Holger Hestermeyer
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hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer
@hhesterm.bsky.social
19K followers 3.8K following 2.7K posts

Professor of Int’l & EU Law, Diplomatic Academy Vienna. Past: Prof., founding Director CIGAD at King's College London, specialist adviser House of Lords EU Select Committee, Référendaire CJEU

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hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 21h
Can someone explain to me what the practicalities are in the US if a 92-year old judge takes over a case like the one of Maduro? Is there a junior judge in the sidelines ready to take over?

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 1d
Do NOT terrify me like that. It's a holiday here and hence I'm trying to be somewhat relaxed, which is difficult anyways with the world being as it is.

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 1d
But sitting together in the European Parliament and yelling "no" at every meaningful proposal you did not understand works splendidly.

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 1d
I confess it did amuse me quite a bit when Le Pen found out that she cannot cope with the AfD for historic reasons.

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 1d
It is really quite interesting that they don't seem to understand this. Shouting "my country first" allows you to destroy supranational cooperation together, but the second after you've done that you'll find out that, well, it's different countries.

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 1d
The dollar lost more than 10% of its value vis-a-vis the Euro in 2025. Looking forward to reading all the columns of how the US lost 8% of its GDP in just one year and enter a spiral of decline.

(No, I don't think that's how it works, but that's what they did when the dollar rose, so...)

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 1d
The statement fails to mention that, indeed it says it was a law enforcement operation, not an occupation.

Reposted by Steve Peers, Markus W. Gehring

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 1d
Some remarkable content in this document. The most interesting one is that the US justifies its action as (US) law enforcement. But that's an error of category: that might be a justification under US law. What would be of interest here is the justification under international law.

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 1d
Not sure which horror is the best one: reality, international law, 100 exams to correct, administrative matters, or just straight upside down

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 1d
So... worth watching? I‘d have to rewatch all the other seasons which seems a bit of a pain.

Reposted by Steve Peers, Holger Hestermeyer

rgoodlaw.bsky.social
Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 1d
2/ Official written US Statement to the UN Security Council

usun.usmission.gov/remarks-at-a...
Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on Venezuela - United States Mission to the United Nations
This past weekend, colleagues, the United States successfully carried out a surgical law enforcement operation facilitated by the U.S. military against two indicted fugitives of American justice, narc...
usun.usmission.gov

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 1d
Some line-drawing around the issue of Greenland seems to be happening. Norway, Sweden and Finland all issuing similar statements, Germany stating territory cannot be annexed by force, international law has to be respected.
goodlawproject.org Jolyon Maugham KC @goodlawproject.org · 1d
This is better; still not strong enough I think, but much better.

Reposted by Holger Hestermeyer, Tom Griffin

goodlawproject.org
Jolyon Maugham KC @goodlawproject.org · 1d
This is better; still not strong enough I think, but much better.

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 2d
I think that was the 11th cir. Court of Appeals. Corrections welcome

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 2d
US courts in the case of Noriega followed their practice of deferring to the government.

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 2d
Second, foreign heads of state benefit from immunity, ie cannot be put on trial by other countries. It is unclear what the consequences of the non-recognition of the government by the forum state is. The French cour de Cassation convincingly argued: irrelevant, or else the rule is meaningless.

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 2d
A reminder: there are two clear ways to justify the use of force otherwise prohibited by the UN Charter: self-defence, requiring an armed attack, and a UNSC mandate. A third one, much in dispute, is a humanitarian intervention.
Drug trafficking does not fall under any of these.

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 2d
Thanks!

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 2d
It is hard to express how distressing this all is. I have studied in the US, lived there for some years, have many friends in CA and elsewhere. I want the US to succeed - not whatever this is.

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 2d
Thanks, fascinating! Boy do I hope normality will return in some way shape or form…

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 2d
If you think of what all this chaos means for EU/UK industry: for derisking means make sure you have alternatives to what comes from the US and China. Because if the US annexes Greenland all economic bets should be off.

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 2d
A trade war should follow, disastrous for both, but a tanking stock market is one of the few things to which Trump reacts. /2

Reposted by Nicolai von Ondarza

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 2d
It is time for EU leaders to establish a clear (if confidential) strategy and red lines for a Trump takeover of Greenland against the will of Greenland and Denmark. /1 www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
US attack on Venezuela raises fears of future Greenland takeover
Danish ambassador posts ‘friendly reminder’ about defence ties after provocative Maga post over territory
www.theguardian.com

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 3d
Just to make this quite clear: the legal assessment of the US intervention is not complex - it is clearly illegal. However, assessing what can and should be done as well as possible fallout (Greenland, Ukraine) is.
helgaschmidt.bsky.social Helga Schmidt @helgaschmidt.bsky.social · 3d
🇫🇷Macron: „The Venezuelan people are today rid of Nicolás Maduro's dictatorship and can only rejoice.“
🇩🇪Merz:“The legal assessment of the U.S. intervention is complex and requires careful consideration.“
🇪🇺vdL: Following very closely the situation in Venezuela. 2/3

Reposted by Holger Hestermeyer

helgaschmidt.bsky.social
Helga Schmidt @helgaschmidt.bsky.social · 3d
🇫🇷Macron: „The Venezuelan people are today rid of Nicolás Maduro's dictatorship and can only rejoice.“
🇩🇪Merz:“The legal assessment of the U.S. intervention is complex and requires careful consideration.“
🇪🇺vdL: Following very closely the situation in Venezuela. 2/3

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 3d
In the Noriega case the US justified their action with a Panamanian declaration of war www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/le...

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 3d
It seems trial in the US…

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 3d
‚You can use Microsoft products, but only if the subject is Maduro‘

hhesterm.bsky.social
Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 3d
Indeed, though I would guess a G3, because of Trumps view on Russia. Which makes me worry about a possible impact on Ukraine, as well.
jeremycliffe.bsky.social Jeremy Cliffe @jeremycliffe.bsky.social · 3d
Trump isn’t predictable or consistent, but this particular action *would* be consistent with the emergence of a G2+1 order where Washington and Beijing, with Moscow as a junior partner, give each other free rein in their purported spheres of influence.
petertl.bsky.social Peter Thal Larsen @petertl.bsky.social · 4d
This will go down well in Moscow and Beijing. Goodbye, international order.
www.reuters.com/world/americ...