Seán Hanley | Lightnews

Seán Hanley @drseanhanley.bsky.social · 3d

Indeed. And he’s also not writing about “gut appeal”.

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 3d

It's good, not bad, that one senior politician is talking to another about ideas and policy, not treating everything like it is just one big exercise in election strategy.

Alexander Clarkson @aphclarkson.bsky.social · 3d

Pretty predictable that the generation of Centrist politicians that underestimated Farage's populist gut appeal from the Right will also underestimate Polanski's populist gut appeal from the Left

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 3d

It's good, not bad, that one senior politician is talking to another about ideas and policy, not treating everything like it is just one big exercise in election strategy.

Alexander Clarkson @aphclarkson.bsky.social · 3d

Pretty predictable that the generation of Centrist politicians that underestimated Farage's populist gut appeal from the Right will also underestimate Polanski's populist gut appeal from the Left

Jo Wolff @jowolff.bsky.social · 3d

Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.

Cas Mudde @casmudde.bsky.social · 4d

After more than 10 years of “the Danish Model”, nativism is hegemonic in the country, the far right polls near level highs again, and the Social Democrats lost Copenhagen and poll at historic low.

European Social Democrats should look at the facts, not the myths!

Me in @theguardian.com

The ‘Danish model’ is the darling of centre-left parties like Labour. The problem is, it doesn’t even work in Denmark | Cas Mudde

This week’s local elections are the latest reminder that when social democrats move rightwards, they’re making a mistake, says academic and author Cas Mudde

www.theguardian.com

Seán Hanley @drseanhanley.bsky.social · 6d

And older and middle aged can be the electoral backbone of some populist parties- the more interesting question, why the variation?

Jeremy Cliffe @jeremycliffe.bsky.social · 6d

The radical right *is* rising across much of Europe. But the narrative that young people are leading the charge is overblown.

Gen Z is turning away from mainstream parties, but often the beneficiaries are left-insurgents like England's Greens, France's LFI, or Germany's Linke.

Owen Jones @owenjones.bsky.social · 7d

The Greens are winning the support of around half of 18 to 24 year olds.

Reform are on 5%. So much for young people's turn to the right!

And the Young Greens now have 40,000 members - the biggest youth and students wing in British politics

Jeremy Cliffe @jeremycliffe.bsky.social · 6d

The radical right *is* rising across much of Europe. But the narrative that young people are leading the charge is overblown.

Gen Z is turning away from mainstream parties, but often the beneficiaries are left-insurgents like England's Greens, France's LFI, or Germany's Linke.

Owen Jones @owenjones.bsky.social · 7d

The Greens are winning the support of around half of 18 to 24 year olds.

Reform are on 5%. So much for young people's turn to the right!

And the Young Greens now have 40,000 members - the biggest youth and students wing in British politics

Seán Hanley @drseanhanley.bsky.social · 6d

Winter is Coming - in the not unknown form of fateful alliances between the traditional right and the centre-right and technocratic centre-left with no better idea than to compete on cultural illiberalism. It won’t end well.

Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 6d

Strongly suspect that this is what will happen here in 28/9. Tories will replace Badenoch with a leader prepared to try it and Farage (as per 2019 but this time as the senior partner) will continue to deny he'll do a stand-down deal - right up until the point he does one.

French conservatives are inching towards a pact with Le Pen that could enable a far-right takeover of the country | Paul Taylor

In trying to woo Le Pen’s voters, Les Républicains risk destroying France’s Gaullist legacy and putting Paris on a collision course with the EU, says Paul Taylor of the European Policy Centre

www.theguardian.com

Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 6d

Strongly suspect that this is what will happen here in 28/9. Tories will replace Badenoch with a leader prepared to try it and Farage (as per 2019 but this time as the senior partner) will continue to deny he'll do a stand-down deal - right up until the point he does one.

French conservatives are inching towards a pact with Le Pen that could enable a far-right takeover of the country | Paul Taylor

In trying to woo Le Pen’s voters, Les Républicains risk destroying France’s Gaullist legacy and putting Paris on a collision course with the EU, says Paul Taylor of the European Policy Centre

www.theguardian.com

Jo Wolff @jowolff.bsky.social · 8d

Have been thinking about “immigration has been tearing this country apart.” Surely I’m not the only person to think that it isn’t true, but inflamed rhetoric about immigration by politicians is what is tearing this country apart and so statements like that only makes it worse.

Seán Hanley @drseanhanley.bsky.social · 10d

Velvet, Tender, Orange, Rose, Jasmine, Umbrella …. and now the Chalk Revolution.

Robert Fico’s efforts to debate wuth high school students - clips of him sound patronising - backfire… spectator.sme.sk/politics-and...

News digest: Slovakia’s chalk revolution

Train crash déjà vu, a breakthrough for Roma housing — and letters to Ježiško begin.

spectator.sme.sk

Seán Hanley @drseanhanley.bsky.social · 10d

Great podcast. This long winding red brick company town is the most atypical Czech city you’ll ever see. Built on shoes, not cars of course….

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/c...

Zlín: the Detroit of Moravia

Podcast Episode · Czechast, Radio Prague International · 15/11/2025 · 59m

podcasts.apple.com

Seán Hanley @drseanhanley.bsky.social · 12d

Which might mean that if the ordinary legislation was amended, the constitutional requirement would disappear… However, that couldn’t be done that quickly (Senate and presidential vetoes to override) so it will depend who blinks/ compromises first.

