Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
@profpech.bsky.social
Professor of Law, Dean of @ucdschooloflaw.bsky.social, Senior Research Fellow at the CEU Democracy Institute in Budapest, and co-director of @goodlobbyprofs.bsky.social. Usual disclaimers.
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
No. That is not the law. A state needs to have an effective government to be a state. It does not need to have a strong army. Costa Rica abolished its army a long time ago - that does not mean you can now just seize it.
Miller: Denmark is a tiny country with a tiny economy and a tiny military. They cannot defend Greenland… Under every understanding of law that has existed about territorial control for 500 years, to control a territory you have to be able to defend a territory…
January 17, 2026 at 8:23 AM
No. That is not the law. A state needs to have an effective government to be a state. It does not need to have a strong army. Costa Rica abolished its army a long time ago - that does not mean you can now just seize it.
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
"If everyone would just stay out of the Gestapo's way and let them do their job, no one would get hurt."
- Someone in Germany, 1930s
- Someone in Germany, 1930s
January 16, 2026 at 4:56 PM
"If everyone would just stay out of the Gestapo's way and let them do their job, no one would get hurt."
- Someone in Germany, 1930s
- Someone in Germany, 1930s
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
Two days ago it was Elissa Slotkin. Last week it was Jerome Powell. Before that, Mark Kelly. Weaponizing the justice system against your opponents is an authoritarian tactic.
The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.
The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.
Breaking news: The Justice Department has issued subpoenas for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey as part of an investigation alleging that they are impeding federal law enforcement officers’ abilities to do their jobs in the state.
Justice Dept. launches criminal investigation of Minnesota governor
The Justice Department has issued subpoenas for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey as part of an investigation into impeding law enforcement.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 16, 2026 at 11:46 PM
Two days ago it was Elissa Slotkin. Last week it was Jerome Powell. Before that, Mark Kelly. Weaponizing the justice system against your opponents is an authoritarian tactic.
The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.
The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
This is a transparent attempt to create a pretext for invoking the Insurrection Act.
One provision applies when a group of people "opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws." And when it's (allegedly) the state itself...
One provision applies when a group of people "opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws." And when it's (allegedly) the state itself...
Trump escalates his attack on Minnesota Democrats as Justice Department launches a criminal investigation into Gov Walz and Mayor Frey apparently on the theory that their objections to ICE amount to illegal interference, sources tell @perrystein.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Justice Dept. launches criminal investigation of Minnesota governor
The Justice Department has issued subpoenas for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey as part of an investigation into impeding law enforcement.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 16, 2026 at 11:33 PM
This is a transparent attempt to create a pretext for invoking the Insurrection Act.
One provision applies when a group of people "opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws." And when it's (allegedly) the state itself...
One provision applies when a group of people "opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws." And when it's (allegedly) the state itself...
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
Keep watching - Trump and his circle almost have their precious goal: invoking the Insurrection Act.
As per said before: a great deal of what is being done is simply Trump and his circle working backwards from this objective.
As per said before: a great deal of what is being done is simply Trump and his circle working backwards from this objective.
January 15, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Keep watching - Trump and his circle almost have their precious goal: invoking the Insurrection Act.
As per said before: a great deal of what is being done is simply Trump and his circle working backwards from this objective.
As per said before: a great deal of what is being done is simply Trump and his circle working backwards from this objective.
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
Incidentally, U Arkansas has 2 law schools; this happened at the other one:
Law prof fired for online comments after Charlie Kirk's death that led to 'torrent of complaints'
A law professor who called conservative political activist Charlie Kirk “an evil man” on Facebook after his shooting death has been fired from her position at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s William H. Bowen School of Law.
www.abajournal.com
January 15, 2026 at 4:39 PM
Incidentally, U Arkansas has 2 law schools; this happened at the other one:
Fascism in America (Higher Education dimension)...
The University of Arkansas's law school just withdrew the appointment of its new dean six days after hiring her because conservative politicians complained that she filed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of transgender students
Culture warriors cancel new U of A law dean before she started - Arkansas Times
Culture warriors claim the scalp of Emily Suski, the would-be law school dean whose legal opinion on transgender athletes seems to have offended Arkansas officials.
arktimes.com
January 15, 2026 at 4:43 PM
Fascism in America (Higher Education dimension)...
I co-authored a TPI with @j4j.bsky.social in this case after being granted leave to intervene by the President of the Section. In the five 🇵🇱 rule of law crisis related cases we joined as third-party interveners, the Court found violations of the ECtHR
cc @medeleurope.bsky.social
cc @medeleurope.bsky.social
January 15, 2026 at 11:22 AM
I co-authored a TPI with @j4j.bsky.social in this case after being granted leave to intervene by the President of the Section. In the five 🇵🇱 rule of law crisis related cases we joined as third-party interveners, the Court found violations of the ECtHR
cc @medeleurope.bsky.social
cc @medeleurope.bsky.social
Latest ECtHR ruling relating to Poland's rule of law crisis is out. Tbomk this is the 1st time the Court found a judge’s right to protection against arbitrary transfers between different courts also applies to arbitrary transfers between divisions of the same court
www.echr.coe.int/w/judgment-c...
www.echr.coe.int/w/judgment-c...
