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
Reposted by Tom Theuns
🇭🇺 EXCLUSIVE: An in-depth look at how Viktor Orbán and Fidesz underestimated Péter Magyar until it was too late. Direkt36 reveals how Orbán’s spring offensive against him backfired—fueling internal tensions and exposing cracks inside the government.
”The situation is tense” – How Orbán has tried overcome Fidesz’s internal crisis - Direkt36
Fidesz underestimated opposition leader Péter Magyar so much that they realized too late that he posed a real threat to them. Direkt36 reveals how Viktor Orbán launched his spring offensive against Magyar and how this caused tensions within the government.
www.direkt36.hu
November 15, 2025 at 5:38 PM
🇭🇺 EXCLUSIVE: An in-depth look at how Viktor Orbán and Fidesz underestimated Péter Magyar until it was too late. Direkt36 reveals how Orbán’s spring offensive against him backfired—fueling internal tensions and exposing cracks inside the government.
Reposted by Tom Theuns
Big kudos to this economist for calling out sexism in his discipline.
Obviously, political science has its own well-known prominent sexists and institutional sexism. So much work still to be done — and, importantly, this work should be done (also) by men!
Obviously, political science has its own well-known prominent sexists and institutional sexism. So much work still to be done — and, importantly, this work should be done (also) by men!
1/ Egalitarianism should begin at home. I link to this article by @bencasselman.bsky.social in light of the communications between Larry Summers and Jeffrey Epstein that have just been released. The released emails and the fact of friendship are vile.
www.nytimes.com/2021/02/23/b...
www.nytimes.com/2021/02/23/b...
For Women in Economics, the Hostility Is Out in the Open (Published 2021)
www.nytimes.com
November 15, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Big kudos to this economist for calling out sexism in his discipline.
Obviously, political science has its own well-known prominent sexists and institutional sexism. So much work still to be done — and, importantly, this work should be done (also) by men!
Obviously, political science has its own well-known prominent sexists and institutional sexism. So much work still to be done — and, importantly, this work should be done (also) by men!
The anti-racist Kick Out Zwarte Piet activist group ceased operations today. Heroes. This is what winning looks like.
Six years ago the Sinterklaas parade in Gouda was maybe 80% full blackface. Now it’s 0%. The kids haven’t noticed and no-one cares.
November 15, 2025 at 1:09 PM
The anti-racist Kick Out Zwarte Piet activist group ceased operations today. Heroes. This is what winning looks like.
My 9yo told me he’d done his homework at the daycare. I told him this was impossible. He showed me his finished work. I told him the problem was conceptual not empirical. Now he’s annoyed at me.
November 13, 2025 at 6:21 AM
My 9yo told me he’d done his homework at the daycare. I told him this was impossible. He showed me his finished work. I told him the problem was conceptual not empirical. Now he’s annoyed at me.
Reposted by Tom Theuns
Back on NU.nl ( www.nu.nl/321468/video... ) who have been following Péter Magyar’s rise from the very beginning - @umceehub.bsky.social @ceudeminst.bsky.social
November 12, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Back on NU.nl ( www.nu.nl/321468/video... ) who have been following Péter Magyar’s rise from the very beginning - @umceehub.bsky.social @ceudeminst.bsky.social
AI and assessment in higher education:
Notwithstanding all the lengthy reports, committees, and handwringing, are we any further than “back to on-campus exams”?
Notwithstanding all the lengthy reports, committees, and handwringing, are we any further than “back to on-campus exams”?
November 10, 2025 at 1:53 PM
AI and assessment in higher education:
Notwithstanding all the lengthy reports, committees, and handwringing, are we any further than “back to on-campus exams”?
Notwithstanding all the lengthy reports, committees, and handwringing, are we any further than “back to on-campus exams”?
Reposted by Tom Theuns
If you are a student (or staff member) at Sciences Po Paris, please join us Friday to discuss the outcome of the Dutch elections
November 4, 2025 at 1:33 PM
If you are a student (or staff member) at Sciences Po Paris, please join us Friday to discuss the outcome of the Dutch elections
exo-dodo-dus
November 3, 2025 at 4:17 PM
exo-dodo-dus
Reposted by Tom Theuns
Maandag riepen @catherinedevries.bsky.social en @simonhix.bsky.social op tot een hogere kiesdrempel in de hoop dat dat de bestuurbaarheid van NL zal vergroten.
