Nicolas Bouchet
@nickbouchet.bsky.social
German Marshall Fund Senior Visiting Fellow.
US foreign policy, democratization, democracy promotion, civil society. Throw in some Eastern Europe and Russia and we're mostly good to go.
US foreign policy, democratization, democracy promotion, civil society. Throw in some Eastern Europe and Russia and we're mostly good to go.
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
President Japarov just came out with a public statement condemning the harsh crackdown on restaurants and cafes. Says officials have been to “ardent” in their efforts. Only night clubs and wedding halls should be closed.
Part of the ruling tandem’s good cop/bad cop routine
Part of the ruling tandem’s good cop/bad cop routine
Bishkek and Osh are now effectively under a nighttime curfew in an effort to save electricity amidst an energy crisis. An Instagram influencer got detained and questioned by Kyrgyz security services for publicly criticizing the draconian measures. Dark times ahead, both figuratively and literally
November 14, 2025 at 10:11 AM
President Japarov just came out with a public statement condemning the harsh crackdown on restaurants and cafes. Says officials have been to “ardent” in their efforts. Only night clubs and wedding halls should be closed.
Part of the ruling tandem’s good cop/bad cop routine
Part of the ruling tandem’s good cop/bad cop routine
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
Bishkek and Osh are now effectively under a nighttime curfew in an effort to save electricity amidst an energy crisis. An Instagram influencer got detained and questioned by Kyrgyz security services for publicly criticizing the draconian measures. Dark times ahead, both figuratively and literally
November 14, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Bishkek and Osh are now effectively under a nighttime curfew in an effort to save electricity amidst an energy crisis. An Instagram influencer got detained and questioned by Kyrgyz security services for publicly criticizing the draconian measures. Dark times ahead, both figuratively and literally
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
There's a word for people who try to criminalize antifascists. What could that word be.....
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
US designates four European anti-fascist groups as terrorist threats
State department claims groups in Germany, Italy and Greece ‘conspiring to undermine foundations of western civilization’
www.theguardian.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:46 AM
There's a word for people who try to criminalize antifascists. What could that word be.....
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
Right then!
Pending proof reading, the #CrossChannelRail Final Report is ready 😀
17000 words, 82 pages, loads of maps, diagrams and photos, and all the TYPES OF TRAIN (8), STATIONS (63), & OPERATORS (7) assessed
Launch Monday - Bruxelles & online
crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/projects/cro...
Pending proof reading, the #CrossChannelRail Final Report is ready 😀
17000 words, 82 pages, loads of maps, diagrams and photos, and all the TYPES OF TRAIN (8), STATIONS (63), & OPERATORS (7) assessed
Launch Monday - Bruxelles & online
crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/projects/cro...
November 13, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Right then!
Pending proof reading, the #CrossChannelRail Final Report is ready 😀
17000 words, 82 pages, loads of maps, diagrams and photos, and all the TYPES OF TRAIN (8), STATIONS (63), & OPERATORS (7) assessed
Launch Monday - Bruxelles & online
crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/projects/cro...
Pending proof reading, the #CrossChannelRail Final Report is ready 😀
17000 words, 82 pages, loads of maps, diagrams and photos, and all the TYPES OF TRAIN (8), STATIONS (63), & OPERATORS (7) assessed
Launch Monday - Bruxelles & online
crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/projects/cro...
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
What life under competitive authoritarianism looks like
November 13, 2025 at 7:35 PM
What life under competitive authoritarianism looks like
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
That’s all folks. The policy process is shattered
"The Dept of State is designating German-based Antifa Ost, along with 3 other violent Antifa groups in Italy and Greece, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists and intends to designate all four groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, effective November 20, 2025" www.state.gov/releases/off...
Terrorist Designations of Antifa Ost and Three Other Violent Antifa Groups - United States Department of State
Today, building on President Trump’s historic commitment to confront Antifa’s campaign of political violence, the Department of State is designating German-based Antifa Ost, along with three other vio...
www.state.gov
November 13, 2025 at 7:04 PM
That’s all folks. The policy process is shattered
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
Carnegie has an insightful new report on China’s overseas police cooperation—building on recent work by the authors to create a new dataset for Chinese security cooperation globally: carnegieendowment.org/research/202...
