CEE vibes

Szabolcs Panyi@szabolcspanyi.bsky.social · last yr.

💥🏳️‍🌈Today, Hungarian police summoned Budapest mayor Gergely Karácsony as a suspect in a criminal investigation and took his mugshot—for organizing the banned Budapest Pride march, which drew 200–300K people. His lawyer Csaba Tordai showed up wearing a Polish "Konstytucja" t-shirt.

An infringement ruling in 129 days – How fast can the Court of Justice of the European Union be?

University College Dublin has just been announced as the host of the next round of the world's biggest event in public law! The 2026 @icon-s.bsky.social conference will be hosted in Belfield in July 2026 by the UCD Centre for Constitutional Studies led by Prof Carolan & @ucdschooloflaw.bsky.social

A court ruling within days? Examples from the US Supreme Court, and the @eucourtofjustice.bsky.social.

🏃‍♂️ A preliminary ruling in 40 days – Have you ever wondered how fast the @eucourtofjustice.bsky.social can be? Here are some numbers.

Postponing the final vote on the bill is not a retreat but merely a tactical delay. Protests by civic actors, media and businesses helped secure this temporary relief. The next months will be crucial to safeguard freedom of expression, association and assembly. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Hungary postpones vote on law to curb foreign-funded organisations

Orbán’s ruling party delays vote on legislation allowing government to ban organisations with foreign funding

theguardian.com

At the ICON-S CEE conference at Eötvös Loránd University, I argued for the @eucourtofjustice.bsky.social to strengthen its supervision of @europarl.europa.eu elections. Why?

We joined @liberties.eu's open letter to @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu, warning of the severe and existential threat to democratic principles, human rights and the rule of law in Hungary and in the EU as a whole. Already 320+ orgs from all over Europe have joined the call on the Commission to act fast.

Liberties.EU@liberties.eu · last yr.

Join 320+ orgs to send a strong message to President von der Leyen: we re-opened the letter for CSOs ahead the Council meeting next Tuesday. ⤵️ "This new bill represents a severe and existential threat to democratic principles, human rights and the rule of law in Hungary and in the EU as a whole."

Some Fidesz MPs have already hinted which media outlets could be subject to the so-called transparency law, which at the end could lead to their closure. If the Orbán government dares to use this instrument, the independent media will have to show unprecedented solidarity with those under attack ✊

Here is our own, unofficial translation of the Starve & Strangle bill: helsinki.hu/en/wp-conten...

Hungarian Helsinki Committee@hungarianhelsinki.bsky.social · last yr.

A dark turn in Hungary’s democracy erosion: disguised as a transparency measure to prevent sovereignty threats, the Bill on the Transparency of Public Life aims to starve and strangle civil society, independent media and any legal entity the government decides to target. helsinki.hu/en/operation...

@hungarianhelsinki.bsky.social calls on the the @ec.europa.eu to seek interim measure against new Hungarian law targeting civil society, media and others.

Hungarian Helsinki Committee@hungarianhelsinki.bsky.social · last yr.

A dark turn in Hungary’s democracy erosion: disguised as a transparency measure to prevent sovereignty threats, the Bill on the Transparency of Public Life aims to starve and strangle civil society, independent media and any legal entity the government decides to target. helsinki.hu/en/operation...

🇭🇺 🇪🇺 Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony asks Commission President @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu to request an interim measure against a new legislative proposal that targets media, civil society, and others.

@politico.eu: "The bill says threats to national sovereignty include influencing public opinion, promoting democratic debate, or challenging state-defined values like Christian culture and traditional family roles."

Orbán’s Fidesz party proposes Russia-style crackdown on Hungary’s civil society

The new bill fits into a pattern of democratic backsliding for the Central European country.

politico.eu

🇭🇺 A new Hungarian legislative proposal threatens to severely hinder the operation of rights protection organisations and the media. telex.hu/english/2025...

Russian-style law targeting independent press and NGOs tabled in Hungarian parliament

Fidesz has submitted a proposal that would completely incapacitate organizations they have labeled as foreign agents threatening the country's sovereignty.

telex.hu

‼️A Fidesz bill has been tabled at midnight that would make it extremely difficult for organisations receiving foreign funding to operate and exist in Hungary @telexhu.bsky.social reports. 🧵

🚨🚨Major ruling expected this week from the General Court of @eucourtofjustice.bsky.social on #Pfizergate- a ruling which may have lasting implications for @ec.europa.eu president @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu's legacy. 🧵 www.politico.eu/article/von-...