@simonotjes.bsky.social en ik leggen uit waarom een hogere kiesdrempel die bestuurbaarheidsproblemen niet oplost.
fd.nl/opinie/15758...
@simonotjes.bsky.social en ik leggen uit waarom een hogere kiesdrempel die bestuurbaarheidsproblemen niet oplost.
fd.nl/opinie/15758...
Hogere kiesdrempel bemoeilijkt politieke bestuurbaarheid
Een hogere kiesdrempel lijkt een logische reactie op de politieke versnippering, maar ze zou Nederland juist minder bestuurbaar maken. Kleine partijen fungeren vaak als smeerolie in het systeem, schri...
fd.nl
November 2, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Maandag riepen @catherinedevries.bsky.social en @simonhix.bsky.social op tot een hogere kiesdrempel in de hoop dat dat de bestuurbaarheid van NL zal vergroten.
@simonotjes.bsky.social en ik leggen uit waarom een hogere kiesdrempel die bestuurbaarheidsproblemen niet oplost.
fd.nl/opinie/15758...
@simonotjes.bsky.social en ik leggen uit waarom een hogere kiesdrempel die bestuurbaarheidsproblemen niet oplost.
fd.nl/opinie/15758...
Reposted by Tom Theuns
My take on the election outcome for PRX The World theworld.org/segments/202...
Far-right vote splinters in the Netherlands - The World from PRX
Exit polls show a center-left party gaining ground in the Netherlands’ national elections. That’s a setback for the far-right party of Geert Wilders, who expected a decisive win. But Sarah de Lange, a...
theworld.org
October 31, 2025 at 11:13 AM
My take on the election outcome for PRX The World theworld.org/segments/202...
Reposted by Tom Theuns
Deze verkiezingen behoren tot de top 3 meest veranderlijke ("volatiele") verkiezingen in Nederland. Zo'n 44 Kamerzetels verschieten van partijkleur /1
October 30, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Deze verkiezingen behoren tot de top 3 meest veranderlijke ("volatiele") verkiezingen in Nederland. Zo'n 44 Kamerzetels verschieten van partijkleur /1
Reposted by Tom Theuns
Ready to rumble!
Live commentary on exit poll and results with @tomwgvdmeer.bsky.social and yours truly from 8.30 PM till very late on NPO1
Live commentary on exit poll and results with @tomwgvdmeer.bsky.social and yours truly from 8.30 PM till very late on NPO1
October 29, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Ready to rumble!
Live commentary on exit poll and results with @tomwgvdmeer.bsky.social and yours truly from 8.30 PM till very late on NPO1
Live commentary on exit poll and results with @tomwgvdmeer.bsky.social and yours truly from 8.30 PM till very late on NPO1
It was a huge pleasure to talk with @fabienescalona.bsky.social @mediapart.fr about my book ‘Protecting Democracy in Europe’.
Merci Fabien !
Merci Fabien !
Le politiste Tom Theuns est l’auteur d’un ouvrage sur l’incapacité de l’Union à prévenir les dérives autoritaires de ses États membres. Il appelle à utiliser des outils juridiques négligés, et à refaire de la politique contre l’entente des autocrates.
Par @fabienescalona.bsky.social
Par @fabienescalona.bsky.social
« La réponse contre les reculs démocratiques dans l’UE a été ratée »
Le politiste Tom Theuns est l’auteur d’un ouvrage sur l’incapacité de l’Union à prévenir les dérives autoritaires de ses États membres. Il appelle à utiliser des outils juridiques négligés, et à refaire de la politique contre l’entente des autocrates.
l.mediapart.fr
October 25, 2025 at 3:04 PM
It was a huge pleasure to talk with @fabienescalona.bsky.social @mediapart.fr about my book ‘Protecting Democracy in Europe’.
Merci Fabien !
Merci Fabien !
