "Islamophobia" against whoever criticises Islam brings about a fertile ground for violent actions against alleged "islamophobes". This is what tragically happened with the terrorist attacks against Charlie Hebdo...

Article 08 January 2015

The “Arab Spring” and the EU’s “Democracy Promotion” in Egypt: A Missed Appointment?

EFD researcher Tommaso Virgili reviews the European partnership with Egypt under the European Neighbourhood Policy, in order to assess the effectiveness of the EU policy in the promotion of democratisation and human rights, hinged on the use of positive and negative conditionality....

Article 01 January 2015

Apostasy from Islam under Sharia Law

EFD Researcher Tommaso Virgili writes about the sensitive issue of apostasy in Islamic law....

Article 29 December 2014

Will protests break out in Russia over the economic crisis?

EFD Fellow Anna Borshchevskaya discusses how even as the Russian economic crisis continues to worsen, inflation rises and the ruble continues to plummet, and Putin’s approval ratings remain high, it is ever more likely that protests will break out caused by recent economic troubles....

Article 18 December 2014

A mosque for everyone? Only for the Muslim Brotherhood

EFD Senior Fellow Valentina Colombo explains how a controversy regarding the construction of a mosque in Milan represents a broader issue: the existing close ties between the Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic organisations in Milan....

Broadcast 10 December 2014

The debate: how radical is Islam really?

In a series of debates hosted by Germany's Friedrich Ebert Foundation, EFD Programme Director Ahmad Mansour discusses Islam and radicalisation with Ender Cetin, a representative from the Sehitlik Mosque in Berlin, and Heide Oestreich, editor of the Tageszeitung newspaper....

Broadcast 05 December 2014

Anti-Semitism today: present in the left, the right, and the middle of society

Following a rise in anti-Semitic incidents in connection with the Gaza conflict in Summer 2014, Ahmad Mansour is interviewed on Bayerischer Rundfunk radio about anti-Semitism in Germany's Muslim community....

Broadcast 03 December 2014

Purity, honour, contempt of death: between tolerance and Islamic fundamentalism

EFD Programme Director Ahmad Mansour speaks on Austrian radio about the challenges we face in connection with radical Islam. He states that the current situation regarding the militant group ISIS should give us occasion and space to engage in a debate about Islam....

Article 30 November 2014

Russia’s ongoing battle with radical Islam

Despite a recent announcement from Russia's Anti-Terrorism Committee stating that Russia saw a significant decline in terrorist acts in 2014, EFD Fellow Anna Borshchevskaya states that there are a number of reasons to remain sceptical about how successfully Russia is handling its broader battle with terrorism and radical Islam....

Broadcast 27 October 2014

Islamic extremists on the Internet

EFD Programme Director Ahmad Mansour is interviewed on Germany's Deutsche Welle about extremist activity online, and the effect which this content can have on young people....

Interview 23 October 2014

Giving up is not an option

EFD Programme Director Ahmad Mansour is interviewed in Germany's Stern magazine on the current challenges we face regarding Islamic radicalisation. Ahmad discusses the various reasons why a strictly regulated Salafi way of life can be attractive to young people, describes what the radicalisation process can look like, and stresses the danger of Jihad as an ideological legitimisation of violence. He calls for more to be done to prevent radicalisat...

Mention 20 October 2014

How do I save my child from Jihad?

Germany's Spiegel Online features a piece on the Hayat family counselling hotline, co-run by EFD Programme Director Ahmad Mansour, which offers support and practical advice to individuals who are concerned that somebody they know is becoming radicalised....

Article 19 October 2014

For too long, London has been a hub for the Muslim Brotherhood

In an article published in The Telegraph, EFD Senior Policy Advisor Lorenzo Vidino discusses the British government’s recent review of the Muslim Brotherhood, disputing some claims that the delayed publication of the review is connected with a failure to uncover links to terrorist activity. Lorenzo states that the review was, in fact, “a genuine effort to better understand the group” which, he writes, “advocates a bottom-up, gradual Islam...

Interview 18 October 2014

Nigeria: agreement with Boko Haram. On Monday they will release the girls

In an interview on Radio Vaticana, EFD Senior Fellow Valentina Colombo discusses the potential agreement that would see the release of the 219 girls kidnapped by the militant Islamist group Boko Haram. Valentina remains slightly sceptical about this development, stating that any agreement with would imply some form of payment....

Broadcast 16 October 2014

German ISIS supporter threatens Angela Merkel

Following the appearance of a video from the militant Islamist group ISIS, issuing a threat against German Chancellor Angela Merkel, EFD Programme Director Ahmad Mansour is interviewed on evening news about the possible motives behind this. Ahmad states that messages such as these might be attempts from the fighters to gain recognition in Germany, and also to win the attention of other young people in the hope of recruiting them....

Interview 15 October 2014

There is no alternative to a reform of Islam

In an interview in Germany's Deutsche Welle, EFD Programme Director Ahmad Mansour speaks about the urgent need for a reform of Islam and for a culture of debate and critical questioning within the Islamic community. Ahmad stresses the importance of showing young people "an Islam that has nothing to do with radicalism", and calls for the religion to be "freed from fear and the idea of a vengeful God."...

Broadcast 15 October 2014

We are facing new challenges

EFD Programme Director Ahmad Mansour is interviewed on German television about his own experience of radicalisation, as well as the challenge we face in dealing with this phenomenon in our communities today -- a challenge which is being made increasingly apparent by the number of young Europeans being recruited to the militant Islamic group ISIS....

Broadcast 11 October 2014

Fighting in the name of Jihad

EFD Programme Director Ahmad Mansour is interviewed on German television's 'Mona Lisa' programme on the phenomenon of young Muslims from Germany joining militant Islamist groups in the name of jihad....

Article 09 October 2014

Putin and Russia’s Anti-Westernism

EFD Fellow Anna Borshchevskaya explains how Putin blames the West for Russia's problems and his authoritarian suppression is justified by the need to protect Russia from perceived external enemies....

Mention 08 October 2014

15,000-plus for Fighting: The Return of the Foreign Fighters

In light of unprecedented numbers joining the conflict in Syria and Iraq, Dr Michael P Noonan discusses the phenomenon of foreign fighters, asking why it is that this conflict has attracted so many; what the returnees might mean for the West; and what can be done to prevent this trend. Among the possible prevention measures, he refers to the Hayat family counselling programme, led by Ahmad Mansour and Daniel Koehler in Berlin, whom he encountered...

Broadcast 08 October 2014

Extremism among young Muslims

EFD Programme Director Ahmad Mansour takes part in a televised debate on extremism among young Muslims on Deutsche Welle's Arabic channel....

Mention 06 October 2014

Once a spy, always a spy: How Putin’s KGB past shapes his autocratic rule

EFD Fellow Anna Borshchevskaya is quoted on Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that he fits the archetype of a KGB agent. The article states that, as the Ukraine crisis continues, Putin is still using tactics from his time as a KGB officer: preying on the fearful, crushing dissent and controlling information....

Mention 04 October 2014

Jasmin is frightened of going to hell

As it emerges that 40 women and girls are among the 400 Germans who have joined the Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq, EFD Programme Director Ahmad Mansour considers the reasons behind radicalisation among young Muslim women....

Article 02 October 2014

Don’t forget about Afghanistan

Anna Borshchevskaya discusses the necessity of US military presence in Afghanistan, stating that the hard-won peace remains fragile. The Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) between the two countries signed on 30th September ensures that a small contingent of troops will remain to advise the Afghan government, while the drawdown continues....