Toby Vogel 🇪🇺
@tobyvogel.bsky.social
Third-country national in Brussels writing on EU policies and politics, Balkans, migration, democracy, information manipulation. Former journalist (RFE/RL, European Voice).
Co-founder, Democratization Policy Council @dpcglobal.bsky.social.
Views personal
Co-founder, Democratization Policy Council @dpcglobal.bsky.social.
Views personal
Pinned
Toby Vogel 🇪🇺
@tobyvogel.bsky.social
· Jul 20
Scrap the asylum system—and build something better
Rich countries need to separate asylum from labour migration
www.economist.com
Late to this but @economist.com published an editorial that is factually wrong, misleading (not to say manipulative) and presents a convoluted argument about how to build a better international protection system – essentially by scrapping international protection.
First, a couple of facts.
First, a couple of facts.
R.I.P., Washington Post books section. Required – and instructive – reading for decades, killed off by a tech bro billionaire who has dozens of millions to bribe the President but no money to keep one of the best newspapers in the world going.
February 4, 2026 at 2:31 PM
R.I.P., Washington Post books section. Required – and instructive – reading for decades, killed off by a tech bro billionaire who has dozens of millions to bribe the President but no money to keep one of the best newspapers in the world going.
There is only one reference to Maroš Šefčović in the published Epstein files, and it occurs in the context of Miroslav Lajčák plotting his own future. (Lajčák has a history of leaving posts early to make a step up.) This article curiously omits the content of Lajčák's message to Epstein.
EU trade chief Šefčovič rejects Epstein involvement
“I did not authorize, request or agree to anyone mentioning my name to Jeffrey Epstein,” Maroš Šefčovič says via European Commission spokesperson.
www.politico.eu
February 4, 2026 at 9:17 AM
There is only one reference to Maroš Šefčović in the published Epstein files, and it occurs in the context of Miroslav Lajčák plotting his own future. (Lajčák has a history of leaving posts early to make a step up.) This article curiously omits the content of Lajčák's message to Epstein.
Very odd piece in Politico Europe purportedly examining the Epstein files from an EU angle. The piece is almost entirely focused on trade commissioner Šefčovič, who credibly denies ever having met Epstein. But on Miroslav "I love Lavrov" Lajčák, it has nothing to say beyond a brief...
February 4, 2026 at 6:50 AM
Very odd piece in Politico Europe purportedly examining the Epstein files from an EU angle. The piece is almost entirely focused on trade commissioner Šefčovič, who credibly denies ever having met Epstein. But on Miroslav "I love Lavrov" Lajčák, it has nothing to say beyond a brief...
Rewatched The Spanish Prisoner last night for the first time since seeing it in New York in 1997 and it was as brilliant as it was back then.
Then I googled David Mamet.
Yikes
Then I googled David Mamet.
Yikes
February 3, 2026 at 2:19 PM
Rewatched The Spanish Prisoner last night for the first time since seeing it in New York in 1997 and it was as brilliant as it was back then.
Then I googled David Mamet.
Yikes
Then I googled David Mamet.
Yikes
Breaking: dude who dresses like a Nazi turns out to be a Nazi
Bovino Is Said to Have Mocked Prosecutor’s Jewish Faith on Call With Lawyers www.nytimes.com/2026/01/31/u...
Bovino Is Said to Have Mocked Prosecutor’s Jewish Faith on Call With Lawyers
www.nytimes.com
January 31, 2026 at 6:04 PM
Breaking: dude who dresses like a Nazi turns out to be a Nazi
Of course we had no idea of the Epstein link, but for those interested in context (and ancient history):
Why Miroslav Lajčák is the wrong choice for EU envoy
The EU could blow up the Kosovo-Serbia negotiations' reset. Should Miroslav Lajčák indeed be appointed, the two senior EU diplomats dealing with Kosovo would both come from the small minority of membe...
euobserver.com
January 31, 2026 at 5:57 PM
Of course we had no idea of the Epstein link, but for those interested in context (and ancient history):
Reposted by Toby Vogel 🇪🇺
Attention everyone! The Atlantic says it is now acceptable to call it fascism! Thank goodness our dispassionate elders have weighed in to let us know.
