And in an information environment thats designed for speed and engagement, slow procedural institutions are doublely disadvantaged against those who offer emotional certainty and quick fixes.
Zselyke Csaky
@zecsaky.bsky.social
Senior research fellow CER @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social. Mostly EU stuff, sprinkled with some democracy & Central Europe. Past lives Freedom House, EUI, Bloomberg.
🇵🇱⚖️Polish rule of law crisis latest: Ziobro might be good at evading justice, but some people weren't as lucky, and now we have a black bar on the eyes of two guys who ran a state-owned fund to promote Poland abroad by, among others ... planting billboards about how Polish judges are bad. 1/
Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 3w agoA senior official under Poland's former PiS government has been charged over the alleged misspending of funds. The case relates to a campaign in 2017 that used 8.4 million zloty meant for promoting Poland abroad to instead advertise PiS's judicial reforms domestically.
Behold, the State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Rights, and Labor has been turned into a far-right funding spigot simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/...
One year after the dismantling of the USAID funding, what does the democracy support landscape look like? Several new initiatives have emerged in some regions, but whether these will evolve into concrete forms of “post-US” democracy support remains unclear. A must-read on @carnegieendowment.org ⤵️
Post-U.S. International Democracy Support: Aspiration in Search of Substance
The reinvention of democracy support needs to be carried forward without the clear leadership of one dominant player.
carnegieendowment.org
Rather humbling. Handelsblatt: "A key factor in the Chancellor's change of course was, among other things, a research paper by economists Sander Tordoir and Brad Setser" Pleased Brad and I could contribute to Chancellor Merz's thinking on China Shock 2.0 with analysis and a few policy ideas. 1/
We've updated and significantly improved upon the Barnier staircase to outline what the future might hold 7/11
The problem here is that France wants a strong common EU foreign policy "strategic autonomy" AND total national control of foreign policy. The only way to make EU foreign policy strong and coherent is for states to give up control. Europe needs to make the trade: sovereignty for power.
Henry Foy@henryjfoy.ft.com · 2mo agoIn an all-hands email sent to EEAS staff this afternoon and seen by the FT, Kallas referenced our reporting & said: "I welcome this debate." "We also all know that the system could work better and without less duplication here in Brussels," Kallas wrote Full scoop here: as.ft.com/r/68b3a69d-6...
For years, discussions about Hungary focused on democratic backsliding, including the shrinking space for independent civil society. But what should happen now, in this hopeful period of profound political and legal changes? How can civic space be rebuilt and not overlooked? On @verfassungsblog.de
Verfassungsblog@verfassungsblog.de · 2mo agoHealthy democracy needs an enabling environment for civil society. MÁRTA PARDAVI highlights that even well-designed constitutional reforms must not be insulated from the citizens whose lives they are meant to improve. verfassungsblog.de/rebuilding-h...
🇭🇺⚖️ @verfassungsblog.de is running a symposium on the rule of law restoration in Hungary, and everyone's favourite ECtHR dork, Dr Marcin Szwed, has a piece there about when, if and how you can remove judges from their positions as part of reform. Probably interesting for 🇺🇸 readers, too.
Verfassungsblog@verfassungsblog.de · 2mo agoThe ECtHR hinted in the Armenian Gyulumyan case that legitimate constitutional reforms may sometimes justify even the removal of judges. MARCIN SZWED shows how this reasoning can be applied to Hungary's captured courts. verfassungsblog.de/constitution... @mpil.de
PERSONAL NEWS: I've joined the @newyorker.com full-time as a global-affairs columnist, where I'll be writing a weekly essay on the world. It's a dream gig and I'm still pinching myself that I get to say all these incredible, talented journalists I've long admired are my colleagues!
Michael Luo@michaelluo.bsky.social · 2mo agoSome news from @newyorker.com. Welcome @jesusrodriguez.work @ishaantharoor.bsky.social!
I learned a lot about what is happening with enlargement from this brilliant podcast, by @milanninberlin.bsky.social and @zecsaky.bsky.social. They are not as pessimistic as I am about the prospects of EU enlargement.
Centre for European Reform@centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 2mo ago“I think this is crunch time on enlargement. So what is realistic? We will see after the June European Council,” @milanninberlin.bsky.social told @zecsaky.bsky.social in the latest #CERpodcast, listen here: buff.ly/TBagUtJ
Europe needs to rapidly improve its deterrence. A new @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social / Hanns Seidel Foundation paper by @armida.bsky.social outlines key steps European governments can take in the next 1-2 years to accelerate rearmament, readiness and deterrence efforts. Read here: buff.ly/rwfLU1S
Ideology for the masses, money for the elites.
Zselyke Csaky@zecsaky.bsky.social · 2mo agoThere was a Fidesz ideologue who once said, "What you call corruption is the essence of the system." Seems he was right but we're just learning by how much. The Integrity Authority estimates Orban's rule cost Hungary €160B(!) in corruption. That equals ~2/3 of 🇭🇺 GDP. www.ft.com/content/0c44...
There was a Fidesz ideologue who once said, "What you call corruption is the essence of the system." Seems he was right but we're just learning by how much. The Integrity Authority estimates Orban's rule cost Hungary €160B(!) in corruption. That equals ~2/3 of 🇭🇺 GDP. www.ft.com/content/0c44...