Judgment concerning Poland
Biliński v. Poland - 15/01/2026
www.echr.coe.int
January 15, 2026 at 11:15 AM
Latest ECtHR ruling relating to Poland's rule of law crisis is out. Tbomk this is the 1st time the Court found a judge’s right to protection against arbitrary transfers between different courts also applies to arbitrary transfers between divisions of the same court
www.echr.coe.int/w/judgment-c...
www.echr.coe.int/w/judgment-c...
Tempting. Is room & board on the table? 😎
January 15, 2026 at 11:13 AM
Tempting. Is room & board on the table? 😎
VDL Commission "has postponed most upcoming decisions related to 🇭🇺 in order to avoid any perception of interference in the current election campaign"
With exception of decisions to transfer funds... Also didn't realise EU Treaties provided for a suspension of enforcement prior to national elections
With exception of decisions to transfer funds... Also didn't realise EU Treaties provided for a suspension of enforcement prior to national elections
EU Parliament questions defence loan's '€17 billion gift' to Hungary
MEPs worry that without strict conditions, Viktor Orbán will funnel EU funds meant for defence into his upcoming election campaign. #EuropeNews
www.euronews.com
January 15, 2026 at 8:23 AM
VDL Commission "has postponed most upcoming decisions related to 🇭🇺 in order to avoid any perception of interference in the current election campaign"
With exception of decisions to transfer funds... Also didn't realise EU Treaties provided for a suspension of enforcement prior to national elections
With exception of decisions to transfer funds... Also didn't realise EU Treaties provided for a suspension of enforcement prior to national elections
Forget "no rule of law, no EU funds"... more evidence of the VDL Commission's lack of serious on this front...
www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...
www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...
EU Parliament questions defence loan's '€17 billion gift' to Hungary
MEPs worry that without strict conditions, Viktor Orbán will funnel EU funds meant for defence into his upcoming election campaign. #EuropeNews
www.euronews.com
January 15, 2026 at 8:16 AM
Forget "no rule of law, no EU funds"... more evidence of the VDL Commission's lack of serious on this front...
www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...
www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
The Commission's Digital Ommibus proposals seem to contradict other priorities.
Sacrificing fundamental rights in the digital space to further foreign commercial interests runs counter to the Democracy Shield and achieving Digital Sovereignty. Difficult to see how this is in the European interest.
Sacrificing fundamental rights in the digital space to further foreign commercial interests runs counter to the Democracy Shield and achieving Digital Sovereignty. Difficult to see how this is in the European interest.
🎁 Just before the holidays, the EU Commission granted Big Tech its Christmas wish-list: an unprecedented attack on our digital rights.
Together with @lobbycontrol.bsky.social we have mapped how the Digital Omnibus closely matches Big Tech lobby demands.
👉 corporateeurope.org/en/2026/01/a...
Together with @lobbycontrol.bsky.social we have mapped how the Digital Omnibus closely matches Big Tech lobby demands.
👉 corporateeurope.org/en/2026/01/a...
Article by article, how Big Tech shaped the EU’s roll-back of digital rights | Corporate Europe Observatory
In a new analysis we trace Big Tech's fingerprints on the Digital Omnibus proposals - a major deregulation of EU digital laws including the GDPR and the AI Act. They are helped in this attempt by the ...
corporateeurope.org
January 14, 2026 at 4:26 PM
The Commission's Digital Ommibus proposals seem to contradict other priorities.
Sacrificing fundamental rights in the digital space to further foreign commercial interests runs counter to the Democracy Shield and achieving Digital Sovereignty. Difficult to see how this is in the European interest.
Sacrificing fundamental rights in the digital space to further foreign commercial interests runs counter to the Democracy Shield and achieving Digital Sovereignty. Difficult to see how this is in the European interest.
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
Yes, this was predictable. From October, 2024:
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
January 15, 2026 at 6:04 AM
Yes, this was predictable. From October, 2024:
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
State investigators have been on the scene in North Minneapolis.
I know you’re angry. I’m angry. What Donald Trump wants is violence in the streets.
But Minnesota will remain an island of decency, of justice, of community, and of peace.
Don’t give him what he wants.
I know you’re angry. I’m angry. What Donald Trump wants is violence in the streets.
But Minnesota will remain an island of decency, of justice, of community, and of peace.
Don’t give him what he wants.
January 15, 2026 at 5:06 AM
State investigators have been on the scene in North Minneapolis.
I know you’re angry. I’m angry. What Donald Trump wants is violence in the streets.
But Minnesota will remain an island of decency, of justice, of community, and of peace.
Don’t give him what he wants.
I know you’re angry. I’m angry. What Donald Trump wants is violence in the streets.
But Minnesota will remain an island of decency, of justice, of community, and of peace.
Don’t give him what he wants.
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
Explain to me like I'm five what the 2nd Amendment is for if not for this. King George III never said anything this obnoxious or deliberately inflammatory.
