Released on 25 April in an English-dubbed version, a review of Franco-Iranian artist Marjane Satrapi's Oscar-nominated animation of a girl displaced in Vienna

Serb incumbent Boris Tadic needs every vote he can get in the second round of presidential elections on 3 February. PM Kostunica supports his pro-European coalition partner - but on his own terms only

After Eurobarometer and the ‘Index of Happiness’, a new index launched by a British think tank on 31 January aims to ‘measure’ democracy in 25 European countries – and get Europe's citizens to customise their own indices online. Interview

The district in south-west Germany is a pioneering development that puts into action innovative rules for communal living in a unique environment. But this paradise of purity is not without its faults

EU defence ministers meet in Portugal on 28 September for the final go-ahead for the deployment of EU troops in Chad and CAR, after the UN approved a resolution on 26 September

On 10 and 15 September former prime ministers Sharif and Bhutto plan leaving London for upcoming elections in Pakistan. Military president Musharraf was hit hard by the ten-day ‘Red Mosque’ siege by armed fundamentalists in July

On 9 May 1950, Robert Schuman presented his proposal for the creation of Europe, transforming that day into a European symbol. We take a look back at its successes and failures

After Estonia’s parliamentary elections on March 4, Culture Minister Raivo Palmaru casts a critical eye over the nation’s press and young democracy

Independent from or autonomous within Serbia? Negotiations on Kosovo’s future status wound up in March

On Feb 27 in Belgrade, 15, 000 Serbs protested against the UN's plans for

independence from Serbia. What do Serbs and Albanians think about Kosovar identity?

400 million Euros from the Commission, $770 million from the US. But Lebanon remains consumed by instability

For the first time, an exhibition in Bucharest lifts the veil on Romania’s Communist past

We spoke to the Iranian graphic novelist, 37, in January, after she shot to fame with her black-and-white comic book ‘Persepolis’. It's currently hitting movie screens in its animated French version

From the set of a local television station, three madcap characters attempt to understand what happened in their sleepy Romanian town the day that communism died

Hugo Chávez is favorite to win Venezuela's presidential elections on December 3 - prime assessment for a controversial and reformed democracy

Four questions to Antonela Capelle-Pogacean, an academic researcher working on Romanian politics at the CERI

The European Commission wants to integrate Romania into the EU on 1 January 2007 – if the country can keep its corruption under control. A feature from Siebenbürgen.

Thousands of Vietnamese are repressed in their home country and are forced to leave Asia and try their luck abroad. For those who choose Poland, the transition is sometimes tough

The planned terror attacks uncovered in London are putting the alert systems of every European country to the test. Find out how these work and which alert levels are currently in place.

70 young Europeans take part in Eurizons, a unique hitchhike campaign to promote the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

What is kosovar national identity? Migjen Kelmendi, editor of the weekly Java, opens the debate with a recently published book Who is Kosovar?

Following the adoption of resolution 1701, European countries are preparing a peacekeeping force for Lebanon. The European Jewish Congress explains to us why resolution 1701 brings hope but no tangible guarantees

As Fidel’s poor health forces him to hand over power to his brother Raúl, the sixty-year-old Roque denounces the neglect of her people and the regime of ‘apartheid’ enforced in Cuba. This is her story, told in very special circumstances.

For years we promised to accept the Balkan states’ bid to enter the EU. As politicians slow down the integration process, the region is further destabilised

In the interior of the humid Congo basin, amid corruption and endemic poverty, the preparations for the elections on the 30 July were a huge challenge

The Congolese people voted for a president and parliament in the first democratic elections in the country for decades. In a country ravaged by conflict, the election process faced some tough challenges

8000km from home, the Congolese community in Paris remain as concerned as ever by the politics in their country – and unconvinced the elections that took place on the 30 July will change anything

Rémy Bazenguissa-Ganga, a researcher at the Centre for African studies in Paris, speaks about corruption in subsaharan Africa and a state imported from Europe

As the former Zaïre prepares to have its first democratic elections in 45 years, Congolese-born comedian Dieudonné Kabongo talks about Africa and the disillusionment of young immigrants who try their luck in Europe

Though European governments have been quick to criticize the escalation of violence in the Middle-East, the EU still sells weapons to Israel and Lebanon. Europe needs to strengthen its arms trade Code of Conduct

One of Poland’s best known personalities is the politician, writer and journalist Tadeusz Mazowiecki. In an interview with cafebabel.com, he considers the effect of Polish accession and how Europe can move forward.

While the Polish trade union ‘Solidarity’ celebrates its 25th anniversary, what has become of Lech Walsea and his fellow freedom fighters?

The IRA may have signed a ceasefire, but it has yet to give up crime.