Reposted by Tom Theuns
📣 Call for papers for a panel I organize with Amélie Bescont - 18th National Congress of the French Political Science Association
“The Architectures of Democracy”
📅 Dates and venue: June 30 - July 2, 2026 in Lyon
📩 Proposals are due by December 7, 2025
drive.google.com/file/d/1sRuo...
“The Architectures of Democracy”
📅 Dates and venue: June 30 - July 2, 2026 in Lyon
📩 Proposals are due by December 7, 2025
drive.google.com/file/d/1sRuo...
October 24, 2025 at 6:39 AM
📣 Call for papers for a panel I organize with Amélie Bescont - 18th National Congress of the French Political Science Association
“The Architectures of Democracy”
📅 Dates and venue: June 30 - July 2, 2026 in Lyon
📩 Proposals are due by December 7, 2025
drive.google.com/file/d/1sRuo...
“The Architectures of Democracy”
📅 Dates and venue: June 30 - July 2, 2026 in Lyon
📩 Proposals are due by December 7, 2025
drive.google.com/file/d/1sRuo...
Looks like Trump’s ballroom will be ready just in time for the 2030 Pride Ball 🏳️🌈
October 23, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Looks like Trump’s ballroom will be ready just in time for the 2030 Pride Ball 🏳️🌈
The difficulty of interpreting Dutch election polls given the high number of floating/undecided voters is compounded by the generally high turnout of Dutch general elections (mid-70s).
Last few updates show relative stability, but remember that about half of Dutch voters are still undecided according to pollsters
The Peilingwijzer poll of polls for the Netherlands has been updated to include the latest poll of Verian/EenVandaag.
📊 📈 All graphs & figures: https://peilingwijzer.tomlouwerse.nl/
Source Verian/EenVandaag: https://is.gd/gbU9Di
📊 📈 All graphs & figures: https://peilingwijzer.tomlouwerse.nl/
Source Verian/EenVandaag: https://is.gd/gbU9Di
October 22, 2025 at 7:28 AM
The difficulty of interpreting Dutch election polls given the high number of floating/undecided voters is compounded by the generally high turnout of Dutch general elections (mid-70s).
Reposted by Tom Theuns
I have half an hour before my next interview so I'm going to sketch out what I find an important problem with the fashionable division of immigrants into "net contributors" and "net recipients" of government spending. 1/10
The argument of Lam, Philp and Badenoch would be "tell the net contributors they can stay & tell the others we are v sad to kick them out"
Maybe they would have retreated just on pragmatic reciprocity, though Lam is willing to forget about that in what she says here about her mass expulsion plans
Maybe they would have retreated just on pragmatic reciprocity, though Lam is willing to forget about that in what she says here about her mass expulsion plans
October 21, 2025 at 10:55 AM
I have half an hour before my next interview so I'm going to sketch out what I find an important problem with the fashionable division of immigrants into "net contributors" and "net recipients" of government spending. 1/10
Reposted by Tom Theuns
This probably sounds weird and technical, but it is crucial that EU member states use Article 259 TFEU to challenge democratic and rule of law backsliding in other member states, as I argue in my book.
Breaking EU rule of law protection news
Late on Thursday, the NL Parliament, by majority, instructed the NL government to initiate *Article 259 TFEU State-to-State infringement proceedings against Slovakia* over its recent constitutional change to limit LGBTIQ-rights & to deny supremacy of EU law
Late on Thursday, the NL Parliament, by majority, instructed the NL government to initiate *Article 259 TFEU State-to-State infringement proceedings against Slovakia* over its recent constitutional change to limit LGBTIQ-rights & to deny supremacy of EU law
October 20, 2025 at 10:23 AM
This probably sounds weird and technical, but it is crucial that EU member states use Article 259 TFEU to challenge democratic and rule of law backsliding in other member states, as I argue in my book.
This probably sounds weird and technical, but it is crucial that EU member states use Article 259 TFEU to challenge democratic and rule of law backsliding in other member states, as I argue in my book.