China’s Foreign Police Training: A Global Footprint
New data reveal how China’s foreign police training programs have become an integral part of Beijing’s strategy to remake global security.
carnegieendowment.org
November 13, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Carnegie has an insightful new report on China’s overseas police cooperation—building on recent work by the authors to create a new dataset for Chinese security cooperation globally: carnegieendowment.org/research/202...
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
Last month, two exiled Venezuelan activists were shot in Bogota, Colombia, in what looks like a case of violent transnational repression freedomhouse.org/article/tnr-...
TNR Watch: Venezuelan Transnational Repression
A recent attack on two Venezuelan activists in Bogotá underscores the vulnerability of President Nicolás Maduro’s critics who have been driven into exile.
freedomhouse.org
November 13, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Last month, two exiled Venezuelan activists were shot in Bogota, Colombia, in what looks like a case of violent transnational repression freedomhouse.org/article/tnr-...
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
Armenia's election, like it or not, is being fought by outside actors as well. Russia and parts of the US diaspora have a new candidate to unseat Nikol Pashinyan. Pashinyan needs help to demonstrate progress in his Real Armenia agenda. My latest for @carnegieeurope.bsky.social
Ahead of the 2026 Armenian election, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan faces fierce opposition from Russia and the diaspora.
He will need the help of Europe, the United States, and regional neighbours to advance his foreign policy, writes @tomdewaal.bsky.social
carnegieendowment.org/europe/strat...
He will need the help of Europe, the United States, and regional neighbours to advance his foreign policy, writes @tomdewaal.bsky.social
carnegieendowment.org/europe/strat...
Armenia's Election Is a Foreign Affair
As the 2026 Armenian election approaches, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is facing fierce opposition from both Russia and the diaspora. He will need the help of Europe, the United States, and regional...
carnegieendowment.org
November 13, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Armenia's election, like it or not, is being fought by outside actors as well. Russia and parts of the US diaspora have a new candidate to unseat Nikol Pashinyan. Pashinyan needs help to demonstrate progress in his Real Armenia agenda. My latest for @carnegieeurope.bsky.social
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
EuroParliament’s strong text on #TransnationalRepression is milestone in EU’s needed response to attacks by repressive states against nationals beyond borders.
@ec.europa.eu @eudiplomacy.bsky.social should protect & prevent, hold states responsible to account
www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...
@ec.europa.eu @eudiplomacy.bsky.social should protect & prevent, hold states responsible to account
www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...
November 13, 2025 at 11:42 AM
EuroParliament’s strong text on #TransnationalRepression is milestone in EU’s needed response to attacks by repressive states against nationals beyond borders.
@ec.europa.eu @eudiplomacy.bsky.social should protect & prevent, hold states responsible to account
www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...
@ec.europa.eu @eudiplomacy.bsky.social should protect & prevent, hold states responsible to account
www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...
Ouch!
It's why Labour is always happier when it's second in the table
Just occurred to me that the real conspiratorial coup inside the Labour Party is that it's been run exclusively by Arsenal fans for a whole decade now.
November 13, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Ouch!
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
Croatia’s decision to bar entry to the most prominent investigative journalist in the W. Balkans is another major red flag of Zagreb’s lurch towards illiberalism. I trust @efjeurope.bsky.social will make a statement condemning this clear act of censorship by an EU govt. odgovor.ba/article/4483/
Prominent Bosnian Investigative Journalist Avdo Avdić Denied Entry into Croatia
According to Avdić, Croatian border police at the Gradiška crossing handed him an official notice stating that his entry into the country was prohibited. The document cited that his name appears in th...
odgovor.ba
November 12, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Croatia’s decision to bar entry to the most prominent investigative journalist in the W. Balkans is another major red flag of Zagreb’s lurch towards illiberalism. I trust @efjeurope.bsky.social will make a statement condemning this clear act of censorship by an EU govt. odgovor.ba/article/4483/
"If its agents are able to operate [Russia] reaps the rewards from intelligence material & from work to destroy European targets...if its agents are caught, the exile community & some Western European politicians begin to view the presence of Russian exiles in their countries as a potential threat."
