🇭🇺 Hungarian elections
Hungary will once again be a strong ally in the EU and NATO, Péter Magyar said in his victory speech. “Europe, Europe, Europe,” chanted the crowd. “We will rebuild our international relations and put our relations with our neighbors in order”, he added.
🧵 Thread of European leaders reacting to Péter Magyar's victory and Viktor Orbán's defeat.
Ursula von der Leyen: "Hungary has chosen Europe. Europe has always chosen Hungary. A country reclaims its European path. The Union grows stronger."
"So long and thanks for the fish"
(from Victor Orban's concession speech, via 444.hu)
And I am curious what Victor Orban will do now, can't imagine him being solely the opposition leader
This is momentous!
Although the Polish example shows how hard it will be to dismantle an illiberal system by liberal democratic means.
🇺🇸🇵🇱🗳️ We really need JD Vance to visit Poland just before the 2027 vote and endorse PiS.
This starts as a promising tendency.
Now it's on: Will #Tisza profit from a seemingly high voter turnout in #Hungary?
Even if Tisza would win the question would be if a supermajority is possible to reverse some parts of the Orban System.
The oil price hike *ought* to be a chance for European railways
In 🇩🇪 for example 99% of long distance and 80% of regional rail passenger-km are on ⚡️ railways
No transport mode is better sheltered from price hikes
Can the rail sector seize the opportunity?
jonworth.eu/rising-fuel-...
Yes, the “people” are the problem… not the energy-wasting businesses and the politicians who protect and subsidize them, of course.
This is the second major fossil fuel crisis in 5 years. If this is not a wake up call to transition to renewable energy, I don’t know what is.
Or: how to square the circle
Verhältnis zu Russland: Es braucht Kalkulierbarkeit des Verhältnisses zu Russland, kein neues gemeinsames Europäisches Haus
Präsident Steinmeier bei #75Jahre @diplo.de:
Von den vier Konstanten der deutschen Außenpolitik:
- Überwindung der deutsch-deutschen Teilung,
- Westbindung,
- Aussöhnung nach Osten,
- Europäische Integration
ist eine nicht mehr vorhanden, sind zwei hinweggefegt, bleibt die 🇪🇺 Integration
In #Marseille wurde der rot-grüne #Bürgermeister #Payan gegen den #RassemblementNational wiedergewählt!
Absolutely 💚
Very positive (and given the polls ahead) rather unexpected election result in #Slovenia
🎤 Im „Nachgefragt bei…“ unseres #EBDnewsletter spricht EBD-Ehrenpräsidentin Dr. @linnselle.bsky.social, Alfred-von-Oppenheim Leiterin des Europa-Zentrums der @dgap.org, mit uns über aktuellen Debatten um Erweiterung, Sicherheit & Handlungsfähigkeit der #EU #EBDnewsletter #EUSky
My recommendations:
1) Stick to what you do best. VDL should be strong where she can use the EU's instruments: trade, economic security. This is where COM can make a difference.
2) Choose your battles. Instead of raffling feathers over Iran try to dynamise the EU accession process by moving forward
In the Middle East, positions vary widely (see German criticism of VDL's position on Israel), thus Member States are eager to keep their say.
In Ukraine such a "diplomatic overreach" has not been a problem as the EU Member States profited from it as they were by and large on the same page
Formally, the COM Pres has no position in CSDP, different than High-Representative Kaja Kallas, but: she is nevertheless the political head of the Commission and is herself having a geopolitical ambition
Do we see diplomatic overreach by COM Pres von der Leyen as Politico hinted to today in case of Iran? 👇
Isn't everyone in this so called "board of peace" just an observer anyway?
Italy joins. As observer.
Good luck, Meloni - this isn't chess, it's macho politics with balls of fire. Careful what you juggle. #ITinEU
www.bernama.com/en/world/new...
Remarkable
Berliner Winter, Symbolbild
Rita Süßmuth, die "Unbeugsame".
Bis ins hohe Alter so neugierig und intellektuell auf der Höhe zu sein - ein Geschenk.
Sich in gesellschaftliche Debatten einzumischen und weiter streitbar zu sein - ein Vorbild.
Danke, Rita, für die Gespräche und den klaren Kompass. Mögest du in Frieden ruhen.
I don't often share my own emotions here.I mostly stick to facts&reason. But I'm actually a very emotional person.
The situation in #Kyiv with freezing people in cold homes that are left without electricity,heating &water during the cold winter after deliberate Russian attacks is simply terrible⤵️
Some notes on what the new Dutch govt agreement says about peace and conflict
www.kabinetsformatie2025.nl/documenten/2...
Items most interesting to me personally:
* pro European nuclear deterrent
* establishing a Dutch DARPA with up to 10% of def budget
