Seems like the new craze here is to make a starter pack. So, for those you trying to make sense of the hr/dem/rol landscape in Poland and lost as to how many Supreme Courts the country has, here are some quality people to begin with.

That’s life…

Hungarian election debate: personalities, messaging, daily controversies.

Hungarian election reality:
very different plans for rule of law, media, corruption, and EU relations.

We compared the programmes behind the noise.

democracy-reporting.org/en/office/EU...

Hungary pipeline false-flag claims swirl as JD Vance makes election intervention Claims explosives found near pipeline come before election in which PM Viktor Orbán is trailing in most polls

Hungarian election week:

foreign leaders campaigning,
pipeline “incidents”,
claims of fake interference,
and polls nobody agrees on.

At this point, calling it just an election feels… optimistic.

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

Drivers told to hunt for cheapest fuel as Easter set to be busiest on UK roads since 2022 Bank holiday traffic predicted to peak on Thursday, as petrol and diesel prices surge from fallout of Iran war * Business live – latest updates Drivers are being urged to hunt for the cheapest petrol and “to fill up as usual” as UK travellers prepare to make 21.7m journeys on what is expected to be the busiest Easter on the roads in four years. The average price of a litre of unleaded petrol rose by 20p from 132.83p on 1 March to 152.83p by the end of the month, raising concerns about the cost of filling up for Easter journeys, as rising oil prices triggered by the US-Israel war with Iran translated to higher prices at the pumps. Continue reading...

Drivers told to hunt for cheapest fuel as Easter set to be busiest on UK roads since 2022

2 April, not April Fool’s.

EU: fiscal discipline matters.
Also EU: we might suspend the rules if the crisis continues.

Turns out the Stability Pact is… flexible.

www.reuters.com/sustainabili...

EU lawmakers advance US trade deal with multiple safeguards European Union lawmakers advanced legislation on Thursday to fulfil the ​bloc's side of its trade agreement with the U.S., after months of uncertainty over President Donald ‌Trump's tariff threats and...

The EU says it wants to act geopolitically. Then it advances a U.S. trade deal with suspension clauses, sunset clauses, and conditional tariff reductions. To be fair, if bureaucracy were a strategic resource, Europe would already be a superpower.
www.reuters.com/business/eur...

We are finally approaching the moment when boomers stop understanding politicians' gestures.

Good that it is still going well…

Ukraine keeps moving forward on reforms.
The EU keeps recalibrating its position.

Both are rational. The gap is still there.

Billions for Ukraine: how the EU can turn aid into strengthening democracy Without citizen pressure, without Brussels making its voice heard, an essential pillar of Ukraine’s resilience ...

Another op-ed of mine „Billions for Ukraine: how the EU can turn aid into strengthening democracy“

eualive.net/billions-for...

Stitching laws with golden thread It is not political opposition from Brussels that risks delaying Ukraine’s accession, but bureaucratic inertia within its own institutions

My newest op-ed: “Stitching laws with golden thread”
It is not only political opposition from Brussels that risks delaying Ukraine’s accession, but bureaucratic inertia within its own institutions.

www.ips-journal.eu/topics/europ...

Russia invaded Ukraine - I’m not afraid to say that (Matthew Whitaker, Permanent Representative, US Mission to NATO)

🇪🇺 Rule of Law Clinic🇺🇦🇫🇮
On April 1-3, Ukraine’s MoJ & Parliament reps joined the Rule of Law Clinic—part of ACCESS – Ukraine, led by DRI & ROLC with CPLR. Key insights from ROLC & Finland’s MoJ:
✅ EU & Finnish law-drafting
✅ Transparency & impact assessments
✅ Civil society & media in law-making

Wartime elections in Ukraine pose serious risks to both democracy and security. In my latest op-ed, I argue that elections should wait until peace is restored and the electoral system is rebuilt.

Reflecting on the event “Democracy at War: Resilience and Future of Ukraine’s Democratic Institutions.” Discussing democracy during times of war is challenging yet vital, as it highlights the resilience of Ukraine’s democratic institutions and commitment to fundamental values.