January 14, 2026 at 5:20 AM
Explain to me like I'm five what the 2nd Amendment is for if not for this. King George III never said anything this obnoxious or deliberately inflammatory.
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
If any private lawyer acted this disrespectfully towards a federal judge, we would be facing bar proceedings, court sanctions or both. The fact that Trump administration lawyers continue to act this way is a disgrace. It is time for judges to put an end to it. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
Disqualified Trump appointee Halligan accuses judge of 'gross abuse of power' for questioning her authority
Read more here.
www.democracydocket.com
January 14, 2026 at 3:40 AM
If any private lawyer acted this disrespectfully towards a federal judge, we would be facing bar proceedings, court sanctions or both. The fact that Trump administration lawyers continue to act this way is a disgrace. It is time for judges to put an end to it. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
Today in life under competitive authoritarianism
Every day, more textbook stuff
Every day, more textbook stuff
January 14, 2026 at 4:26 AM
Today in life under competitive authoritarianism
Every day, more textbook stuff
Every day, more textbook stuff
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
The rule of law disappears when ICE appears. Witness and act.
January 14, 2026 at 3:42 AM
The rule of law disappears when ICE appears. Witness and act.
Latest evidence of undue politicisation of #ruleoflaw monitoring and enforcement in the EU with more irresponsible behaviour from @eppgroup.bsky.social leader Manfred Weber for whom rule of law problems only exist in countries not led by his buddies
www.politico.eu/newsletter/b...
www.politico.eu/newsletter/b...
January 14, 2026 at 7:57 AM
Latest evidence of undue politicisation of #ruleoflaw monitoring and enforcement in the EU with more irresponsible behaviour from @eppgroup.bsky.social leader Manfred Weber for whom rule of law problems only exist in countries not led by his buddies
www.politico.eu/newsletter/b...
www.politico.eu/newsletter/b...
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
Europe Is Stronger Than Its Leaders Think
My latest for @projectsyndicate.bsky.social to counter the dominant narrative of a weak EU doomed to fail
prosyn.org/nsSlUOT
My latest for @projectsyndicate.bsky.social to counter the dominant narrative of a weak EU doomed to fail
prosyn.org/nsSlUOT
Europe Is Stronger Than Its Leaders Think
Alberto Alemanno warns policymakers against panic-driven reforms that threaten to undo hard-won gains.
prosyn.org
January 13, 2026 at 9:10 PM
Europe Is Stronger Than Its Leaders Think
My latest for @projectsyndicate.bsky.social to counter the dominant narrative of a weak EU doomed to fail
prosyn.org/nsSlUOT
My latest for @projectsyndicate.bsky.social to counter the dominant narrative of a weak EU doomed to fail
prosyn.org/nsSlUOT
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
Breaking: NYT now says *six* federal prosecutors in Minnesota have just resigned over the Justice Department's push to investigate the widow of Renee Good and the department's reluctance to investigate the ICE agent who shot Good, according to people with knowledge of their decision.
Six Prosecutors Quit Over Push to Investigate ICE Shooting Victim’s Widow
www.nytimes.com
January 13, 2026 at 6:25 PM
Breaking: NYT now says *six* federal prosecutors in Minnesota have just resigned over the Justice Department's push to investigate the widow of Renee Good and the department's reluctance to investigate the ICE agent who shot Good, according to people with knowledge of their decision.
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
With each of these resignations, which I applaud, the DOJ is stocked with more incompetent prosecutors. That is good if the only thing had to do was prosecute Trump's political opponents but eventually we will need prosecutors to prosecute actual crimes. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/u...
3 Prosecutors Quit After Push to Investigate ICE Shooting Victim’s Widow
www.nytimes.com
January 13, 2026 at 5:51 PM
With each of these resignations, which I applaud, the DOJ is stocked with more incompetent prosecutors. That is good if the only thing had to do was prosecute Trump's political opponents but eventually we will need prosecutors to prosecute actual crimes. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/u...
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
When DOJ attorneys resign as a matter of principle, it underscores just how corrupt the administration of “justice” has become. Kudos to the Civil Rights Division lawyers who made this wrenching decision for their integrity and dedication to the rule of law.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
DOJ’s top civil rights prosecutors depart as office is cut out of key probes
Prosecutors resigned from the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota as well amid turmoil over an investigation into a shooting by an immigration officer.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 13, 2026 at 5:19 PM
When DOJ attorneys resign as a matter of principle, it underscores just how corrupt the administration of “justice” has become. Kudos to the Civil Rights Division lawyers who made this wrenching decision for their integrity and dedication to the rule of law.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Reposted by Laurent Pech 🇺🇦
I was on Morning Ireland earlier discussing what we need to do about X.
Will the EU ban X?
TJ McIntyre, Assistant Professor in Law in the Sutherland School of Law in UCD and chairperson of Digital Rights Ireland, discusses the possibility of the EU banning X over Grok creating non-consensua...
www.rte.ie
January 13, 2026 at 10:29 AM
I was on Morning Ireland earlier discussing what we need to do about X.