Dimitri Spieker

We are thrilled to announce that @steffenmau.bsky.social, one of Germany’s leading sociologists, has been appointed Director at our Institute. He will lead a new Department on Inequality, Transformation & Conflict, addressing pressing societal challenges via cutting-edge social science research.

Quote: “The disagreement between Dawson, van den Brink, and us reflects a deeper controversy over the role of scholars in society, often framed as a ‘controversy over method’.”

Recently, Armin von Bogdandy and @dimitrispieker.bsky.social put forward a proposal on how to overcome the Hungarian veto, followed by a sharp response from Martijn van den Brink and Mark Dawson.

Do Dawson and van den Brink’s objections convince?

A rejoinder:

verfassungsblog.de/overcoming-o...

For those who work in EU law, this debate is vital to the future of the Union. Can the EU survive with a dictatorship in its midst, using its veto on matters existential to the EU? Here are creative ways around the veto, honoring the rule of law.

For @sarahganty.bsky.social & I it was an Article 2 TEU #pride‼️ Respect the values, Orbán‼️🇭🇺🏳️‍🌈Hungary is too beautiful and loving to flush it down the drain with illegal nonesense‼️ @ilgaeurope.bsky.social @ceudeminst.bsky.social @weareceu.bsky.social

Wow, this would be a huge, and highly necessary step! 25 years after AG Jacob’s opinion in UPA, AG Emiliou gives overturning Plaumann another try.

🙏 for engaging with our proposal @profpech.bsky.social! What kind of unintended consequences do you fear? In our view, the Treaty makers never wanted the EU to lose its agency in existential threats. Only in such narrow cases, for single decisions, our proposal kicks in. So not much room for abuses?

Quote: "Neutralising the Hungarian obstruction is an extraordinary response to an extraordinary situation, namely Hungary’s support for the Russian aggression."

Hungary is threatening to obstruct the extension of EU sanctions against Russia.

A lot is at stake, including Europe's security.

ARMIN VON BOGDANDY & LUKE DIMITRIOS SPIEKER (@mpil.de) with a new proposal on how to overcome Hungary's veto:

verfassungsblog.de/hungarian-ve...

📢 Join our #StrategicLitigation webinar on 12 June at 12:30 CEST!
We'll unpack the European Commission’s infringement case against Hungary & its impact on future #LGBTI rights in the EU.
🎙 With Háttér Society, legal experts & more.
🔗 Register now www.ilga-europe.org/news/what-th...

SCRIPTS is celebrating! 🎉
We have been awarded a second round of funding through the DFG’s Excellence Strategy!

We're excited to continue exploring how democracies adapt under pressure—our new focus: democratic resilience. More to come as we prepare for SCRIPTS 2.0!

#Democracy #ExcellenceStrategy

📢 Out now: Is EU law over-constitutionalised? Dieter Grimm thinks so. In his latest article, @dimitrispieker.bsky.social challenges that view, arguing that the Treaties’ rigidity is overestimated and that judicial responsiveness and legislative activity are underestimated.
doi.org/10.1017/glj....

Thanks to @verfassungsblog.de for publishing my take on Commission v Malta. “Golden passports” violate the value of solidarity!

#ECJ: The Maltese investor citizenship scheme is contrary to #EULaw #EUCitizenship golden #passports 👉 curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/Jo...

Maltas Verkauf von Staatsbürgerschaften ist illegal Wer viel Geld investiert, konnte bislang Bürger Maltas werden - und sich damit in der EU frei bewegen.

Maltas Verkauf von Staatsbürgerschaften ist illegal #EuGH #Malta

❗𝗪𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗻𝘂𝗻 𝘇𝘂 𝘁𝘂𝗻? Die neue Bundesregierung muss sich für einen Stimmrechtsentzug Ungarns einsetzen, das Weimarer Dreieck mit Frankreich und Polen aktivieren, und ihre Unterstützung für einen solchen Schritt signalisieren.

❗𝗪𝗮𝘀? Es sollte ein Verstoß gegen den Wert der Solidarität in Art. 2 EUV festgestellt werden. Nutzt Ungarn Vetorechte permanent gegen Zugeständnisse aus und stellt damit Frieden und Sicherheit in Europa aufs Spiel, ist die Solidarität zwischen den Mitgliedstaaten verletzt.

