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.
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
The far right in the EP is a threat to the future of the climate agenda. But the bigger issue, in terms of weakening existing laws & diluting future climate targets, may be the mainstream moving further to the right.
New insight by @zecsaky.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/7rqeFaO
New insight by @zecsaky.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/7rqeFaO
November 19, 2025 at 11:00 AM
The far right in the EP is a threat to the future of the climate agenda. But the bigger issue, in terms of weakening existing laws & diluting future climate targets, may be the mainstream moving further to the right.
New insight by @zecsaky.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/7rqeFaO
New insight by @zecsaky.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/7rqeFaO
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
How has the far right in the European Parliament impacted EU climate policy so far? great work by my colleague @zecsaky.bsky.social
The main finding is that the increased far right presence in the EP is starting to impact policy. But it's happening primarily through influencing the mainstream, that is, the EPP. For more, read the paper here: www.cer.eu/insights/far...
The far right’s impact on the EU’s climate agenda
The far right is stronger than ever in the European Parliament. And climate policy has become a testing ground for its influence.
www.cer.eu
November 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM
How has the far right in the European Parliament impacted EU climate policy so far? great work by my colleague @zecsaky.bsky.social
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
🎙️ In our new podcast, @jakubjaraczewski.bsky.social examines the progress of undoing the consequences of eight years of illiberal rule in Poland, and the challenges that lie ahead. 🇵🇱🇵🇱🧑⚖️
🎧 Listen to it now:
👉 tinyurl.com/2ywn387b
🎧 Listen to it now:
👉 tinyurl.com/2ywn387b
November 17, 2025 at 4:41 PM
🎙️ In our new podcast, @jakubjaraczewski.bsky.social examines the progress of undoing the consequences of eight years of illiberal rule in Poland, and the challenges that lie ahead. 🇵🇱🇵🇱🧑⚖️
🎧 Listen to it now:
👉 tinyurl.com/2ywn387b
🎧 Listen to it now:
👉 tinyurl.com/2ywn387b
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
We talk so much about the rise of the far right -- it's time to look at how that is translating into policy change. That's what I did in this insight, focusing on climate policy and the green agenda 👇
The #farright has often voted with the majority on #climate. This, however, does not mean that it voted in favour of climate-friendly policies – rather the opposite.
New @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social insight by @zecsaky.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/7rqeFaO
New @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social insight by @zecsaky.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/7rqeFaO
November 17, 2025 at 12:41 PM
We talk so much about the rise of the far right -- it's time to look at how that is translating into policy change. That's what I did in this insight, focusing on climate policy and the green agenda 👇
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
Important new report.
This also holds for immigration, which is why a strategy to fight only far-right PARTIES, rather than more broadly far-right POLICIES (irrespective of who advances them), is addressing only part of the problem.
This also holds for immigration, which is why a strategy to fight only far-right PARTIES, rather than more broadly far-right POLICIES (irrespective of who advances them), is addressing only part of the problem.
The main finding is that the increased far right presence in the EP is starting to impact policy. But it's happening primarily through influencing the mainstream, that is, the EPP. For more, read the paper here: www.cer.eu/insights/far...
The far right’s impact on the EU’s climate agenda
The far right is stronger than ever in the European Parliament. And climate policy has become a testing ground for its influence.
www.cer.eu
November 17, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Important new report.
This also holds for immigration, which is why a strategy to fight only far-right PARTIES, rather than more broadly far-right POLICIES (irrespective of who advances them), is addressing only part of the problem.
This also holds for immigration, which is why a strategy to fight only far-right PARTIES, rather than more broadly far-right POLICIES (irrespective of who advances them), is addressing only part of the problem.
We talk so much about the rise of the far right -- it's time to look at how that is translating into policy change. That's what I did in this insight, focusing on climate policy and the green agenda 👇
The #farright has often voted with the majority on #climate. This, however, does not mean that it voted in favour of climate-friendly policies – rather the opposite.
New @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social insight by @zecsaky.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/7rqeFaO
New @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social insight by @zecsaky.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/7rqeFaO
November 17, 2025 at 12:41 PM
We talk so much about the rise of the far right -- it's time to look at how that is translating into policy change. That's what I did in this insight, focusing on climate policy and the green agenda 👇
I had parts of this piece written before and then yesterday's vote in the EP blew up the analysis. Which goes to show how politics in the EP is changing. For more, read below 👇
The far right is stronger than ever in the European Parliament. And climate policy has become a testing ground for its influence.