AI used to hunt Viktor Orbán’s alleged corruption
Head of Hungary’s anti-graft body says €160bn may have been siphoned off during ex-PM’s 16 years in power
ft.com
In May 2026, votes in the EP resembled those of times past: with majorities based on the cooperation of EPP, S&D and Renew, no votes decided by the far right, and a fine example of a very broad supermajority. By NICOLAI VON ONDARZA #EUanalytics
EU Analytics – April 2026 review: A swing back to the European Parliament of old
Ein Blog über die Demokratie in Europa
foederalist.eu
This Wednesday I will join #DemocracyDrinks of @defenddemocracy.eurosky.social in Brussels. All welcome!
“I think this is crunch time on enlargement. So what is realistic? We will see after the June European Council,” @milanninberlin.bsky.social told @zecsaky.bsky.social in the latest #CERpodcast, listen here: buff.ly/TBagUtJ
My next public event is in Brussels at @defenddemocracy.eurosky.social — all welcome!
#DemocracyDrinks with political scientist Cas Mudde | Wed 10 June 18:00-20:00
crm.defenddemocracy.eu
Finally…! www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/pre...
Roam like at home: Council authorises talks on extending scheme to Western Balkans partners
Council approves the opening of negotiations with the six Western Balkan partners with a view to extending the EU's Roam Like at Home (RLAH) area to them.
consilium.europa.eu
The Hungarian prosecutor just dropped the case against the organiser of Pécs Pride arguing that organising Prides is not crime, referring to the EU Court of Justice judgement on HU’s anti LGBTIQ-law. A very encouraging step in the restoration of the rule of law and fundamental rights in Hungary!
This is an important point & why Hungary’s democratic restoration *may* be easier than that of Poland. When institutions behave as they should, there is less of a need for complete overhaul — the problem is not structural. It’s early days though and clearly doesn’t apply to all institutions.
Katalin Halmai@eublogo.bsky.social · 2mo ago☝️What we’re seeing in multiple recent cases is a broader pattern: once external political pressure eases, institutions begin to correct course on their own. Without direct government intervention, questionable processes get reviewed, restrictions are lifted, and past anomalies gradually unwind.
With Hungary lifting its veto on accession for Ukraine (and Moldova) and the Western Balkans Summit coming tomorrow, @milanninberlin.bsky.social was indeed correct that it's crunch time for enlargement. Listen to our latest podcast below 👇 www.ft.com/content/c78f...
Hungary lifts 17-month veto on Ukraine’s EU membership bid
Also in this newsletter: Talking tough and acting soft on migration
ft.com
Centre for European Reform@centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 2mo ago“I think this is crunch time on #enlargement. So what is realistic? We will see after the June European Council,” @milanninberlin.bsky.social told @zecsaky.bsky.social in the latest #CERpodcast, listen here:
Just in: Peter Magyar says a deal with Ukraine on minority rights could be reached "as soon as this week", paving the way to lift the veto on Kyiv's accession. The IGC on the first cluster could take place on 15 June after the FAC meeting in Luxembourg. Things are definitely moving!
Magyar teases deal on Hungarian minority to lift veto on Kyiv's EU bid
Magyar says he is "very optimistic" about a deal on minority rights in Ukraine after years of political impasse. An agreement between Budapest and Kyiv on the delicate matter would allow for EU access...
euronews.com
So looks like the rumored US "democracy promotion" funding may be indeed coming. Unclear how much but if the available ballpark is $1-200M that's not peanuts. CERV's expected civil society funding in the next MFF is ~€500M/year. (h/t @sophiepornschlegel.bsky.social) foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/01/s...
Can the State Department Make Europe Great Again?
A small but influential office will soon announce grants to support Trump administration causes in Europe.
foreignpolicy.com
“I think this is crunch time on #enlargement. So what is realistic? We will see after the June European Council,” @milanninberlin.bsky.social told @zecsaky.bsky.social in the latest #CERpodcast, listen here:
Centre for European Reform: Unpacking Europe: The path to EU enlargement
On this week’s Unpacking Europe podcast Zselyke Csaky sat down with Milan Nic a senior research fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) to discuss the latest on EU enlargement. T...
buff.ly
I spoke to Milan Nic @milanninberlin.bsky.social about where things are going (but also, not going) on enlargement and how to make sense of the recent flurry of ideas on associate membership, veto rights, etc. It turned out to be a more optimistic conversation than I expected! Tune in below 👇
Centre for European Reform@centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 2mo ago🎙️ Listen to our new #CERpodcast ‘Unpacking Europe’ discussing the state of play on EU enlargement ahead of the Western Balkans summit, @zecsaky.bsky.social spoke with @milanninberlin.bsky.social on 28/5/26.🎙️ Listen here:
🇵🇱⚖️Polish rule of law crisis latest - in a letter to ECtHR wrt to the case of four limbo-judges, the Polish Constitutional Tribunal invents a novelty in international law - a retroactive reservation to the European Convention on Human Rights. Weird that we've never seen it for 30 years.
So after all the speculation, Hungary gets a political agreement on almost all of the suspended EU money. It's important that the money is *not* yet flowing. Let's look at the details & concrete promises in exchange 🧵 www.euractiv.com/news/eu-unlo...
EU unlocks cash for Hungary | Euractiv
Magyar admitted he had not hoped for so much
euractiv.com
Due to present myself tomorrow on “restoring the rule of law post backsliding” using EU/ECHR law. Conference programme available here: facdedroit.univ-lyon3.fr/colloque-int...
Colloque DemoCIS | Analysis of Illiberal Regimes. Deciphering Democratic Deconsolidation
facdedroit.univ-lyon3.fr
Germany is the epicentre of the China Shock 2.0 reverberating in global markets In a new joint paper, CFR's Brad Setser and I show the shock is a key driver of Germany’s economic malaise. And it's accelerating Berlin needs to stop admiring the problem, and join efforts to fight back 1/many
