Claire Burchett

As the analysis starts of the Gorton and Denton result, I wanted to flag some aspects that my experience yesterday suggests are being over or under-played

(Caveats - I went to Longsight, Gorton and Denton town centres and spoke to as many people as I could, but it was mostly during the working day)

Green Party wins Gorton and Denton by-election with Labour pushed into third by Reform Hannah Spencer, a 34-year-old plumber, also becomes the first Green Party candidate to win a Westminster by-election.

If you want to defeat the far right, you need a real alternative, not a more moderate version that panders & parrots but offers nothing to address real issues.

Congratulations @greenparty.org.uk, Hannah Spencer, @zackpolanski.bsky.social & the people of Gorton & Denton
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cp...

Bildbeschreibung Policy Brief Wirksam gegen RechtsauBen Eine systematische Analyse zivilgesellschaftlicher Strategien gegen die extreme Rechte Christin Janicke Hans Jonas Gunzelmann Teresa Volker Swen Hutter Zivilgesellschaftliche Organisationen spielen in der Auseinandersetzung mit Rechts extremismus eine zentrale Rolle. Sie setzen auf eine Vielzahl von Strategien, die von unterschiedlichsten Organisationen genutzt werden - von Gewerkschaften iiber Sport- vereine und Kultureinrichtungen bis zu Feuerwehren und Naturschutzverbénden. Das Projekt ,Wirksam gegen RechtsauBen" hat diese Strategien auf Basis von 191 Praxis- Handreichungen und 56 wissenschaftlichen Studien analysiert und fiinf iibergeord- nete Typen identifiziert: 1. organisationale Strategien, 2. Netzwerkarbeit, 3. politische Bildung, 4. Proteste und 5. Offentlichkeitsarbeit. Doch wihrend das Praxiswissen um- fangreich ist, bleibt die wissenschaftliche Evidenz zur Wirkung der Strategien be- grenzt. Daher braucht es einen systematischen Wissenstransfer zwischen zivilgesell- schaftlichen Handlungsfeldern, eine praxisnahe Forschung, Kooperationen zwischen Wissenschaft und Praxis sowie eine langfristige finanzielle und politische Unterstützung- zung für zivilgesellschaftliche Akteur*innen.

Das WZB-Projekt „Wirksam gegen Rechtsaußen" hat Strategien von zivilgesellschaftlichen Institutionen in der Auseinandersetzung mit #Rechtsextremismus untersucht und systematisiert. Den neuen Policy Brief dazu gibt es hier: www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10...
@chjncke.bsky.social @tevoelker.bsky.social

Germany's AfD bonds with Austrian far-right extremists Officials from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party have been openly rubbing shoulders with Austrian right-wing extremist Martin Sellner. This, despite reservations over his Identitarian Movement.

Germany's #AfD is now openly courting an international right-wing extremist (with whom they have been playing footsie for years). The whole radical/extreme distinction is moot at this point, and so far, it doesn't make a dent in their support

For the FES, I wrote a short brief about how mainstream party strategies have fueled far-right success. They move toward more anti-immigration positions to win voters back. This does not work, but shifts public opinion to the right. Parties then react to shifts in public opinion. A vicious cycle.

Sathnam Sanghera: Help! I’ve fallen out of love with reading The writer stopped picking up a book for pleasure some time ago, choosing box sets and social media instead. Here’s how he got over his reader’s block

Sage advice from @sathnam.bsky.social on how to read for pleasure again, I’d also add bookending (sorry, couldn’t resist) the day with a half hour of reading a physical book first thing and again before bedtime. www.thetimes.com/culture/book... 📚

JD Vance @JDVance X.com Today we remember the millions of lives lost during the Holocaust, the millions of stories of individual bravery and heroism, and one of the enduring lessons of one of the darkest chapters in human history: that while humans create beautiful things and are full of compassion, we're also capable of unspeakable brutality. And we promise never again to go down the darkest path.

Legitimately a feat of carefully calculated writing to issue a Holocaust Remembrance Day statement of this length without mentioning either (1) the people who perpetrated the Holocaust or (2) the people against whom they perpetrated it

The defection of Suella Braverman, who was sacked twice from Government in disgrace, spent £700m of taxpayers' money to send four volunteers to Rwanda on a deportation scheme that was then scrapped and has a public approval rating of minus 32 is currently being described as a "major coup" for Reform

Ein Post auf X von Martin Sellner, der ihn im Thüringer Landtag zusammen mit AfD-Abgeordneten zeigt. Dazu der Text: "Thanks to @DanielHaseloff from the AfD for inviting me to the state parliament in Erfurt. The party holds 32.8% there and has a strong remigration policy. We had a very fruitful exchange. Remigration is inevitable."

Wenn der Faschismus wiederkehrt, spaziert er entspannt und ohne Probleme in den Thüringer Landtag.

Explaining Attitudes Towards Climate Action in Germany: AfD vs. the Greens, the East vs. the West, Wind vs. Solar Energy This article analyses the drivers of individual-level support for – and opposition to – renewable energy in general, as well as wind and solar power specifically. We focus on the crucial case of Ge...

Our first joint article with the PhD researchers of my research group @rexklima.bsky.social has just been published! 🎉

"Explaining Attitudes Towards #Climate #Action in Germany: AfD vs. the Greens, the East vs. the West, Wind vs. Solar Energy" is now out.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... (1/4)

Selective Irredentism in Populist Radical Right Discourse in Romania This article introduces selective irredentism to explain why Romanian populist radical right actors emphasize some territorial claims but not others. Romania’s history involves both territorial gai...

Much of what we know of Irredentism is based on it in practice. Much also assumes a logical consistency.