Truth and Consequences: Russia’s Exiles Shudder at Spy Claims | "Russia’s intensive intelligence operations against the exile community are having some success, with profound implications." @andreisoldatov.bsky.social and Irina Borogan
Truth and Consequences: Russia’s Exiles Shudder at Spy Claims
Russia’s intensive intelligence operations against the exile community are having some success, with profound implications.
cepa.org
November 12, 2025 at 3:18 PM
"If its agents are able to operate [Russia] reaps the rewards from intelligence material & from work to destroy European targets...if its agents are caught, the exile community & some Western European politicians begin to view the presence of Russian exiles in their countries as a potential threat."
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
This is the march the Polish president chose to grace with his presence today.
November 11, 2025 at 6:45 PM
This is the march the Polish president chose to grace with his presence today.
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
V. good from Bonica:
'When your “negotiation” is just agreeing to stop inflicting pain, it’s extortion, not compromise. And when the opposition accepts those terms, they teach you that inflicting pain works.'
'When your “negotiation” is just agreeing to stop inflicting pain, it’s extortion, not compromise. And when the opposition accepts those terms, they teach you that inflicting pain works.'
The Compassion Trap: How the Shutdown Weaponized Democratic Values Against Democracy Itself
When Opposition Parties Stop Fighting Because the Cruelty Becomes Unbearable. And Why They Shouldn't.
data4democracy.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:28 PM
V. good from Bonica:
'When your “negotiation” is just agreeing to stop inflicting pain, it’s extortion, not compromise. And when the opposition accepts those terms, they teach you that inflicting pain works.'
'When your “negotiation” is just agreeing to stop inflicting pain, it’s extortion, not compromise. And when the opposition accepts those terms, they teach you that inflicting pain works.'
I'm of the generation for which this conflict was the first one we witnessed "live" in the news and must confess I had not heard of this story. Shocking is too weak a word.
The horror of the aggression against Bosnia: "Prosecutors in Milan have opened an investigation into Italians who allegedly paid members of the Bosnian Serb army for trips to Sarajevo so that they could kill citizens during the four-year siege of the city". www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Milan prosecutors investigate alleged ‘sniper tourism’ during Bosnian war
Groups from Italy and elsewhere alleged to have paid Serb soldiers to shoot Sarajevo residents during siege
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:11 PM
I'm of the generation for which this conflict was the first one we witnessed "live" in the news and must confess I had not heard of this story. Shocking is too weak a word.
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
The Kyiv Independent celebrates its 4-year anniversary and launches its largest membership campaign to reach 25,000 paying members by the end of 2025.
November 11, 2025 at 4:23 PM
The Kyiv Independent celebrates its 4-year anniversary and launches its largest membership campaign to reach 25,000 paying members by the end of 2025.
The first five words make the rest redundant, I'd say.
Now that Dems have capitulated, at the very least they should now make every future extension of funding contingent on Trump following the law. Any lawbreaking must be met with: No more votes from us, period.
My exchange with @brianbeutler.bsky.social on that point:
newrepublic.com/article/2029...
My exchange with @brianbeutler.bsky.social on that point:
newrepublic.com/article/2029...
November 11, 2025 at 5:05 PM
The first five words make the rest redundant, I'd say.
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
A brief yet complete history of EU - Russia #visa relationship.
@aivengo96.bsky.social
ridl.io/the-visa-fre...
@aivengo96.bsky.social
ridl.io/the-visa-fre...
The Visa-Free Litmus Test – Riddle Russia
Alexey Uvarov on the twists and turns of Russia
ridl.io
November 11, 2025 at 4:42 PM
A brief yet complete history of EU - Russia #visa relationship.
@aivengo96.bsky.social
ridl.io/the-visa-fre...
@aivengo96.bsky.social
ridl.io/the-visa-fre...
