From March 18th to March 20th, CEU’s Felix Butzlaff visited Matej Bel University (UMB) as part of ongoing collaboration and joint research efforts within the EU Horizon project BRRIDGE.

The first part of his visit focused on intensive paper-writing sessions with several UMB researchers, including Kamila Borseková, Jozef Mintal, Robert Vancel, Martina Šinkovičová, and Michal Styk. Together, they discussed and revised a series of ongoing research publications. These projects explore shifting political cleavages, electoral strategies, and democratic behavior in Slovakia, as well as outline frameworks for a democratic and human rights-based reconstruction of post-conflict Ukraine.

Following this, Felix participated in the 12th Central European Winter Seminar of the European Regional Science Association, held in Donovaly. There, he presented a joint paper with Alexandra Bitušíková titled “Does Climate Change Delegitimize Political Parties? How Movement-Party-Linkages in Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Poland Are Reshaped”. The seminar offered a dynamic academic environment, enriched by the scenic late-winter mountain landscape, fostering vibrant discussion and exchange.

The visit significantly advanced the ongoing research and publications under BRRIDGE, highlighting the consortium’s interdisciplinary strength and commitment to exploring contemporary challenges facing European democracy.