Breaking EU rule of law protection news
Late on Thursday, the NL Parliament, by majority, instructed the NL government to initiate *Article 259 TFEU State-to-State infringement proceedings against Slovakia* over its recent constitutional change to limit LGBTIQ-rights & to deny supremacy of EU law
Late on Thursday, the NL Parliament, by majority, instructed the NL government to initiate *Article 259 TFEU State-to-State infringement proceedings against Slovakia* over its recent constitutional change to limit LGBTIQ-rights & to deny supremacy of EU law
October 20, 2025 at 10:23 AM
This probably sounds weird and technical, but it is crucial that EU member states use Article 259 TFEU to challenge democratic and rule of law backsliding in other member states, as I argue in my book.
Reposted by Tom Theuns
Striking that the figure below has provoked much less response than @simonhix.bsky.social's preceding call for an electoral threshold in NL
It raises the genuine question how much fragmentation a party system can afford
The response can't just be: this is how we do things in NL
a few more thoughts:
It raises the genuine question how much fragmentation a party system can afford
The response can't just be: this is how we do things in NL
a few more thoughts:
What better to way to spend a Friday PM than calculating ENPV in NL?
=>
1. Dutch voters have no problem coordinating in EP elections, where the effective threshold is 3.1% (100 / 31+1);
2. The party system would still be fragmented in the TK with a 4% threshold, but with fewer parties overall.
=>
1. Dutch voters have no problem coordinating in EP elections, where the effective threshold is 3.1% (100 / 31+1);
2. The party system would still be fragmented in the TK with a 4% threshold, but with fewer parties overall.
October 18, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Striking that the figure below has provoked much less response than @simonhix.bsky.social's preceding call for an electoral threshold in NL
It raises the genuine question how much fragmentation a party system can afford
The response can't just be: this is how we do things in NL
a few more thoughts:
It raises the genuine question how much fragmentation a party system can afford
The response can't just be: this is how we do things in NL
a few more thoughts:
Happy No Kings to all who celebrate
October 18, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Happy No Kings to all who celebrate
Reposted by Tom Theuns
A reminder for those in Leiden/The Hague: Natasha Wunsch’s book talk is tomorrow at 5pm ☺️
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...
Lecture on the book Democratic Commitment: Why Citizens Tolerate Democratic Backsliding
On Thursday 16 October 2025, Natasha Wunsch, Professor of European Studies and co-director of the Centre for European Studies at the University of Fribourg, will present findings from her book Democra...
www.universiteitleiden.nl
October 15, 2025 at 10:46 AM
A reminder for those in Leiden/The Hague: Natasha Wunsch’s book talk is tomorrow at 5pm ☺️
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...
A reminder for those in Leiden/The Hague: Natasha Wunsch’s book talk is tomorrow at 5pm ☺️
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...
Lecture on the book Democratic Commitment: Why Citizens Tolerate Democratic Backsliding
On Thursday 16 October 2025, Natasha Wunsch, Professor of European Studies and co-director of the Centre for European Studies at the University of Fribourg, will present findings from her book Democra...
www.universiteitleiden.nl
October 15, 2025 at 10:46 AM
A reminder for those in Leiden/The Hague: Natasha Wunsch’s book talk is tomorrow at 5pm ☺️
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...
Reposted by Tom Theuns
📢 Democracy measured: Simon Otjes @simonotjes.bsky.social on political science and practice 🔍
Part of the series: Social Sciences Connect @leidensocial.bsky.social 🔗
Read the full interview here: www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2025...
Part of the series: Social Sciences Connect @leidensocial.bsky.social 🔗
Read the full interview here: www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2025...
Democracy measured: Simon Otjes on political science and practice
Political scientists study topics that affect society, but their work often remains out of the spotlight. Not always: the research of Leiden political scientist Simon Otjes does have a visible impact.
www.universiteitleiden.nl
October 14, 2025 at 3:01 PM
📢 Democracy measured: Simon Otjes @simonotjes.bsky.social on political science and practice 🔍
Part of the series: Social Sciences Connect @leidensocial.bsky.social 🔗
Read the full interview here: www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2025...
Part of the series: Social Sciences Connect @leidensocial.bsky.social 🔗
Read the full interview here: www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2025...