New @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social insight by @zecsaky.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/7rqeFaO
New @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social insight by @zecsaky.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/7rqeFaO
November 14, 2025 at 1:03 PM
I had parts of this piece written before and then yesterday's vote in the EP blew up the analysis. Which goes to show how politics in the EP is changing. For more, read below 👇
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
EuroParliament’s strong text on #TransnationalRepression is milestone in EU’s needed response to attacks by repressive states against nationals beyond borders.
@ec.europa.eu @eudiplomacy.bsky.social should protect & prevent, hold states responsible to account
www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...
@ec.europa.eu @eudiplomacy.bsky.social should protect & prevent, hold states responsible to account
www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...
November 13, 2025 at 11:42 AM
EuroParliament’s strong text on #TransnationalRepression is milestone in EU’s needed response to attacks by repressive states against nationals beyond borders.
@ec.europa.eu @eudiplomacy.bsky.social should protect & prevent, hold states responsible to account
www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...
@ec.europa.eu @eudiplomacy.bsky.social should protect & prevent, hold states responsible to account
www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
"Can we say that #populists are natural predators on the inherent weaknesses of democracies, preying on issues that are hard to resolve in a democratic way?"
@zecsaky.bsky.social asked @benansell.bsky.social & @johnspringford.bsky.social in the latest #CERpodcast.
Listen here: buff.ly/qT7A3eF
@zecsaky.bsky.social asked @benansell.bsky.social & @johnspringford.bsky.social in the latest #CERpodcast.
Listen here: buff.ly/qT7A3eF
November 6, 2025 at 12:02 PM
"Can we say that #populists are natural predators on the inherent weaknesses of democracies, preying on issues that are hard to resolve in a democratic way?"
@zecsaky.bsky.social asked @benansell.bsky.social & @johnspringford.bsky.social in the latest #CERpodcast.
Listen here: buff.ly/qT7A3eF
@zecsaky.bsky.social asked @benansell.bsky.social & @johnspringford.bsky.social in the latest #CERpodcast.
Listen here: buff.ly/qT7A3eF
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
Many thanks to @johnspringford.bsky.social and @zecsaky.bsky.social for having me on to talk about populism and democracy.
🎙️ @zecsaky.bsky.social, @benansell.bsky.social and @johnspringford.bsky.social discuss the rise of European #populism and what moderates should or shouldn't do to stem its rise in the latest #CERpodcast. 🎙️
Listen to the episode here: buff.ly/qT7A3eF
Listen to the episode here: buff.ly/qT7A3eF
November 5, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Many thanks to @johnspringford.bsky.social and @zecsaky.bsky.social for having me on to talk about populism and democracy.
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
🎙️ @zecsaky.bsky.social, @benansell.bsky.social and @johnspringford.bsky.social discuss the rise of European #populism and what moderates should or shouldn't do to stem its rise in the latest #CERpodcast. 🎙️
Listen to the episode here: buff.ly/qT7A3eF
Listen to the episode here: buff.ly/qT7A3eF
November 5, 2025 at 9:00 AM
🎙️ @zecsaky.bsky.social, @benansell.bsky.social and @johnspringford.bsky.social discuss the rise of European #populism and what moderates should or shouldn't do to stem its rise in the latest #CERpodcast. 🎙️
Listen to the episode here: buff.ly/qT7A3eF
Listen to the episode here: buff.ly/qT7A3eF
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
The sun is shining in Brussels on this enlargement day! ☀️🗒️The Commission is presenting today enlargement progress reports on EU candidate countries. A good occasion for a thread on my recent work on the implications of enlargement on EU climate and energy agenda:
November 4, 2025 at 1:47 PM
The sun is shining in Brussels on this enlargement day! ☀️🗒️The Commission is presenting today enlargement progress reports on EU candidate countries. A good occasion for a thread on my recent work on the implications of enlargement on EU climate and energy agenda:
Taking a look at EU enlargement reports, rule of law & democracy still remains an area where candidates are lagging. I made this chart last year to show how prepared each country is based on the reports' assessments... www.cer.eu/insights/enl...
November 4, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Taking a look at EU enlargement reports, rule of law & democracy still remains an area where candidates are lagging. I made this chart last year to show how prepared each country is based on the reports' assessments... www.cer.eu/insights/enl...
A rule of law transition period? Let's see what that looks like. The Commission could avoid accusations of double standards (after all, there was the CVM for Romania and Bulgaria) but much will depend on how seriously it takes implementation.
