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Reposted by Giacomo Benedetto

Jean Monnet Chair, RHUL @jeanmonnetrhul.bsky.social · 16d

At the start of September, I was very pleased to give a paper at the UK PSA Teaching & Learning Conference. My talk focused on my experience of taking undergrads to Brussels to visit the EU's institutions and to evaluate de-colonisation at the Africa Museum in Tervuren. @rhulpir.bsky.social

Person standing in front of PowerPoint screen.

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 19d

Excellent but what about the EP's offices in the Member States plus in London and Washington?

Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 19d

All European Parliament committees are now on Bluesky.

EP Press Service @press.europarl.europa.eu · 20d

We are delighted to announce that the European Parliament's Bluesky family is expanding, with the arrival of accounts for each of the Parliament's Committees 🦋

Check out the full list below, and follow them for regular updates on Committee activity - votes, meetings, etc.!

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 23d

As a seat, it's typical for a Reform win with the LibDems coming second and the Conservatives third.

It covers Salisbury Plain, stretching into the Marlborough Downs.

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 23d

In the local elections of 2025, all wards/divisions in his constituency saw Reform winning in three of them and the challenger in the rest. Only two, around the more genteel Marlborough, look possible for the LibDems, plus a LibDem hold near Salisbury.

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 23d

#Petition: Fund NHS #COVID boosters for Clinically Vulnerable people – keep covid boosters. Please sign.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...

Petition: Fund NHS COVID boosters for Clinically Vulnerable people – keep covid boosters

'Protect the NHS' and 'Save Lives' by continuing to fund NHS COVID boosters for Clinically Vulnerable people, including most previously shielded as CEV, rather than limiting them to over-75s, care hom...

petition.parliament.uk

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 25d

11-post thread that describes the violent but gradual establishment of fascism in Italy during the 1920s with no single Enabling Law. It may be a more valid comparator for today's challenges than the rapid establishment of authoritarianism in Germany in 1933.

Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 25d

The rise of authoritarianism and autarky. Italy, 1921-26, is a more relevant comparator than Germany in 1933. By 1926, fascist totalitarianism was in place. In a climate of militia violence and several fascist laws from 1924, the dictatorship took hold and not through a single Enabling Act. 1/n

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 25d

Law of 17/05/28, no. 1019, changes the electoral law for the 1929 elections so that a single list of 400 candidates presented by the Fascist Party is approved in a plebiscite by the people.

Decree of 28/08/31, no. 1227, requires university professors to swear an oath of loyalty to fascism.

11/11

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 25d

Decree of 06/11/26, no. 1848 allows prefects to ‘dissolve political parties and organisations that work against the regime’ and to send regime opponents into internal exile.

Three days later, Parliament voted to expel from its membership all opposition parliamentarians.

10/11

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 25d

Law of 03/04/26, no. 563, bans strikes and allows only “legally-recognised” trade unions, that is those that the industry bosses had accepted on 02/10/25.

9/11

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 25d

Law of 31/01/26, no. 100, parliament grants the government to legislate by decree without parliamentary oversight.

Law of 04/02/26, no. 237, provincial + communal councils are dissolved and replaced by government-appointed prefects and mayors.

8/11

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 25d

Law of 24/12/25, no. 2263 - Parliament votes to remove its power of no-confidence over the government.

Law of 31/12/25, no. 2307 for press censorship. Requires newspaper editors to be approved by judges. From 11/03/26 the government-appointed provincial prefects oversee this process.

7/11

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 25d

After the Matteotti murder, BM assumed personal responsibility for the situation later in 1924, as part of a quasi-admission of his role in it.

Law of 26/11/25, no. 2029 -Parliament votes to place all public associations and the press under police scrutiny.

6/11

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 25d

By this stage, there had been 4 to 5 years of militia violence, starting with the fascists in opposition and then in government. From 1922 until the electoral suppression of spring 1924, M led a shaky coalition that relied on the support of non-fascists. 5/n

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 25d

Once parliament returned, Socialist parliamentarian Giacomo Matteotti denounced the violence of the electoral campaign. He was then beaten to death by a squad of fascists in June 1924. 4/n

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 25d

From October 1922, M led a right wing coalition government that included non-fascists. 18 months later, the next elections were held under a hyper majoritarian system. M forms his next government alone. 3/n

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 25d

1921: the last free elections under PR produced a polarised parliament with governments under unstable Liberal leadership until the March on Rome in October 1922. Fascist street violence had already been around for a few years. 2/n

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 25d

The rise of authoritarianism and autarky. Italy, 1921-26, is a more relevant comparator than Germany in 1933. By 1926, fascist totalitarianism was in place. In a climate of militia violence and several fascist laws from 1924, the dictatorship took hold and not through a single Enabling Act. 1/n

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 26d

Can someone who is not a university graduate be politically appointed to the role of a UK Ambassador? Or rather, in the UK are there any politically-appointed roles that require the holder to have a university degree?

Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 28d

And to digital taxation, except the Commission has removed any such proposal from the table.

Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · 29d

Her use of the word collaboration is unfortunate when terms like cooperation or agreement could be used. In a country so obsessed with WW2, it's an interesting blind spot.

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · Sep 5

I was delighted to present my experience of leading a study trip for students to Brussels.

Politics Journal @politicsjournal.bsky.social · Sep 5

An exciting talk about the benefits of policy field trips in teaching European politics at PSA #Teaching & #Learning Network Conference @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social @royalholloway.bsky.social by @gbenedetto.bsky.social#

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Reposted by Giacomo Benedetto

Jean Monnet Chair, RHUL @jeanmonnetrhul.bsky.social · Sep 3

The #UACES2025 @uaces.bsky.social conference drew to a close today. I was very pleased to present a paper on the EU's future financing. #EUbudget #OwnResources www.conftool.org/uaces2025/in... cc: @rhulpir.bsky.social

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · Sep 3

Did the pool of potential switchers Cons (ex-Remainer, one nation) => LibDem already reach its ceiling in 2024?

LibDems may still gain some Cons seats through Cons vote loss to Reform rather than LibDem vote gain.

Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · Sep 3

With no apparent (further) loss from the Conservatives to the LibDems since 2024 given the formers' rightward shift.

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Giacomo Benedetto @gbenedetto.bsky.social · Sep 3

With no apparent (further) loss from the Conservatives to the LibDems since 2024 given the formers' rightward shift.

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