Chapter 20--AP Euro

Mikhail Gorbachev

Head of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991. His liberalization effort improved relations with the West, but he lost power after his reforms led to the collapse of Communist governments in eastern Europe.

Perestroika

"restructuring" economic, social, and political spheres

Glasnost

"openness" citizens and officials allowed to discuss Soviet weaknesses and strengths

Boris Yeltsin

President of the Russian Republic in 1991. Helped end the USSR and forces Gorbachev to resign after the coup

Chechnya

Muslim Chechnyans sough independence from Russia in the 90s, Putin takes it back in 2000

Vladimir Putin

elected president of Russia in 2000, former KGB member, launched reforms aimed at boosting growth and budget revenues and keeping Russia on a strong economic track.

Crimea

Putin stations troops in Ukraine's Crimean region after Ukrainian protests after being rejected from the EU

Slobodan Milosevic

Serbian communist party leader who initiated a policy of ethnic cleansing against Bosnian Muslims

ethnic cleansing

Process in which more powerful ethnic group forcibly removes a less powerful one in order to create an ethnically homogeneous region

Kosovo

region of Yugoslavia that had autonomy until Milosovic attempted to crush the Albanian group with ethnic cleansing; 1999 NATO used military strikes against Yugoslavia until the crisis came to an end

Angela Merkel

First female German chancellor, known for letting in Syrian immigrants

Maastricht Treaty

The basis for the formation of the European Union

European Union

International organization comprised of Western European countries to promote free trade among members.

National Front

an increasingly influential far-right, anti-EU party with xenophobic roots.

Marine Le Pen

Daughter of Jean-Marie Le Pen and leader of the National Front since 2011

Hijab

in 2004, the French prohibit wearing them in schools

Pope John Paul II

Activist conservative pope from Poland 1978-2005 who helped bring down European communism. Vatican II

Pope Francis

Pope before Pope Leo, first Latino Pope

Paris Accord

Climate change agreement that committed every country to lowering carbon dioxide emissions