Tom Theuns
@tomtheuns.bsky.social
Assoc. Prof. Political Theory & European Politics, Leiden University
Democracy | EU | PI NWO Veni 2021-2025
Out now: PROTECTING DEMOCRACY IN EUROPE https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9781911723745
Prev. UWC; Maastricht; Oxford; Sciences Po
Democracy | EU | PI NWO Veni 2021-2025
Out now: PROTECTING DEMOCRACY IN EUROPE https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9781911723745
Prev. UWC; Maastricht; Oxford; Sciences Po
Pinned
Tom Theuns
@tomtheuns.bsky.social
· Dec 9
As a first-time author there have been a few ‘pinch myself’ moments these past few weeks.
Seeing my book for the first time in the wild* today is definitely one of them.
*at the American Book Center in The Hague
Seeing my book for the first time in the wild* today is definitely one of them.
*at the American Book Center in The Hague
In this dark season, it was a welcome homecoming to give a lecture as part of the Studium Generale series at my alma mater, Maastricht University.
The lecture covers the broad brushes of the argument I make in my book, Protecting Democracy in Europe (Hurst/OUP)
m.youtube.com/watch?v=JInB...
The lecture covers the broad brushes of the argument I make in my book, Protecting Democracy in Europe (Hurst/OUP)
m.youtube.com/watch?v=JInB...
Lecture | Protecting Democracy in Europe | Tom Theuns
YouTube video by Studium Generale Maastricht University
m.youtube.com
February 4, 2026 at 11:49 AM
In this dark season, it was a welcome homecoming to give a lecture as part of the Studium Generale series at my alma mater, Maastricht University.
The lecture covers the broad brushes of the argument I make in my book, Protecting Democracy in Europe (Hurst/OUP)
m.youtube.com/watch?v=JInB...
The lecture covers the broad brushes of the argument I make in my book, Protecting Democracy in Europe (Hurst/OUP)
m.youtube.com/watch?v=JInB...
Jetten as Clegg and Bontenball as Cameron works quite well as analogies go, but there is also Yesilgoz, who is more Badenoch than May politically
BlueSky reaction to the new Dutch coalition is bizarre to me. A lot of (decent, clever) people on here whose reaction to a pretty centrist, bog standard coalition is to react as if the NSB are back.
You thought Jetten was Obama and he turned out to be Nick Clegg. It’s not the end of the world!
You thought Jetten was Obama and he turned out to be Nick Clegg. It’s not the end of the world!
February 4, 2026 at 9:24 AM
Jetten as Clegg and Bontenball as Cameron works quite well as analogies go, but there is also Yesilgoz, who is more Badenoch than May politically
more and more conspiracists here recently I've noticed. Be aware my fingers deploy supercharged blocking technology
February 3, 2026 at 2:18 PM
more and more conspiracists here recently I've noticed. Be aware my fingers deploy supercharged blocking technology
0,02pts is rounding up too, it's more like 0,013pts...
February 3, 2026 at 10:58 AM
0,02pts is rounding up too, it's more like 0,013pts...
One for the slides.
0.02pt increase presented as >150pts
0.02pt increase presented as >150pts
February 3, 2026 at 7:26 AM
One for the slides.
0.02pt increase presented as >150pts
0.02pt increase presented as >150pts
Careful for the ice
February 2, 2026 at 8:59 PM
Careful for the ice
Reposted by Tom Theuns
I'm very happy to be teaching a course on Politics, Opera and Philosophy this year for the Honours Academy in Leiden. We'll focus on Mozart's Nozze di Figaro. Open to all MA students at Leiden University. Registration open now!
Spread the word! @unileiden.bsky.social @leidenhumanities.bsky.social
Spread the word! @unileiden.bsky.social @leidenhumanities.bsky.social
Politics, Opera and Philosophy, 2025-2026 - Prospectus - Universiteit Leiden
studiegids.universiteitleiden.nl
February 2, 2026 at 7:19 PM
I'm very happy to be teaching a course on Politics, Opera and Philosophy this year for the Honours Academy in Leiden. We'll focus on Mozart's Nozze di Figaro. Open to all MA students at Leiden University. Registration open now!