Von der Leyen faces critical test as EU court decides on secret ‘Pfizergate’ texts

Wednesday’s General Court ruling will assess whether the European Commission is in breach of transparency rules.

politico.eu

#Poland ’s #EU Presidency: A breath of fresh air🌬️or a missed opportunity? ⚖️Judicial reforms & rights protection are on the table. But tackling democratic backsliding? Silence. 📺Watch the #RuleofLawWatch ep. 2. Our @jakubjaraczewski.bsky.social explores promises & limits of Poland’s EU leadership:

What Can We Learn from the Iberian Power Blackout? (Call for Papers) The unprecedented power outage that struck mainland Spain and Portugal on April 28, 2025, provides an exceptional case study not only on the state of the energy transition but also on risk regulation lnkd.in/dP2yEqvz

🏃‍♀️ Faster courts needed for @europarl.europa.eu elections: Important recommendations for the @ec.europa.eu's Democracy Shield package. 🇪🇺

🇭🇺 Today, the Hungarian parliament adopted the law on withdrawing the mandate of members of the European Parliament. This is a concern for the EU as a whole. Read our blog post on the topic:

Removal of Hungarian MEPs Threatens EU Democracy

A new proposal would let Hungary revoke MEPs’ mandates for false asset declarations. As the EP ensures the EU’s democratic legitimacy, its members’ removal should face EU oversight. The CJEU—not natio...

europeanlawblog.eu

🇵🇱⚖️Last Friday, the Polish Ministry of Justice unveiled the eagerly awaited draft bill on reforming the judiciary, meant to address the situation of the so-called "neo judges" and reform the Supreme Court. It's a crucial element of the rule of law restoration package. 1/

🚨🚨 MAJOR NEWS: @ec.europa.eu fines Apple €500M and Meta €200M for breaking the rules of the EU Digital Markets Act, the first fines in the history of the act. 🧵 www.politico.eu/article/eu-f...

EU fines Apple €500M and Meta €200M for breaking Europe’s digital rules

The highly anticipated penalties are the first to be issued under the bloc’s Digital Markets Act.

politico.eu

Von der Leyen with some optimism on the state of Europe in a @zeit.de interview today: “We don’t have bros or oligarchs making the rules. We don’t invade our neighbors, and we don’t punish them. […] there are 12 countries on the waiting list to become members of the EU” www.zeit.de/politik/2025...

🇪🇺 Who decides on ousting a Member of the European Parliament? 🇭🇺 A new Hungarian law would allow national authorities to revoke the mandates of elected MEPs. With Beáta Bakó, we argue that an EU-level oversight is necessary.

Removal of Hungarian MEPs Threatens EU Democracy

A new proposal would let Hungary revoke MEPs’ mandates for false asset declarations. As the EP ensures the EU’s democratic legitimacy, its members’ removal should face EU oversight. The CJEU—not natio...

europeanlawblog.eu

Leading 🇪🇺 orgs created #Nets4Dem, a network of networks. We are building resilient democracies, reconnecting with citizens, and forging new pathways for political engagement! Learn more 👇 Nets4Dem.eu

Big ideas💡need big brains🧠 Every year, the re:constitution Fellowship supports 15 early-career scholars & practitioners! As a fellow you will be part of a vibrant rule of law and democracy community. 📢Apply by April 3 👉 bit.ly/4lbnErk 📽Learn more about our network here: bit.ly/3E8as5w

re:constitution Fellowship: Advancing Democracy and the Rule of Law in Europe | DRI

The re:constitution programme fosters public debate on the rule of law in Europe and builds a strong pan-European network of scholars and practitioners. Through its Fellowship, it supports early-career professionals committed to upholding EU values by providing funding, mobility opportunities, and access to a vibrant community of experts. The programme offers early-career fellows each year the chance to conduct independent research on democracy and the rule of law. Fellows receive funding for a mobility period at a host institution, gain access to a vibrant community, and contribute to DRI’s analytical work. After the fellowship, they join a growing Alumni Network dedicated to safeguarding democracy across borders. --- Democracy Reporting International (DRI) is a non-governmental, independent organisation analysing democratic developments and advising on constitutional and electoral frameworks quickly and flexibly. DRI also directly engages with partners on the ground to improve democratic structures and safeguards across the countries where we work. Stay up to date: Web: https://democracy-reporting.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/democracyr/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/democracyinternational/ LinkedIn: https://de.linkedin.com/company/dri Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/democracyreporting.bsky.social

bit.ly

Does the rule of law keep you up at night?🌙 Are you an expert in Polish politics? We’re hiring a consultant to analyse Poland’s 2025 presidential election, its impact on democracy & the rule of law in the country; and build political scenarios for different outcomes. 🎉Apply now!▶️ lnkd.in/dgWUDzAJ

Proud to be the first to like the very first post of the @eucourtofjustice.bsky.social on Bluesky!

EU Court of Justice@eucourtofjustice.bsky.social · 2y ago

🚀 We’ve joined Bluesky! Stay informed about key rulings, insights, and how #CJEU judgments shape #EUlaw and your daily life. Follow us and stay up to date! ⚖️🌍 #ECJ

Suspending Hungarian citizenship for dual nationals, violations of freedom of assembly and the attempt to ban Pride🏳️‍🌈 -- the Orbán government is escalating its efforts to stifle dissent and weaken human rights protections in Hungary🇭🇺. Our 2 new briefs explain the plans ➡️ helsinki.hu/en/legislati...

🇭🇺 Removal of Hungarian members of the European Parliament based on incorrect asset declarations: How EU law comes into play 🇪🇺