❗𝗪𝗶𝗲? Die EU-Verträge sehen ein Verfahren vor: Art. 7 Abs. 2 EUV erlaubt es dem Europäischen Rat einstimmig eine Verletzung europäischer Werte durch einen Mitgliedstaat festzustellen. Dann kann der Rat in einem weiteren Schritt die Stimmrechte der Ungarn entziehen.

❗𝗪𝗮𝗿𝘂𝗺? Ungarn blockiert seit Jahren wichtige Hilfen für die Ukraine und Sanktionen gegen Russland. Besonders brenzlig wird die Situation im Juli – dann muss das Sanktionspaket gegen Russland einstimmig vom Rat der EU verlängert werden. Orbáns Veto ist wahrscheinlich ist).

Warum sich die Bundesregierung in Brüssel für einen Stimmrechtsentzug Ungarns einsetzen muss Bei der anstehenden Verlängerung der Russland-Sanktionen ist Ungarns Veto vorprogrammiert. Es bleiben nur wenige Wochen, um eine Blockade abzuwenden. Das nötige Instrument dazu liefern die Europäische...

In @faznet.bsky.social beschwören Ulrich Karpenstein und ich die neue Bundesregierung, sich für einen 𝙎𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙢𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙝𝙩𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙯𝙪𝙜 𝙐𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙪𝙛 𝙀𝙐-𝙀𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙚 Stark zu machen!

👉 www.faz.net/einspruch/wa...

Planned Call for applications: Ten doctoral research positions

This is a unique opportunity! Seize it! The application deadline is 1 July 2025!

You can find the application details, also with regard to the exposé and the necessary level of German (which you can learn in Berlin during the programme) here: www.rewi.hu-berlin.de/en/lf/oe/rhp...

What we offer:

‼️ a highly competitive salary (E13 TV-L, 75% - net salary of approx. 2700 EUR per month)

‼️you only work on your PhD project

‼️you do your PhD at one of the best law schools in Germany and Europe in a cohort of 12 amazing colleagues

Planned Call for applications: Ten doctoral research positions

🚨📢Come work with us! We at
Humboldt University’s law faculty have an amazing Easter present for all EU law aficionados!

The DFG Research Training Group DynamInt offers 12 fully funded PhD positions in the area of European law starting from October 2025!

www.rewi.hu-berlin.de/en/lf/oe/rhp...

Just use Art. 7(2) TEU and strip Hungary of its voting rights in the Council! There is momentum for this step as I argue here: verfassungsblog.de/tackling-orb...

There is unique momentum! Poltical support has never been stronger: the incoming German goverment vowed to use Art. 7 TEU "more consistently". But also the danger has never been greater: the EU faces a showdown in July when the sanctions against Russia need to be renewed - with Orbán's veto looming.

Second, COM should force the MS to take a stance: it should combine its proposal under Art. 7(2) TEU with the offer of an interinstitutional agreement in which the European Council agrees to take a vote within a limited time frame. This would mean: MS can no longer avoid taking a stance!

First, COM should advance a thin proposal limited to breaches of solidarity and threats to the EU's security. Moreover, stripping Hungary of its voting rights should be limited to what is absolutely necessary to prevent further extortion. Such restraint might calm some MS governments.

On @verfassungsblog.de I call for tackling the Union's "Orban Problem" NOW! 📣 The momentum has never been better! The @ec.europa.eu should bring a new proposal under Art. 7(2) TEU, which couples restraint and boldness.

We are excited to have you on board and listen to your presentation in Berlin!

Land does not vote.

Eine Karte wie zu Beginn der Animation ist seit der Bundestagswahl oft zu sehen gewesen. Sie zeigt die Parteizugehörigkeit der Wahlkreissieger nach Erststimmen.

Wir sehen: ziemlich viel AfD-Blau.

🧵

#Bundestagswahl 📊

🇪🇺 In the new #ZaöRV’s Comment: @dimitrispieker.bsky.social argues why protecting #EU values does not require treaty change. Read his take #OpenAccess: www.nomos-elibrary.de/de/10.17104/...
#EUlaw #RuleOfLaw #HJIL

Publication alert! New comment in @mpil.de's ZaöRV (open access)! 🎓📚

The piece tackles the question of whether we should aim at changing the EU Treaties to better protect EU values. My take: no! We should trust the Treaties!

Read my text open access here: www.nomos-elibrary.de/de/10.17104/...