Spread the word! @unileiden.bsky.social @leidenhumanities.bsky.social
Spread the word! @unileiden.bsky.social @leidenhumanities.bsky.social
Reposted by Tom Theuns
🇸🇰🇪🇺⚖️It took a while, but the Commission is finally, belatedly, getting tough on Fico's softcore rule of law crisis. While not as severe as in 🇭🇺🇵🇱, the slowly crawling dismantling of checks and balances by the Slovak government is finally getting the attention it deserves. 1/
February 2, 2026 at 10:33 AM
🇸🇰🇪🇺⚖️It took a while, but the Commission is finally, belatedly, getting tough on Fico's softcore rule of law crisis. While not as severe as in 🇭🇺🇵🇱, the slowly crawling dismantling of checks and balances by the Slovak government is finally getting the attention it deserves. 1/
Reposted by Tom Theuns
If Orban loses the election in Hungary on April 12th to Peter Magyar it’s going to be massive for Europe and the entire democratic world. Orban largely created the populist-right formula for autocratic takeover of a democracy which was copied by MAGA’s Project 2025. 1/12
For over a year, polls have put Hungary’s opposition party ahead of Viktor Orban’s. But a big lead in the polls is no guarantee of an election victory
Viktor Orban may lose his next election
He trails in polls, but the rules favour Trump’s man in Hungary
econ.st
February 1, 2026 at 2:44 PM
If Orban loses the election in Hungary on April 12th to Peter Magyar it’s going to be massive for Europe and the entire democratic world. Orban largely created the populist-right formula for autocratic takeover of a democracy which was copied by MAGA’s Project 2025. 1/12
Incredible censorship skills too. Could be anyone really
February 1, 2026 at 11:17 AM
Incredible censorship skills too. Could be anyone really
Reposted by Tom Theuns
Worth noting as this may be the 1st time the activation of Art 7(1) in respect of Hungary has led a court in another EUMS to find the asylum application of a 🇭🇺 citizen admissible on account of Protocol no 24, point (b) before granting the application
@tinekestrik.bsky.social @petrabard.bsky.social
@tinekestrik.bsky.social @petrabard.bsky.social
An Italian court has recognised refugee status for an EU citizen - a Hungarian national who faces persecution for being Roma and transgender
Analysis by Chiara Scissa:
eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2026/01/mutu...
Analysis by Chiara Scissa:
eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2026/01/mutu...
Mutual trust does not supersede human rights! Italian judges unprecedently recognize the refugee status to an EU citizen
Dr. Chiara Scissa * Photo credit : Bologna Tribunal, photo by Alex Sirac via Wikimedia Commons * Research fellow in EU law at the Uni...
eulawanalysis.blogspot.com
January 31, 2026 at 7:30 AM
Worth noting as this may be the 1st time the activation of Art 7(1) in respect of Hungary has led a court in another EUMS to find the asylum application of a 🇭🇺 citizen admissible on account of Protocol no 24, point (b) before granting the application
@tinekestrik.bsky.social @petrabard.bsky.social
@tinekestrik.bsky.social @petrabard.bsky.social
that feels too quick. Orban can only afford to play russian roulette on dossiers that speak to his electorate. support for ukraine for example. so going to a CoW there would really mean taking away some of his chips. budget conditionality and unanimity in eg the MFF is a lasting problem though.
January 30, 2026 at 1:01 PM
that feels too quick. Orban can only afford to play russian roulette on dossiers that speak to his electorate. support for ukraine for example. so going to a CoW there would really mean taking away some of his chips. budget conditionality and unanimity in eg the MFF is a lasting problem though.
Wouldn’t be the first time firefighters arose desire
1903: Don't build a fire station! It will arouse desire for a library.
January 30, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Wouldn’t be the first time firefighters arose desire
interesting thread. One of the complications for me though is that some MS (especially Hungary) use unanimity rules in some areas to extort concessions in areas with qmv. In that context, coalitions of the willing can be a powerful way to circumvent
January 30, 2026 at 11:57 AM
interesting thread. One of the complications for me though is that some MS (especially Hungary) use unanimity rules in some areas to extort concessions in areas with qmv. In that context, coalitions of the willing can be a powerful way to circumvent
That’s the ‘permanent early medieval’ period
January 28, 2026 at 5:03 PM
That’s the ‘permanent early medieval’ period
I wish that were the case, Jonas.
January 28, 2026 at 3:20 PM
I wish that were the case, Jonas.
The paper is here:
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
You can see and play with all the data here:
inequalities.ai
@geoplace.bsky.social
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
You can see and play with all the data here:
inequalities.ai
@geoplace.bsky.social
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
January 28, 2026 at 1:30 PM
The paper is here:
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
You can see and play with all the data here:
inequalities.ai
@geoplace.bsky.social
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
You can see and play with all the data here:
inequalities.ai
@geoplace.bsky.social
I've been down rabbitholes with LLMs a few times, but was pretty shocked at the extent of the bias/racism.
For example, even after ranking some Asian countries (Singapore, Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan) highly, the heatmap coloured them all red.
Yet another confirmation LLMs amplify bias.
2/2
For example, even after ranking some Asian countries (Singapore, Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan) highly, the heatmap coloured them all red.