“I don’t want to go down as the commissioner bringing in the Trojan Horses,” EU enlargement head @martakos.ec.europa.eu told @financialtimes.com, floating a “transition period; a kind of probation... we need this discussion and we shouldn’t be afraid of it”
w @bmoens.bsky.social
on.ft.com/47DD5CC
w @bmoens.bsky.social
on.ft.com/47DD5CC
New EU members could be put ‘on probation’, says official
[FREE TO READ] Enlargement commissioner Marta Kos says bloc has to prevent Russian ‘Trojan horse’ behaviour from new entrants
on.ft.com
November 4, 2025 at 11:01 AM
A rule of law transition period? Let's see what that looks like. The Commission could avoid accusations of double standards (after all, there was the CVM for Romania and Bulgaria) but much will depend on how seriously it takes implementation.
If social media feels even worse, this is why. Fascinating research.
Posting is correlated with affective polarization:
😡 The most partisan users — those who love their party and despise the other — are more likely to post about politics
🥊 The result? A loud angry minority dominates online politics, which itself can drive polarization (see doi.org/10.1073/pnas...)
😡 The most partisan users — those who love their party and despise the other — are more likely to post about politics
🥊 The result? A loud angry minority dominates online politics, which itself can drive polarization (see doi.org/10.1073/pnas...)
October 31, 2025 at 8:26 AM
If social media feels even worse, this is why. Fascinating research.
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
⚖️🗺️Our friends at World Justice Project just released the 2025 edition of the Rule of Law Index. Unsurprisingly, they found an accelerating decline in the state of the rule of law globally. Let's take a look at Central & Eastern Europe and how this trend plays out there. 1/
October 31, 2025 at 8:16 AM
⚖️🗺️Our friends at World Justice Project just released the 2025 edition of the Rule of Law Index. Unsurprisingly, they found an accelerating decline in the state of the rule of law globally. Let's take a look at Central & Eastern Europe and how this trend plays out there. 1/
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
Results for Dutch elections are trickling in. As expected, some surprises.
My thoughts:
Is this the end of populism in The Netherlands? No.
Freedom Party (PVV) has lost seats, but the far right vote has splintered. Big wins for JA21, a PVV-light party: 30% of PVV voters in 2023 now voted for JA21
My thoughts:
Is this the end of populism in The Netherlands? No.
Freedom Party (PVV) has lost seats, but the far right vote has splintered. Big wins for JA21, a PVV-light party: 30% of PVV voters in 2023 now voted for JA21
October 30, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Results for Dutch elections are trickling in. As expected, some surprises.
My thoughts:
Is this the end of populism in The Netherlands? No.
Freedom Party (PVV) has lost seats, but the far right vote has splintered. Big wins for JA21, a PVV-light party: 30% of PVV voters in 2023 now voted for JA21
My thoughts:
Is this the end of populism in The Netherlands? No.
Freedom Party (PVV) has lost seats, but the far right vote has splintered. Big wins for JA21, a PVV-light party: 30% of PVV voters in 2023 now voted for JA21
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
By every metric, the industry is in deep trouble — and none of it has anything to do with future emission rules or an engine ban a decade away.
In fact, the future of cars is electric - not because of Brussels regulation, but because EVs will soon be much cheaper to make and run.
In fact, the future of cars is electric - not because of Brussels regulation, but because EVs will soon be much cheaper to make and run.
October 23, 2025 at 8:04 AM
By every metric, the industry is in deep trouble — and none of it has anything to do with future emission rules or an engine ban a decade away.
In fact, the future of cars is electric - not because of Brussels regulation, but because EVs will soon be much cheaper to make and run.
In fact, the future of cars is electric - not because of Brussels regulation, but because EVs will soon be much cheaper to make and run.
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
So what’s actually going wrong? The industry is facing a perfect storm.
China is hammering the sector powered by massive state support.
In 2020, China wasn’t a net car exporter. Today, it’s the world’s largest - pumping out 8 million cars a year, almost four times Germany’s pre-pandemic peak.
China is hammering the sector powered by massive state support.
In 2020, China wasn’t a net car exporter. Today, it’s the world’s largest - pumping out 8 million cars a year, almost four times Germany’s pre-pandemic peak.
October 23, 2025 at 8:04 AM
So what’s actually going wrong? The industry is facing a perfect storm.
China is hammering the sector powered by massive state support.
In 2020, China wasn’t a net car exporter. Today, it’s the world’s largest - pumping out 8 million cars a year, almost four times Germany’s pre-pandemic peak.
China is hammering the sector powered by massive state support.
In 2020, China wasn’t a net car exporter. Today, it’s the world’s largest - pumping out 8 million cars a year, almost four times Germany’s pre-pandemic peak.
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
The car crisis tops today’s EU summit but leaders keep staring at the wrong problem
The issue isn’t the 2035 engine ban - it’s demand falling off a cliff today
With @sandertordoir.bsky.social and @lucasguttenberg.bsky.social, we show why flipping regs won’t help - and what the EU can do instead.
