Zselyke Csaky

Great to contribute to this weeks TTP. I make the point France's political permacrisis is bad news for European rearmament efforts.

I'm in excellent company too @georginaewright.bsky.social @dschwarzer.bsky.social.

Trump Is Supporting Transnational Repression Instead of sheltering pro-democracy dissidents, America is now returning them for arrest.

New from me in @foreignpolicy.com: how the US has gone from leading a global push against transnational repression, to proactively supporting it:

foreignpolicy.com/2025/10/08/t...

Excellent News that Charles Grant is here. Everybody interested in Britain‘s Relations with Europe (and the EU more generally), do follow @cergrant.bsky.social

The margin voting against the motions was slightly larger than in July (360), a clear sign that centrist parties, while dissatisfied with von der Leyen on many issues, don't wish to play this game every three months.

Follow my super smart colleagues if you haven't done so yet 👇

Why social movements struggle to change the EU: the ‘EU mobilization package’ and the case of DiEM25 - Comparative European Politics Social movement scholarship has emphasized that progressive ‘Europeanization from below’ may be a breeding ground for major EU reform and democratization. Empirically, however, activists have found it difficult to make gains when targeting the EU. To understand the challenges that activists face in the context of transnational EU mobilization, our article draws from agency-oriented approaches in social movement studies to propose an ‘EU mobilization package’, comprising three recurring strategic dilemmas that activists encounter: (a) the formulation of goals that both address the transnational level and appeal to national or local constituencies, (b) the building of a transnational political organization that is both inclusive and effective, and (c) whether and how to interact with EU institutions, particularly in the context of European Parliament elections. We apply this framework to the Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 (DiEM25), an organization founded by Yanis Varoufakis in 2016, which is a key example of social movement dissensus to EU politics. Methodologically, we rely on comprehensive interview data, the analysis of a large corpus of DiEM25 online and offline publications, and participant observation of three public events. A discussion of the group’s strategic challenges provides important general lessons for our understanding of social movement mobilization targeting EU politics as well as transnational activism.

Building transnational parties seems to be a key ingredient for democratising the EU,but efforts have not succeeded so far. Looking at @diem25.bsky.social, @manesweisskircher.bsky.social & I just published this piece on why social movements struggle to change the EU link.springer.com/article/10.1...

🇺🇸🇸🇰🇭🇺🇵🇱 Once again, NGOs in the US would benefit greatly from talking to civil society in Hungary, Poland, Slovakia (and several other places) about how to deal with a government that's hostile to the part of the third sector that doesn't align with its ideology. 1/

What happened during #Czechia’s elections and what do the results mean for the EU going forward? @zecsaky.bsky.social looks at the implications of the vote.

Read here: buff.ly/NQity3w

This opens the door to more transnational repression

‘Enormous fear’: Trump’s threats against George Soros chill US non-profits Civil society groups funded by billionaire’s charitable foundation feel vulnerable to administration’s attacks

So awful and so familiar, of course. The difference with Hungary is that after this happened there, it was the US that stepped in (and the EU, but later) www.ft.com/content/68bf...

The 2025 Czech election – Andrej Babiš’s Pyrrhic victory Andrej Babiš’s ANO won the 2025 Czech election on 3–4 October. Yet as Jan Rovny explains, Babiš will find it challenging to form a stable government.

Also, some really good points by @jrovny.bsky.social here. I share some of his optimism though the hardening of polarization is definitely one thing that's not welcome blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2...