Yet another confirmation LLMs amplify bias.
2/2
January 28, 2026 at 1:30 PM
I've been down rabbitholes with LLMs a few times, but was pretty shocked at the extent of the bias/racism.
For example, even after ranking some Asian countries (Singapore, Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan) highly, the heatmap coloured them all red.
Yet another confirmation LLMs amplify bias.
2/2
For example, even after ranking some Asian countries (Singapore, Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan) highly, the heatmap coloured them all red.
Yet another confirmation LLMs amplify bias.
2/2
THE SILICON GAZE
After reading a really interesting paper from @oii.ox.ac.uk (link below), I asked ChatGPT (version 5.2) to give an ranking of countries by IQ, 'extrapolating' and 'estimating' where data was not available.
I then asked it to provide an 'approximate' heat map of the estimates
1/2
After reading a really interesting paper from @oii.ox.ac.uk (link below), I asked ChatGPT (version 5.2) to give an ranking of countries by IQ, 'extrapolating' and 'estimating' where data was not available.
I then asked it to provide an 'approximate' heat map of the estimates
1/2
January 28, 2026 at 1:30 PM
THE SILICON GAZE
After reading a really interesting paper from @oii.ox.ac.uk (link below), I asked ChatGPT (version 5.2) to give an ranking of countries by IQ, 'extrapolating' and 'estimating' where data was not available.
I then asked it to provide an 'approximate' heat map of the estimates
1/2
After reading a really interesting paper from @oii.ox.ac.uk (link below), I asked ChatGPT (version 5.2) to give an ranking of countries by IQ, 'extrapolating' and 'estimating' where data was not available.
I then asked it to provide an 'approximate' heat map of the estimates
1/2
Reposted by Tom Theuns
#Hungary’s elections matter for the EU as a whole. But the opposition’s path is fraught with obstacles, from a lopsided electoral system to the extraordinary difficulty of restoring democracy even if they win. 🇭🇺 🇪🇺
New insight by @zecsaky.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/MtJXrKQ
New insight by @zecsaky.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/MtJXrKQ
January 26, 2026 at 12:02 PM
#Hungary’s elections matter for the EU as a whole. But the opposition’s path is fraught with obstacles, from a lopsided electoral system to the extraordinary difficulty of restoring democracy even if they win. 🇭🇺 🇪🇺
New insight by @zecsaky.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/MtJXrKQ
New insight by @zecsaky.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/MtJXrKQ
Reposted by Tom Theuns
Veel informatie, weinig overzicht. Joop van Holsteijn, @tomlouwerse.nl, Cynthia van Vonno en ik onderzochten welke informatiebronnen Kamerleden gebruiken, waar het wringt en wat dit betekent voor de kwaliteit van het Kamerwerk. www.montesquieu-instituut.nl/9394000/1/j9... @polscileiden.bsky.social
Informatie in de Tweede Kamer: inzichten uit het Parlementsonderzoek 2025
Goed parlementair functioneren staat of valt met goede informatie. De Tweede Kamer moet beleid beoordelen, de regering controleren en signalen uit de …
www.montesquieu-instituut.nl
January 26, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Veel informatie, weinig overzicht. Joop van Holsteijn, @tomlouwerse.nl, Cynthia van Vonno en ik onderzochten welke informatiebronnen Kamerleden gebruiken, waar het wringt en wat dit betekent voor de kwaliteit van het Kamerwerk. www.montesquieu-instituut.nl/9394000/1/j9... @polscileiden.bsky.social
"7mn centre and centre-right voters had become politically homeless"
so they are to the right of the right of Labour and to the left of the left of the Cons but nothing (nothing!) like the libdems.
good luck with that
so they are to the right of the right of Labour and to the left of the left of the Cons but nothing (nothing!) like the libdems.
good luck with that
The culture change that the Conservative left need to pull this off is to become just a *little* bit more like the Labour right (and vice versa):
Former Tory heavyweights launch new centre-right movement
Prosper UK aims to pull Conservative party back to middle ground and counter rise of Reform UK
www.ft.com
January 26, 2026 at 5:00 PM
"7mn centre and centre-right voters had become politically homeless"
so they are to the right of the right of Labour and to the left of the left of the Cons but nothing (nothing!) like the libdems.
good luck with that
so they are to the right of the right of Labour and to the left of the left of the Cons but nothing (nothing!) like the libdems.
good luck with that
Reposted by Tom Theuns
For Dutch people: here's the petition to sign to support a boycott of the World Cup in the USA: actie.degoedezaak.org/petitions/bo...
January 24, 2026 at 8:39 PM
For Dutch people: here's the petition to sign to support a boycott of the World Cup in the USA: actie.degoedezaak.org/petitions/bo...