Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Armida van Rij

@armida.bsky.social

2.8K followers 230 following 290 posts

Senior Research Fellow @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social. Ex-Chatham House & King's College London. European security, defence & politics. 🔗 https://www.cer.eu/personnel/armida-van-rij

www.cer.eu

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · Jun 21

The European far right feel they have 'their' man in the White House. So what? This article about Trump, Silicon Valley & Europe's far right is my answer.

Despite the (temporary?) end of the Trump-Musk bromance, the ideological underpinnings of this transatlantic relationship hold, as do the risks.

ICDS Tallinn @icds-tallinn.bsky.social · Jun 20

As the EU tries to double down on protecting liberal democracy, it is coming under direct fire from a group of radical libertarian tech billionaires and venture capitalists, writes Armida van Rij. @armida.bsky.social @chathamhouse.org

#LennartMeriConference

Europe, United States, West, Democracy, Authoritarianism - ICDS

A new transatlantic alliance is forming. The old partnership was based on advancing liberal democracy, upholding the rules-based international order, and a security contract between the US and Europe....

icds.ee

1 11 25

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · 2d

Good luck Gesine!

Reposted by Armida van Rij

Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 3d

France's political permacrisis is bad news for European rearmament efforts.

As long as there is political instability, discussions on the country's budget, including defense allocations, will continue to be held hostage wrote @armida.bsky.social for @carnegieeurope.bsky.social

Taking the Pulse: Does France's Political Crisis Weaken Europe's Geopolitical Hand?

While the EU tries to navigate a myriad international challenges, France is experiencing historic political disarray. What impact will instability in Paris have on Europe's geostrategic capacity?

buff.ly

1 1 2

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · 3d

The climate action piece is really difficult because it is seen through an 'either or lens', when in reality it's not a zero-sum game esp in security. I highlighted climate change as a top 3 security risk to Europe in oral evidence to the defence select ctt, let's see what the enquiry report says...

1 3

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · 3d

1 2

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · 3d

Maar ook, wàt is Lamyae een goede interviewer. Chapeau.

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · 3d

Great to contribute to this weeks TTP. I make the point France's political permacrisis is bad news for European rearmament efforts.

I'm in excellent company too @georginaewright.bsky.social @dschwarzer.bsky.social.

Carnegie Europe @carnegieeurope.bsky.social · 3d

❔| #TTP: Does France's Political Crisis Weaken Europe's Geopolitical Hand?

While the EU tries to navigate international challenges, France is experiencing historic political disarray. What impact will instability in Paris have on Europe's strategic capacity? ⤵️
carnegieendowment.org/europe/strat...

Taking the Pulse: Does France's Political Crisis Weaken Europe's Geopolitical Hand?

While the EU tries to navigate a myriad international challenges, France is experiencing historic political disarray. What impact will instability in Paris have on Europe's geostrategic capacity?

carnegieendowment.org

5 3

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · 3d

Welcome Charles Grant @cergrant.bsky.social to Bsky! This means the whole @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social research team is here - make sure to follow for their excellent analysis.

@cerianbond.bsky.social
@elisabettaco.bsky.social
@zecsaky.bsky.social
@sandertordoir.bsky.social
@aslak.bsky.social

1 7 21

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · 5d

Good luck Thu, look forward to seeing where you both take the Jacques Delors Centre!

Reposted by Armida van Rij

Zselyke Csaky @zecsaky.bsky.social · 6d

4️⃣ It's not just Hungary (with Slovakia and now potentially Czechia) that is at fault for divisions within the EU. Other member states, sometimes conveniently, can hide behind these vetoes -- something important to keep in mind when looking at the long-term impact

1 1 3

Reposted by Armida van Rij

Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 6d

#Czechia’s elections mark a populist shift, but Babiš now faces a hard path to form a government. The further he’s pulled to the right, the greater the risk of EU fragmentation.

Quick @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social reaction from @zecsaky.bsky.social

Read here:

CER quick reaction: The Czech elections

Czechia’s elections mark a populist shift, but Babiš faces a hard path to form a government. The further he’s pulled to the right, the greater the risk of EU fragmentation.

buff.ly

6 14

Reposted by Armida van Rij

Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 9d

We are delighted to welcome @armida.bsky.social to the @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social, she will be working on European security, defence and foreign policy.

buff.ly/UHZ4AUr

2 8

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · Aug 28

I may not have started yet, but... come join the @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social who are looking for a digital/tech/innovation expert. I hear they're a good bunch.

Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · Aug 27

@centreeuropeanref.bsky.social is looking for a technology fellow to join its research team.

Please see the #job description and details on how to apply below 👇

Deadline for applications 19/09/25
buff.ly/jGjPGCY

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · Aug 28

Congratulations @onethuthree.bsky.social!

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · Aug 28

Many thanks!

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · Aug 28

Thanks, I'm sure we will.

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · Aug 26

I'm taking a short break until then, and look forward to this next chapter.

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · Aug 26

This also means that my time at @chathamhouse.org has come to an end. I've loved taking on the challenge of rebuilding the Europe Programme - I owe much to many of my fantastic colleagues both inside and outside of Chatham House, without whom I couldn't have done this (you know who you are!).

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · Aug 26

A different rentrée for me this year: I'm thrilled to join the excellent team at the @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social from 1 October. I've long considered the CER one of the best think tanks for analysis on Europe & I'm excited to contribute thinking on European security, defence, politics & populism.

3 11

Reposted by Armida van Rij

Elie Tenenbaum @elietenenbaum.bsky.social · Aug 22

📢 Ma tribune dans @lemonde.fr à propos de l'Ukraine et du débat sur les garanties de sécurité: j’y défends une idée simple mais exigeante : ne pas attendre le cessez-le-feu pour agir 👉 : www.lemonde.fr/idees/articl... Petit 🧵à dérouler ⤵️

Face à Poutine, il faut « retourner le facteur temps à l’avantage de l’Ukraine »

TRIBUNE. Les forces de garanties de sécurité que les Européens proposent d’engager sur le front ukrainien doivent être déployées avant et non après un cessez-le-feu pour forcer le Kremlin à signer un ...

www.lemonde.fr

2 33 66

Reposted by Armida van Rij

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · Aug 17

There is so much more to unpack on this, but I made a start here. Including on how European liberal democracies should ward off the threat from MAGA-like ideology. icds.ee/en/trump_sil...

Trump, Silicon Valley, and Europe’s Far-right - ICDS

icds.ee

5 9

Reposted by Armida van Rij

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · Aug 17

Latest developments within the transatlantic illiberal ideological movement:
observer.co.uk/news/politic...

The Vance guard: the new right being cooked up in the Cot...

The vice-president shared BBQ and beers with allies whose thinktank has come to the attention of the Electoral Commission

observer.co.uk

1 3 5

Reposted by Armida van Rij

Jakub Jaraczewski @jakubjaraczewski.bsky.social · Aug 15

🇸🇰⚖️ In the coming two weeks, I will be focusing on Slovakia and the rule of law situation there. But first, some general remarks on where the country is now and where it might be headed. Slovakia’s trajectory offers a worrying lesson for other countries in the region. 1/

6 30 70

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · Aug 17

There is so much more to unpack on this, but I made a start here. Including on how European liberal democracies should ward off the threat from MAGA-like ideology. icds.ee/en/trump_sil...

Trump, Silicon Valley, and Europe’s Far-right - ICDS

icds.ee

5 9

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · Aug 17

Latest developments within the transatlantic illiberal ideological movement:
observer.co.uk/news/politic...

The Vance guard: the new right being cooked up in the Cot...

The vice-president shared BBQ and beers with allies whose thinktank has come to the attention of the Electoral Commission

observer.co.uk

1 3 5

Reposted by Armida van Rij

Gesine Weber @gesineweber.bsky.social · Aug 5

We had a truly fantastic discussion with some of my favourite colleagues from the European security/ defence crowd in July in London. Recording is now online!

Armida van Rij @armida.bsky.social · Aug 5

Event recording from @edrusi.bsky.social's European security conference at @rusi.bsky.social a few weeks ago, with @lscazzieri.bsky.social @gesineweber.bsky.social @rgwhitman.bsky.social Roderich Kiesewetter & me discussing European unity and security cooperation.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMVP...

Maintaining European Unity | The Future of the Euro-Atlantic Security Architecture

YouTube video by RUSI

www.youtube.com

1 4 7