4️⃣ It's not just Hungary (with Slovakia and now potentially Czechia) that is at fault for divisions within the EU. Other member states, sometimes conveniently, can hide behind these vetoes -- something important to keep in mind when looking at the long-term impact

3️⃣ For the EU, it matters whether there is a rump Visegrad alive and kicking again. Closer cooperation with 🇭🇺 & 🇸🇰 could have significant potential for disruption. But with protracted coalition talks in Czechia and if (a biiig if) Orban loses in the spring, that impact may be quite small

2️⃣ The level of cooperation with and dependence on the Motorists and SPD will matter. The latter earlier called for a referendum on EU and NATO membership, and the Motorists have pushed for rolling back the Green Deal – stances that would pull ANO increasingly to the far right

A couple things to highlight.
1️⃣ if Babis manages to form a government, it's unlikely to be a full U-turn on foreign policy. Support for Ukraine will suffer, but Czech arms producers benefit significantly from deliveries, making a Slovakia-like outcome more likely (continued commercial exports)

This adds to the argument that Trump hasn't been a clear boon to Europe's radical right. It's not just Meloni, Orban is also struggling to benefit.

Meta’s decision to ban ads about politics, elections, and social issues on their platforms like Facebook and Instagram in the EU is now implemented.

This is the new policy. Any ad about fx elections, civil rights, economy, health, climate, immigration, or foreign policy is now (presumably) banned.

Here is something on Czechia's elections and the implications for the EU from me:

Ellison's purchase of CBS and CNN functions in the same way. It doesn't just add a Fox clone to the media menu. It removes independent outlets from that menu and, along with the TikTok and Free Press purchases, creates a seamless bridge between the right's online and broadcast messaging platforms.

How Orban Redrew Hungary’s Media Map to Solidify His Power Editor’s note: The following article is one of 30 that we’ve selected from our archives to celebrate World Politics Review’s 15th anniversary. You can find the full collection here. On a Saturday morn...

In coming full circle, though, Trump is also copying a page from Orban's media playbook in Hungary. As @zecsaky.bsky.social explained here, in addition to the right-wing outlets they already owned, Orban's pals bought up opposition outlets and turned them into regime mouthpieces.

(Gift link.)

EU on charm offensive in Ukraine as Hungary blocks Kyiv's accession Ukraine wants to accelerate work on joining the 27-member bloc.

I’ve been travelling in Ukraine with EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, who visited minority communities in Uzhhorod as Hungary continues blocking progress on Kyiv’s accession bid.

www.reuters.com/world/europe...

EU moves to advance Ukraine’s accession by sidestepping Hungary Brussels advises Kyiv to advance technical work despite Budapest holding up talks

This is not a bad workaround on enlargement. Starting the technical work could create a sense of movement and in any case, Ukraine could be more ready when the time comes to open & close chapters in one go. Many caveats but to me it seems the best in the circumstances. www.ft.com/content/3642...

Author copies for

Dictating the Agenda: The Authoritarian Resurgence in World Politics

by me & @cooleyoneurasia.bsky.social arrived today!

If you re-post this by Sept 30 we'll put you in a drawing & send the winner a free signed copy anywhere they happen to be on the planet.

The next listen cued up on my list!

Technology fellow 2025 The Centre for European Reform is looking for a technology fellow to join its research team.

@centreeuropeanref.bsky.social is looking for a technology fellow to join its research team.

Please see the #job description and details on how to apply below 👇

Deadline for applications 19/09/25

buff.ly/jGjPGCY

Incidentally, just started watching it for the first time last week. Great timing.

Come work with us! Superb opportunity to think and write about tech policy at a time when good analysis is perhaps more important than ever 👇

🇵🇱⚖️Poland has a new Minister of Justice, a very … colourful figure that heralds a new chapter in the Polish rule of law saga. Waldemar Żurek - a veteran judge and outspoken critic of the PiS government, harassed and intimidated, and likely tapped to bring about retribution against "Bad Guys". 1/

🎙️ New #CERpodcast: @zecsaky.bsky.social spoke with
@zach-meyers.bsky.social on Trump’s proposed tariffs on the EU and how to approach digital policy in the talks.🎙️

Listen here: buff.ly/vxMlg55

The US president is pushing Europe to drop aspects of its digital rules. Europe is right to hold firm: there is little sign that digital policies are a priority for Trump.

🆕 @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social insight by @zach-meyers.bsky.social, @cerrethinktank.bsky.social

Read here: buff.ly/zxuDYFS