Yet how do we explain the use of Irredentism in discourse but not practice, and with inconsistent application?

In my first paper, I attempt to tackle this:
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

🎉 NEW PUBLICATION🎉

Our paper on "the effect of symbolic policies on climate policy support" has just been published in the APSR ! @apsrjournal.bsky.social (open access)

The end of a long and rewarding journey with the best co-authors @malojan.bsky.social @luissattelmayer.bsky.social

(1/6)

Jenrick didn't need to join Reform to mainstream reactionary politics, just like Badenoch and Starmer haven't needed to either

We can't keep exceptionalising the far right and instead make accountable all of those who mainstream its politics, regardless of their affiliation in politics or the media

Political Trust in Crisis: Can Social Protection Make a Difference? - Charlotte Boucher, 2026 How do economic crises harm political trust? And can their impact be mitigated? Using data from Eurofound’s Living, working, and COVID-19 survey conducted acros...

Can the impact of economic crises on political trust be mitigated? @charlotteboucher.fr studies the effect of different measures of social support on trust during the #COVID19 pandemic in Europe. More: buff.ly/htbkwaP

@sciencespo-cee.bsky.social @eurofound.europa.eu @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social

Back to work and thinking ahead to future conferences?

This week is the last chance to apply to our (+ @joncollins.bsky.social ) section at ECPRGC in Krakow!

Deadline: 9 January
As always, feel free to reach out with any comments/questions. :)

More details here: ecpr.eu/Events/Event...

It's out!🍾
I am delighted to announce the publication of our "Germany's History Wars. Contesting Memory and Identity Today"
It is Open Access!
👇 You can download it here for free.

www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi...

CEE Extremism and Resilience European Consortium for Political Research

📣 Call for #ecprgc26 Panels & Papers
🛡️ CEE Extremism and Resilience
🪑 @cburchett.bsky.social & @joncollins.bsky.social
⌛ Deadline: 5 Jan buff.ly/Qji5iTa

#PoliSky #CallforPapers #ComparativePolitics #Europe

Are you working on extremism (defined broadly) and/or democratic resilience in CEE?

If so, @joncollins.bsky.social and I are organising a section at ECPR's General Conference in Krakow and we'd love to receive your submission. Deadline is 5 January 📝

Don't hesitate to contact us w any questions!

Pre-empting @epssnet.bsky.social #epss2026 notifications that are scheduled to go out later this week, thought I'd bump a few things about conferences and acceptances/rejections to put them into perspective (mainly as reminders to myself, but might benefit other early-career folks):

Highly recommend the below article by Omran Shroufi on the key narratives behind Geert Wilders' pro-Israelism.

It was a pleasure to interview Omran for the @reacpolrn.bsky.social blog, if you'd like a quicker read: reacpol.net/wilders-proi...

Nigel Farage’s alleged teenage comments are a distraction from the damage of his politics Reports of such appalling behaviour – and Farage’s reaction – give us an insight into the leader of the UK’s rising far-right party.

Focusing on extreme events such as the reports of Farage’s teenage past can exceptionalise the nature of far-right politics and make it harder to call out

Some thoughts @theconversation.com on the mainstreaming of far-right politics

theconversation.com/nigel-farage...

CEE Extremism and Resilience European Consortium for Political Research

Link to full abstract here: ecpr.eu/Events/Event...

Are you working on extremism (defined broadly) and/or democratic resilience in CEE?

If so, @joncollins.bsky.social and I are organising a section at ECPR's General Conference in Krakow and we'd love to receive your submission. Deadline is 5 January 📝

Don't hesitate to contact us w any questions!

Attentats du 13-Novembre : le mémorial du « Monde » aux victimes En 2015, « Le Monde » avait publié les portraits des hommes et des femmes tués dans les attaques afin de conserver la mémoire de ces vies fauchées.

Today marks 10 years since the 2015 Paris terror attacks. Le Monde published the life stories of 112 of the victims. It is such an overwhelming, heartbreaking read

www.lemonde.fr/attaques-a-p...

It was great to share some of my PhD research on the National Rally and victimhood identity at the conference « Identités, fluidité et altérité : Perspectives pluridisciplinaires » at Université Bourgogne Europe last week. Thank you for the invitation @theoaiolfi.bsky.social !

Normalising ideas which just a few years ago would have been regarded as career ending extremism but now are seen as legit, because they are constantly in every centre right MP and journalist's X replies, may end being Elon Musk's most lasting, and most destructive, impact on British politics.

What an admirably clear statement from the Jewish Leadership Council, especially when all of those involved must surely have been dealing with so many other urgent challenges in safety, security and grief + shock today before having this further divisive and distracting intervention to address too.

PSA’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Video Series | The Political Studies Association (PSA) The Political Studies Association is proud to share our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Video Series, bringing together EDI voices from across our community.

*NEW PSA FILM* Why does #Equality, #Diversity & #Inclusion matter in academia?
Find out with Dr Michael Bankole @mikebankole.bsky.social how to help champion #EDI how and where you teach.
➡️ buff.ly/rYu9KAq
Supported by @acadsocsciences.bsky.social @ukri.org
#PoliticalStudies #BHM2025

Thank you so much! And again for your very valuable comments this summer.

† Univ. Prof. Dr. Anton Pelinka (1941–2025) Ein Nachruf von Univ.-Prof. DDr. Günther Pallaver.

Mit Anton Pelinka (1941–2025) verliert Österreich eine Stimme des kritischen Denkens.

Ein Nachruf seines langjährigen Kollegen am Institut für Politikwissenschaft Günther Pallaver:
www.uibk.ac.at/de/politikwi...