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
This Veterans Day, Americans may like to know a wide coalition of Dutch political parties in Limburg are fighting back against the removal of 2 panels commemorating black veterans at Margraten US WOII cemetery ↘️ www.dutchnews.nl/2025/11/call...
Calls for permanent memorial in Limburg to black US liberators - DutchNews.nl
Provincial councillors in Limburg have called for a permanent memorial to black American servicemen to be erected next to the US war cemetery in Margraten after it emerged that panels commemorating th...
www.dutchnews.nl
November 11, 2025 at 2:14 PM
This Veterans Day, Americans may like to know a wide coalition of Dutch political parties in Limburg are fighting back against the removal of 2 panels commemorating black veterans at Margraten US WOII cemetery ↘️ www.dutchnews.nl/2025/11/call...
1. Read books and learn things?
2. Play them like sped-up muzak while Master-of-the-Universing and get schooled in public?
Choices.
2. Play them like sped-up muzak while Master-of-the-Universing and get schooled in public?
Choices.
The Iliad is not about fighting for princesses; the abduction of Helen is a macguffin that happened 10 years earlier. It’s actually about how Achilles pouted in his tent until his snit gets his boyfriend killed, at which point he gets big mad and starts murderating. And what was the snit about?
*maximum alpha at 1.25x speed* continuously lives on in my head, unfortunately.
November 11, 2025 at 4:16 PM
1. Read books and learn things?
2. Play them like sped-up muzak while Master-of-the-Universing and get schooled in public?
Choices.
2. Play them like sped-up muzak while Master-of-the-Universing and get schooled in public?
Choices.
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
“For decades, Iranians fleeing persecution have found protection in the United States. But this fall, the Trump administration deported a planeload of people to Iran after making a deal with Tehran.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/w...
‘It Feels Like I’m in a Nightmare’: Inside the First Deportation Flight to Iran
www.nytimes.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:51 PM
“For decades, Iranians fleeing persecution have found protection in the United States. But this fall, the Trump administration deported a planeload of people to Iran after making a deal with Tehran.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/w...
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
🔴 BREAKING: A Turkish military cargo plane has crashed on the Georgia–Azerbaijan border while en route to Turkey from Azerbaijan.
🔗Read more: oc-media.org/turkish-mili...
🔗Read more: oc-media.org/turkish-mili...
November 11, 2025 at 1:11 PM
🔴 BREAKING: A Turkish military cargo plane has crashed on the Georgia–Azerbaijan border while en route to Turkey from Azerbaijan.
🔗Read more: oc-media.org/turkish-mili...
🔗Read more: oc-media.org/turkish-mili...
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
Jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has been charged with an incredibly long list of alledged crimes, incl. various forms of corruption and leading a criminal organization. All would add up to more than 2400 years (!!) in prison. He is being completely wiped out out Turkish politics.
İBB iddianamesinde Ekrem İmamoğlu hakkında 2430 yıl hapis talep edildi
www.birgun.net/haber/ibb-id...
www.birgun.net/haber/ibb-id...
İBB iddianamesi tamamlandı: Erdoğan'ın sözleri 4 ayrı yerde
İBB iddianamesine ilişkin açıklama yapan İstanbul Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı İBB Başkanı Ekrem İmamoğlu'nda 142 ayrı suçlama isnat etti. İddianamede 4 ayrı yerde Erdoğan'ın sıklıkla kullandığı "ahtapot k...
www.birgun.net
November 11, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has been charged with an incredibly long list of alledged crimes, incl. various forms of corruption and leading a criminal organization. All would add up to more than 2400 years (!!) in prison. He is being completely wiped out out Turkish politics.
Reposted by Nicolas Bouchet
Anyway if you're a very sharp analyst within a particular discipline/policy domain, then becoming successful and subsequently succumbing to the temptation of all-purpose punditry is one of the most dangerous roads to damnation.
November 11, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Anyway if you're a very sharp analyst within a particular discipline/policy domain, then becoming successful and subsequently succumbing to the temptation of all-purpose punditry is one of the most dangerous roads to damnation.