January 25, 2026 at 8:44 PM
Attention everyone! The Atlantic says it is now acceptable to call it fascism! Thank goodness our dispassionate elders have weighed in to let us know.
Give these folks a follow, they deserve it. Even better, subscribe to support their journalism
Tomorrow's front page of the Minnesota Star Tribune: Jan. 25, 2026
January 25, 2026 at 11:53 AM
Give these folks a follow, they deserve it. Even better, subscribe to support their journalism
This is just standard-issue Border Patrol garb, I take it?
January 25, 2026 at 10:01 AM
This is just standard-issue Border Patrol garb, I take it?
Reposted by Toby Vogel 🇪🇺
Western countries are hitting refugees twice: they are making it harder to claim asylum *and* they are cutting aid to troubled regions.
I went to Sudan, the world's worst humanitarian situation, where the UN refugee agency has had to cut half its staff. Please have a read: as.ft.com/r/df593f1e-e...
I went to Sudan, the world's worst humanitarian situation, where the UN refugee agency has had to cut half its staff. Please have a read: as.ft.com/r/df593f1e-e...
Adapt, shrink or die: the global crisis in humanitarian aid
[FREE TO READ] On the road in Sudan with the UN’s outgoing High Commissioner for Refugees
as.ft.com
January 25, 2026 at 9:36 AM
Western countries are hitting refugees twice: they are making it harder to claim asylum *and* they are cutting aid to troubled regions.
I went to Sudan, the world's worst humanitarian situation, where the UN refugee agency has had to cut half its staff. Please have a read: as.ft.com/r/df593f1e-e...
I went to Sudan, the world's worst humanitarian situation, where the UN refugee agency has had to cut half its staff. Please have a read: as.ft.com/r/df593f1e-e...
I've been thinking about the two murders committed by federal agents in Minneapolis. Apart from the shocking behavior of the goons in Trump's secret police – just watch their approach to crowd control, which seems designed to inflame tensions – this is *precisely* the sort of out-of-control...
January 25, 2026 at 8:37 AM
I've been thinking about the two murders committed by federal agents in Minneapolis. Apart from the shocking behavior of the goons in Trump's secret police – just watch their approach to crowd control, which seems designed to inflame tensions – this is *precisely* the sort of out-of-control...
The oligarchs behind the WEF really made a point of platforming the worst people this year, didn't they
January 22, 2026 at 10:08 PM
The oligarchs behind the WEF really made a point of platforming the worst people this year, didn't they
Anyone else notice how the gold-leafed logo of Trump‘s ”Board of Peace” is carefully cropped to include Venezuela, Canada, and Greenland but not much else (other than Central America)?
January 22, 2026 at 2:56 PM
Anyone else notice how the gold-leafed logo of Trump‘s ”Board of Peace” is carefully cropped to include Venezuela, Canada, and Greenland but not much else (other than Central America)?
Zelenskyy's “maybe someday someone will do something” is a pretty good summary of the European approach to world affairs, actually.
Zelenskyy criticises EU’s Greenland response in speech after Trump meeting – latest updates
Ukrainian president says deploying 40 soldiers does not send a strong signal to Russia or China
www.theguardian.com
January 22, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Zelenskyy's “maybe someday someone will do something” is a pretty good summary of the European approach to world affairs, actually.
The biggest danger facing Europe now: complacency on the part of its leaders. The main lesson from Davos should be that tyrants have to be confronted; that goes for Trump and Putin. We'll see tonight whether this has sunk in.
January 22, 2026 at 7:13 AM
The biggest danger facing Europe now: complacency on the part of its leaders. The main lesson from Davos should be that tyrants have to be confronted; that goes for Trump and Putin. We'll see tonight whether this has sunk in.
oh great, now the European leaders can go back into their complacency
January 21, 2026 at 8:04 PM
oh great, now the European leaders can go back into their complacency
What Dave says
I get why people desperately want to feel reassured by this.
But it would be incredibly naive to think this is the final word on the possibility of military invasion.
Don't let European leaders use this as an excuse to weasel out of doing anything to defend their citizens from 🇺🇸.