Seán Hanley @drseanhanley.bsky.social · 12d

2020 decision of the Czech Constitutional Court (Pl. ÚS 4/17), which Presidential Office interpret as putting “constitutional obligation” on him. @kieranwilliams67.bsky.social ? Others? www.usoud.cz/fileadmin/us...

www.usoud.cz

Seán Hanley @drseanhanley.bsky.social · 12d

Think @theguardian.com @jonhenley.bsky.social don’t have it 100% right here. Nothing in Czech Constitution as far as I know on conflict of interest. Presidential Office relying Constitutional Court ruling on conflict of interest laws how prez can take into account www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...

‘Trumpist’ Czech PM-elect refuses to sell business empire amid conflict-of-interest row

Billionaire populist Andrej Babiš insists he will meet legal obligations before taking office but does not explain how

www.theguardian.com

Seán Hanley @drseanhanley.bsky.social · 13d

They were talking after Fico first ruled it out in July (see below) but now Slovak media says it’s off again with Smer and Patriots for Europe. www.msn.com/en-us/politi...

MSN

https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/slovakia-s-robert-fico-in-talks-with-viktor-orbán-about-his-smer-party-joining-patriots-for-europe/ar-AA1P7d13

Seán Hanley @drseanhanley.bsky.social · 13d

Bloomsbury already looking pretty festive this evening.

Seán Hanley @drseanhanley.bsky.social · 13d

A supplement to your compulsory company training - courtesy of @privateeyenews.bsky.social

Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 13d

"What matters is people’s party identification not the constituency they live in....Blue Labour believe...that Labour voters in the marginal Red Wall district have fundamentally different views on social...issues than Labour voters in safe London seats. They don’t." Fab by @benansell.bsky.social

Labour at the Margin...

...of survival

benansell.substack.com

Andrej Matisak @matisaksk.bsky.social · 13d

#Farright and centre right unite in #EU parliament to undermine green rules
www.ft.com/content/387d... #politics

Far right and centre right unite in EU parliament to undermine green rules

Legislation marks definitive proof that ‘cordon sanitaire’ to prevent far-right forces from shaping policy no longer works

www.ft.com

Seán Hanley @drseanhanley.bsky.social · 13d

I think Prague has also rather evolved. Good recent academic crossover books by Cynthia Paces and Chad Bryant

Andrej Matisak @matisaksk.bsky.social · 14d

Is #Russia the most malign actor in the global information sphere? Listen to another episode of my 🎙 #podcast, #TheGlobalAgora. I talked to #foreignpolicy and #security expert Jennifer Irish.
▶️ podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/and...

Is Russia the most malign actor in the global information sphere? by The Global Agora

How has the nature of threats changed over the past decades? With a 36-year career in Canada’s foreign service and security community, Jennifer Irish can tell. We met at the Stratcom Under Pressure co...

podcasters.spotify.com

Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 14d

Typically excellent by @anandmenon.bsky.social

Reflections on the Brexit Revolution: 2025-26 Mackenzie-Stuart Lecture

YouTube video by Cambridge Law Faculty

www.youtube.com

Seán Hanley @drseanhanley.bsky.social · 15d

Czechoslovak Legion could have prevented formation of Soviet Union claims Czech historian.

Now there’s a thought.

www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/magaz...

Československé legie mohly zabránit vzniku Sovětského svazu, říká historik - Seznam Zprávy

Ke Dni válečných veteránů poskytl Seznam Zprávám rozhovor historik Jan Rychlík. Připomněl obrovské množství padlých Čechů v první světové válce, vliv války na vznik Československa i úspěchy legionářů,...

www.seznamzpravy.cz

Seán Hanley @drseanhanley.bsky.social · 15d

No, I think that’s culturally insensitive and we should respect his French Hugenot heritage - a handy historical reminder of the benefits that refugees can bring (although I think Michael Crick’s biography says the name’s origins are not quite so clear).

Andrej Matisak @matisaksk.bsky.social · 15d

Slovak prosecutor decides giving #Ukraine fighter jets was not a crime
www.politico.eu/article/slov... #Slovakia #Putinswar #Russia

Slovak prosecutor decides giving Ukraine fighter jets was not a crime

A probe concludes that the donation of military equipment to Kyiv did not cause any domestic harm to Slovakia.

www.politico.eu

Seán Hanley @drseanhanley.bsky.social · 15d

You would think that our government which is supposed to be moderate and middle of the road, might speak up in defence of this still fine national institution,

The Economist @economist.com · 15d

Jingoistic types have knowingly stepped into the vexillological vacuum of European flag bearing. Mindful of the provocation, moderates are striking back. The subtext is that progressives need not leave patriotism to the demagogic fringes

Why moderates are reclaiming Europe’s national flags

Populists and nativists have usurped them

econ.st

Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 15d

"The fact is that, through our own stupid fault, we’ve lost our status as the main Right-of-centre party. It’s now time to accept this loss — and focus instead on something we’ve gained....[W]e represent the neither/nor option i.e. neither unfettered populism nor a new coalition of chaos."

Peter Franklin: Here's a plot twist - could tactical voting save the Conservative Party? | Conservative Home

If a Tory candidate is reckoned more capable of beating Reform — as is plausible in parts of the country that were, until recently, True Blue — then tactical voting could make all the difference.

conservativehome.com

Andrej Matisak @matisaksk.bsky.social · 15d

Ukraine’s best defence against Putin’s energy war is more attacks on Russia’s oil refining sector
www.chathamhouse.org/2025/11/ukra... #Ukraine #Putinswar #Russia

Ukraine’s best defence against Putin’s energy war is more attacks on Russia’s oil refining sector

Moscow is attempting to break Ukraine’s will to fight with more frequent mass drone and missile attacks on its power sector. To counter this pressure, Kyiv needs to increase its attacks on Russia’s oi...

www.chathamhouse.org

the corlew always rings chris @thecorlew.bsky.social · 16d

sometimes to read a book of poetry is to be reminded that another person is much funnier and better at expressing their pain than you are

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