The issue isn’t the 2035 engine ban - it’s demand falling off a cliff today
With @sandertordoir.bsky.social and @lucasguttenberg.bsky.social, we show why flipping regs won’t help - and what the EU can do instead.
October 23, 2025 at 8:04 AM
The car crisis tops today’s EU summit but leaders keep staring at the wrong problem
The issue isn’t the 2035 engine ban - it’s demand falling off a cliff today
With @sandertordoir.bsky.social and @lucasguttenberg.bsky.social, we show why flipping regs won’t help - and what the EU can do instead.
The issue isn’t the 2035 engine ban - it’s demand falling off a cliff today
With @sandertordoir.bsky.social and @lucasguttenberg.bsky.social, we show why flipping regs won’t help - and what the EU can do instead.
It was really hyped up on the Hungarian side but this wouldn’t be surprising at all.
Oh well, the Budapest summit is already a flop.
"There are no plans for President Trump to meet with President Putin in the immediate future," a White House official said on Tuesday.
"There are no plans for President Trump to meet with President Putin in the immediate future," a White House official said on Tuesday.
In a shift, White House says no plan for Trump-Putin summit
It's an acknowledgment that the gulf between Russia and Ukraine is too wide to reach a deal.
www.axios.com
October 21, 2025 at 4:59 PM
It was really hyped up on the Hungarian side but this wouldn’t be surprising at all.
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
Final ethnicity/language data from the 2024 Moldovan census is out. Lots of fascinating info. Some examples. First, overall self-declared ethnicity was Moldovan (about 77%) and Romanian (about 8%), while self-declared spoken language was Moldovan (48.1%) and Romanian (31.8%)...
October 21, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Final ethnicity/language data from the 2024 Moldovan census is out. Lots of fascinating info. Some examples. First, overall self-declared ethnicity was Moldovan (about 77%) and Romanian (about 8%), while self-declared spoken language was Moldovan (48.1%) and Romanian (31.8%)...
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
HEADS-UP! 🚨
On Wednesday October 29, the Netherlands will holds its 9th (!) legislative elections of the 21st century. I will continue to post disproportionately about my country of birth and citizenship (but not of residence) in the coming weeks.
This will be my thread for Dutch news! 🧵
On Wednesday October 29, the Netherlands will holds its 9th (!) legislative elections of the 21st century. I will continue to post disproportionately about my country of birth and citizenship (but not of residence) in the coming weeks.
This will be my thread for Dutch news! 🧵
a map of netherlands with flags and a cartoon character
ALT: a map of netherlands with flags and a cartoon character
media.tenor.com
October 20, 2025 at 12:50 PM
HEADS-UP! 🚨
On Wednesday October 29, the Netherlands will holds its 9th (!) legislative elections of the 21st century. I will continue to post disproportionately about my country of birth and citizenship (but not of residence) in the coming weeks.
This will be my thread for Dutch news! 🧵
On Wednesday October 29, the Netherlands will holds its 9th (!) legislative elections of the 21st century. I will continue to post disproportionately about my country of birth and citizenship (but not of residence) in the coming weeks.
This will be my thread for Dutch news! 🧵
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
Would be better to start by suspending the voting rights of any existing EUMS embracing authoritarianism & mafia state mode of governance...
Looks like there's an increased push on enlargement. After the previous leak on trying to "unofficially" open chapters for 🇲🇩 & 🇺🇦, the idea of joining without full voting rights is making a comeback. There are downsides no doubt but moving past inertia would be welcome www.politico.eu/article/new-...
New EU members could join without full voting rights
New plan is the latest attempt to breathe life into an expansion process that is currently being blocked by Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán and others.
www.politico.eu
October 20, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Would be better to start by suspending the voting rights of any existing EUMS embracing authoritarianism & mafia state mode of governance...
Reposted by Zselyke Csaky
EU ministers agree on law to phase out Russian gas imports
Must still be negotiated with the European Parliament
www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/pre...
Must still be negotiated with the European Parliament
www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/pre...
Council agrees its position on rules to phase out Russian gas imports under REPowerEU
Today, the Council reached a general approach on the REPowerEU regulation to gradually phase out Russian gas imports, with the aim of ending any dependency on Russian gas and strengthening the EU's en...
www.consilium.europa.eu
October 20, 2025 at 10:25 AM
EU ministers agree on law to phase out Russian gas imports
Must still be negotiated with the European Parliament
www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/pre...
Must still be negotiated with the European Parliament
www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/pre...