But it would be incredibly naive to think this is the final word on the possibility of military invasion.
Don't let European leaders use this as an excuse to weasel out of doing anything to defend their citizens from 🇺🇸.
January 21, 2026 at 6:38 PM
What Dave says
Reposted by Toby Vogel 🇪🇺
It's as though the media heard Don Corleone say, "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse" and reported, "Don Corleone backs off threats of force. Promises only to make a really nice offer."
I would say it is genuinely inaccurate to say Trump said he would not use force to obtain Greenland at Davos just now.
Days ago he said he wouldn't rule it out. Now look at these three declarations in a row. They function as a threat.
Days ago he said he wouldn't rule it out. Now look at these three declarations in a row. They function as a threat.
January 21, 2026 at 3:06 PM
It's as though the media heard Don Corleone say, "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse" and reported, "Don Corleone backs off threats of force. Promises only to make a really nice offer."
Now the mad king won't be able to back down and will have to take Iceland as well
We really live in the stupidest times
We really live in the stupidest times
January 21, 2026 at 3:10 PM
Now the mad king won't be able to back down and will have to take Iceland as well
We really live in the stupidest times
We really live in the stupidest times
I don't expect the deeply unserious Politico to understand this but provisional application of a finalized and signed trade deal is not "ramming it through." It's actually the procedure foreseen in the treaties 🤷
Germany calls to ram through Mercosur deal as EU Parliament throws up roadblock
Major clash looms after European lawmakers send Latin American trade deal for a judicial review that could take two years.
www.politico.eu
January 21, 2026 at 2:25 PM
I don't expect the deeply unserious Politico to understand this but provisional application of a finalized and signed trade deal is not "ramming it through." It's actually the procedure foreseen in the treaties 🤷
Former reporter here
The White House press corps isn't doing its job
The White House press corps isn't doing its job
“Yet even with all this bluster and rancor, it was the rage at a small African nation and the unabashed racism that was truly extraordinary.
After speaking for over an hour, Trump took questions from the White House press corps. None of them pressed him on the comments about Somalia or its people”
After speaking for over an hour, Trump took questions from the White House press corps. None of them pressed him on the comments about Somalia or its people”
Trump's anniversary press conference was an extraordinary display of eugenics and rage inside the White House.
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-m...
talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-m...
January 21, 2026 at 6:17 AM
Former reporter here
The White House press corps isn't doing its job
The White House press corps isn't doing its job
Before we go on to decode Macron's text message, could we just agree that making it public is a shocking breach of trust between leaders?
Be careful sliding into the Donald Trump’s DMs.
The world might learn something about Trump — but more about you.
The world might learn something about Trump — but more about you.
Macron decoded: What he said in text to Trump — and what he really meant
The French president’s appeal speaks to a deeper subtext about the state of the geopolitical order.
www.politico.eu
January 20, 2026 at 12:42 PM
Before we go on to decode Macron's text message, could we just agree that making it public is a shocking breach of trust between leaders?
Somebody needs to take his phone away at sunset
January 20, 2026 at 7:09 AM
Somebody needs to take his phone away at sunset
Very good. Hit back hard.
Off to the supermarket to stock up on Jack Daniels
Off to the supermarket to stock up on Jack Daniels
France is pushing for the EU to use its tough anti-coercion law to respond to Donald Trump’s trade blackmail on Greenland, according to French government sources reported in the press today. The EU has “robust” legal weapons to defend itself, the sources said 1/
www.lefigaro.fr/economie/en-...
www.lefigaro.fr/economie/en-...
EN DIRECT - Macron va demander «l’activation de l’instrument anti-coercition» de l’UE en cas de nouveaux droits de douane américains
Donald Trump a menacé huit pays, dont la France, l’Allemagne et le Royaume-Uni, de surtaxes douanières face à leur opposition à ses velléités de s’emparer du Groenland, provoquant l’indignation des Eu...
www.lefigaro.fr
January 18, 2026 at 11:58 AM
Very good. Hit back hard.
Off to the supermarket to stock up on Jack Daniels
Off to the supermarket to stock up on Jack Daniels