Ulrike Franke
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rikefranke.bsky.social
Ulrike Franke
@rikefranke.bsky.social
Senior Fellow at European Council on Foreign Relations. #Drone politics PhD @ox.ac.uk. Previously at, and now teaching @SciencesPo.bsky.social. Writes about all things #Germany #Defence #miltech. Podcast host at @SicherheitsPod.de & LeCollimateur
Reposted by Ulrike Franke
Interesting new study shows what I would argue is one of the biggest changes of the last year:

Over 70% of Germans say “What happens on the world stage has (rather) a major impact on my life and my everyday routine.”

Study by @moreincommonde.bsky.social

www.moreincommon.de/wp-content/u...
November 11, 2025 at 6:36 AM
With regard to Russia, Germans still aren’t sure what happened. 39% say Germany “has shown too much understanding for Russia” in recent years. But 26% say it didn’t show enough. And 23% say it was just right, so the problem was elsewhere. 🤷‍♀️
November 11, 2025 at 7:29 AM
I found this incredibly insightful!

(Title badly chosen though because ppl will think of Merkel’s Russia or migration politics and this is about neither!)

www.zeit.de/politik/2025...
Vicente Valentim: "Angela Merkel lag richtig"
Haben Menschen früher rechter gedacht, als sie gewählt haben? Der Forscher Vicente Valentim sagt, dass wir eine Ursache für den Erfolg extrem rechter Parteien übersehen.
www.zeit.de
November 11, 2025 at 7:25 AM
56% of Germans say that “If Russia attacks a NATO country such as Lithuania or Poland, then Germany should provide military support.”

And before you scream “35% of Germans don’t want to honour article 5!!!” - that’s not actually what is asked here. Article 5 isn’t automatically military.
November 11, 2025 at 7:16 AM
The Zeiten, they are wending.

61% of Germans say their country invested too little in its military capabilities.
66% say we relied too much on the US for our security.
November 11, 2025 at 6:47 AM
That’s a lot.

67% of Germans say that “When in doubt, we can and should no longer rely on military assistance from the US.”

Study: www.moreincommon.de/wp-content/u...
November 11, 2025 at 6:39 AM
Interesting new study shows what I would argue is one of the biggest changes of the last year:

Over 70% of Germans say “What happens on the world stage has (rather) a major impact on my life and my everyday routine.”

Study by @moreincommonde.bsky.social

www.moreincommon.de/wp-content/u...
November 11, 2025 at 6:36 AM
Reposted by Ulrike Franke
Oops. Ooooooooooooops.

I do hope that nobody has been given or denied a job/promotion based on their SpringerNature citation counts in the past 15 years.

arxiv.org/pdf/2511.01675

h/t @nathlarigaldie.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 2:02 PM
On my way, Switzerland!
November 11, 2025 at 6:17 AM
Reposted by Ulrike Franke
Quick thread on the BBC and the political and societal significance of recent developments:

One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
November 10, 2025 at 1:43 PM
It’s been my pleasure to moderate the first discussion at the “Club of Three” which brings together my three favourite nations and homes: Germany, France, and the UK

With Ben Hall, Charles Fries, and Philippe Errera
November 10, 2025 at 6:41 PM
So… how best to answer an “invitation” to speak at a private event with no benefit to my work, in another country, for which they neither plan to pay a honorarium nor cover travel costs (no really)?
November 10, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Reposted by Ulrike Franke
Reposted by Ulrike Franke
This is a good article on the changes in warfare brought about by drones. And the changes in the character of war happening during this war.

www.cbc.ca/news/world/u...
November 10, 2025 at 11:12 AM
“I've been a commander for seven months now," said Vova. "In that time, about 2,000 guys have passed through my unit. Three-quarters of them are no longer here. It's only because they have given their lives that we are sitting here now, instead of the Russians."

www.cbc.ca/news/world/u...
In Donbas, Ukrainian troops fight off endless Russian assaults | CBC News
In Dobropillia, a coal-mining town just a few kilometres from the front line with Russia in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, its few remaining inhabitants shuffle to find food or water under the const...
www.cbc.ca
November 10, 2025 at 11:16 AM
This is a good article on the changes in warfare brought about by drones. And the changes in the character of war happening during this war.

www.cbc.ca/news/world/u...
November 10, 2025 at 11:12 AM
So, just the normal stuff your carmaker knows about you.
🤯

(From Byron Tau’s Means of Control, which you should read)

#talkaboutSurveillanceCapitalism
November 10, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Reposted by Ulrike Franke
The power balance between the state and private companies is changing - because of technology, and because of war.

I gave this talk a while ago but only just now realised it was filmed. Maybe of interest 👇

Full talk www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMia...
November 9, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Reposted by Ulrike Franke
Just got the best out-of-office message I've ever seen from a fellow academic:

"I am currently away on leave. If this is an emergency... well, I doubt it. What could possibly be an emergency in my line of work?"
November 8, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Reposted by Ulrike Franke
French fishermen are sending fishing nets to Ukraine to protect against Russian drones

Fishermen from the coast of Brittany have created a organization,Kernic Solidarités,to aid Ukraine 🇺🇦.They have already sent 2shipments of horsehair fishing nets,totaling 280km in length,according to The Guardian
November 9, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Reposted by Ulrike Franke
Understaffed FAA Recommends Pilots Just Go With Their Gut https://theonion.com/understaffed-faa-recommends-pilots-just-go-with-their-gut/
November 7, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Reposted by Ulrike Franke
Must listen
Check out the latest Russia Contingency. I join the head of Lasar’s Group, one of Ukraine’s best and lesser known drone units to talk about their experience, how drone use is evolving, adaptation on both sides, and what the future holds.
@WarOnTheRocks warontherocks.com/episode/ther...
Ukrainian Drone Unit Commander Shares Lessons from the Front - War on the Rocks
warontherocks.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:58 PM