Matteo Dressler

@mdressler.bsky.social

Social Scientist | Works @FEPS_Europe on democracy, participation & youth | Interested in these topics, Eastern Germany & conflict transformation. Personal Account.

Absolutely flabbergasted by the cowardice of the Commission. No matter why the President is afraid of 'provoking' Orban, there's no justification for actively choosing not to stand up for the rule of law & fundamental rights. Reporting by @euractiv.com and @krmcsngr.bsky.social for @politico.eu

From the Politico Brussels Playbook:

'HUNGARY PRIDE BAN

TENSION RISES OVER HUNGARY PRIDE BAN: Equality Commissioner Hadja Lahbib sat down recently with Lászlo Sebián-Petrovszki, the leader of the Hungarian parliament’s LGBTQ+ intergroup. An official present at the meeting told my colleague Csongor Körömi that Lahbib demurred on the idea of taking measures against Budapest, due partly to a lack of support from up high.

Locking horns: Lahbib described the conversation as “frank and constructive” in a post on X. But the official, who sat in on the discussion, said it had actually been combative.

Tools on the table: Sebián-Petrovszki asked Lahbib if Brussels would move ahead with an interim measure in the ongoing infringement procedure against Hungary’s 2021 anti-LGBTIQ+ law, to save the Pride march. The Commission would need to activate the interim measure by Tuesday, May 27, as Pride organizers must ask the police for permission to host the event 30 days before it is held (and it’s currently planned for June 28).

No support: MEPs and civil society groups have pressured the Commission to use this legal tool. Lahbib allegedly said “she doesn’t feel the political support, either from within the Commission or from President Ursula von der Leyen, to proceed,” the person mentioned above told Csongor.'From the Politico Brussels Playbook:
'Waiting it out: The Commission would rather wait to see if the police actually ban Pride and if the courts would consider such a decision lawful, Lahbib said (per our mole), adding that the left-liberal-led city council of Budapest could organize a “Festival of Freedom,” instead of a Pride parade.'From Euractiv's 'The Chattering Classes' newsletter:

'In an extraordinary concession to Hungary’s semi-authoritarian leader, Viktor Orbán, von der Leyen urged commissioners to not attend Budapest Pride, Hungary’s largest LGBTQ event, next month, Euractiv has learnt. The reason, people familiar with the matter say, is that von der Leyen worried that the presence of commissioners at the event would “provoke” Orbán.'
Euractiv@euractiv.com · last yr.

EXCLUSIVE: EU commissioners asked to skip Budapest Pride over fears of Orbán backlash: Defying a ban, organisers plan to go ahead with Budapest Pride in June.

In der ZEIT gibt es eine umfassende Recherche zu den neuen Babyglatzen, die schwer an die 90er erinnern und jeder, der auf antifaschistischen Demos etc. unterwegs ist, schon bemerkt hat. Das solltet ihr lesen, daher Geschenklink: www.zeit.de/2025/17/deut...

Rechtsextreme Jugendgruppen: Sie sind minderjährig, Neonazis, und bereiten sich auf einen Kampf vor

Sie trainieren im Wald, überfallen ihre Opfer abends im Supermarkt. Ein Vorbild: die SA. Überall bilden sich rechtsextreme Gruppen. Auf den Spuren einer militanten Jugend

zeit.de

[OUT] 'Reversing the Privatisation of the Public Sphere: Democratic Alternatives to the EU’s Regulation of Disinformation', new paper by @alvarooleart.bsky.social, FNRS postdoc at SciencePo ULB (Cevipol) in collab with Julia Rone, in Media and Communication www.cogitatiopress.com/mediaandcomm...

Reversing the Privatisation of the Public Sphere: Democratic Alternatives to the EU’s Regulation of Disinformation | Article | Media and Communication

Alvaro Oleart, Julia Rone

cogitatiopress.com

🎯 How can political parties genuinely connect with young people? After the 2024 European elections, it's clear that youth engagement—primarily online—needs a serious rethink. 🧵 A short thread on our latest piece for Social Europe ⬇️ 📘 Read the full article: www.socialeurope.eu/why-young-vo...

Why Young Voters Are Ignoring Mainstream Politics

Political parties are failing to connect with young voters—can they rethink their strategies before it is too late?

socialeurope.eu

Reactionary centrism has been crucial in legitimizing the far right. They don’t only share a rejection of a truly inclusive democracy, but also a tendency to debate in bad faith. And yet, many liberals continue to engage with them, giving them legitimacy and amplifying their voice.

„Auch ich legte Blumen ab…auf dem Weg zum Bahnhof kamen mir so viele Menschen entgegen … mit Blumen in der Hand und Tränen in den Augen. Ich bin noch einmal umgekehrt. Noch einmal einfach nebeneinanderstehen. Zusammen traurig sein.“ 🙏für den Text @valschnian.bsky.social www.zeit.de/2024/55/ansc...

Anschlag in Magdeburg: Was wir brauchen, ist Trost

Alle schauen auf Magdeburg, meine Heimat: Sagen die Leute auch das Richtige in die Kameras? Werden sie nun erst recht die Rechten wählen? Was nun geschehen müsste

zeit.de

8. What I have come to realize, however, is that the fight against the far right is secondary to the fight to strengthen liberal democracy. These are related but fundamentally not the same struggles.