Seán Hanley
@drseanhanley.bsky.social
Assoc Professor in Comparative Central and East European Politics, UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies. Personal take on politics, Eastern Europe and suburbia.
Reposted by Seán Hanley
"The fact is that, through our own stupid fault, we’ve lost our status as the main Right-of-centre party. It’s now time to accept this loss — and focus instead on something we’ve gained....[W]e represent the neither/nor option i.e. neither unfettered populism nor a new coalition of chaos."
Peter Franklin: Here's a plot twist - could tactical voting save the Conservative Party? | Conservative Home
If a Tory candidate is reckoned more capable of beating Reform — as is plausible in parts of the country that were, until recently, True Blue — then tactical voting could make all the difference.
conservativehome.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:29 AM
"The fact is that, through our own stupid fault, we’ve lost our status as the main Right-of-centre party. It’s now time to accept this loss — and focus instead on something we’ve gained....[W]e represent the neither/nor option i.e. neither unfettered populism nor a new coalition of chaos."
Czechoslovak Legion could have prevented formation of Soviet Union claims Czech historian.
Now there’s a thought.
www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/magaz...
Now there’s a thought.
www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/magaz...
Československé legie mohly zabránit vzniku Sovětského svazu, říká historik
- Seznam Zprávy
Ke Dni válečných veteránů poskytl Seznam Zprávám rozhovor historik Jan Rychlík. Připomněl obrovské množství padlých Čechů v první světové válce, vliv války na vznik Československa i úspěchy legionářů,...
www.seznamzpravy.cz
November 11, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Czechoslovak Legion could have prevented formation of Soviet Union claims Czech historian.
Now there’s a thought.
www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/magaz...
Now there’s a thought.
www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/magaz...
Reposted by Seán Hanley
sometimes to read a book of poetry is to be reminded that another person is much funnier and better at expressing their pain than you are
November 10, 2025 at 11:59 AM
sometimes to read a book of poetry is to be reminded that another person is much funnier and better at expressing their pain than you are
Reposted by Seán Hanley
Slovak prosecutor decides giving #Ukraine fighter jets was not a crime
www.politico.eu/article/slov... #Slovakia #Putinswar #Russia
www.politico.eu/article/slov... #Slovakia #Putinswar #Russia
Slovak prosecutor decides giving Ukraine fighter jets was not a crime
A probe concludes that the donation of military equipment to Kyiv did not cause any domestic harm to Slovakia.
www.politico.eu
November 11, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Slovak prosecutor decides giving #Ukraine fighter jets was not a crime
www.politico.eu/article/slov... #Slovakia #Putinswar #Russia
www.politico.eu/article/slov... #Slovakia #Putinswar #Russia
Reposted by Seán Hanley
Jingoistic types have knowingly stepped into the vexillological vacuum of European flag bearing. Mindful of the provocation, moderates are striking back. The subtext is that progressives need not leave patriotism to the demagogic fringes
Why moderates are reclaiming Europe’s national flags
Populists and nativists have usurped them
econ.st
November 11, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Jingoistic types have knowingly stepped into the vexillological vacuum of European flag bearing. Mindful of the provocation, moderates are striking back. The subtext is that progressives need not leave patriotism to the demagogic fringes
Reposted by Seán Hanley
Ukraine’s best defence against Putin’s energy war is more attacks on Russia’s oil refining sector
www.chathamhouse.org/2025/11/ukra... #Ukraine #Putinswar #Russia
www.chathamhouse.org/2025/11/ukra... #Ukraine #Putinswar #Russia
Ukraine’s best defence against Putin’s energy war is more attacks on Russia’s oil refining sector
Moscow is attempting to break Ukraine’s will to fight with more frequent mass drone and missile attacks on its power sector. To counter this pressure, Kyiv needs to increase its attacks on Russia’s oi...
www.chathamhouse.org
November 11, 2025 at 4:07 AM
Ukraine’s best defence against Putin’s energy war is more attacks on Russia’s oil refining sector
www.chathamhouse.org/2025/11/ukra... #Ukraine #Putinswar #Russia
www.chathamhouse.org/2025/11/ukra... #Ukraine #Putinswar #Russia
Reposted by Seán Hanley
Tim Berners-Lee dreamed of a World Wide Web for everyone. Nick Clegg and Meta had different ideas. In new books, both ignore how profit undermined the internet.
The Men Who Shaped the Internet Won’t Be Able to Fix It
Tim Berners-Lee dreamed of a World Wide Web for everyone. Nick Clegg and Meta had different ideas. In new books, both ignore how profit undermined the internet.
bloom.bg
November 9, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Tim Berners-Lee dreamed of a World Wide Web for everyone. Nick Clegg and Meta had different ideas. In new books, both ignore how profit undermined the internet.
Reposted by Seán Hanley
incredible that these guys have a massive hard on for a country that, if it were a state, would rank behind kansas in terms of wealth and which would be a total backwater if it weren’t economically integrated with more functional countries
November 8, 2025 at 5:48 PM
incredible that these guys have a massive hard on for a country that, if it were a state, would rank behind kansas in terms of wealth and which would be a total backwater if it weren’t economically integrated with more functional countries
Reposted by Seán Hanley
The Slow Death of Russian Oil:
Why Ukraine’s Campaign Against Moscow’s Energy Sector Is Working
www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/slow-... via @foreignaffairs.com #Russia #Ukraine #Putinswar
Why Ukraine’s Campaign Against Moscow’s Energy Sector Is Working
www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/slow-... via @foreignaffairs.com #Russia #Ukraine #Putinswar
The Slow Death of Russian Oil
Why Ukraine’s campaign against Moscow’s energy sector is working.
www.foreignaffairs.com
November 8, 2025 at 6:28 AM
The Slow Death of Russian Oil:
Why Ukraine’s Campaign Against Moscow’s Energy Sector Is Working
www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/slow-... via @foreignaffairs.com #Russia #Ukraine #Putinswar
Why Ukraine’s Campaign Against Moscow’s Energy Sector Is Working
www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/slow-... via @foreignaffairs.com #Russia #Ukraine #Putinswar
Reposted by Seán Hanley
It is both ethically wrong & fundamentally anti-democratic for one man to command this much wealth and power.
States spent centuries trying to tame the power of over-mighty subjects. The rise of the global barons is not compatible with democracy as we've understood it.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
States spent centuries trying to tame the power of over-mighty subjects. The rise of the global barons is not compatible with democracy as we've understood it.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Elon Musk's $1tn pay deal approved by Tesla shareholders
The richest man in the world will get hundreds of millions of new shares if he hits his targets.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 8:31 AM
It is both ethically wrong & fundamentally anti-democratic for one man to command this much wealth and power.
States spent centuries trying to tame the power of over-mighty subjects. The rise of the global barons is not compatible with democracy as we've understood it.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
States spent centuries trying to tame the power of over-mighty subjects. The rise of the global barons is not compatible with democracy as we've understood it.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Seán Hanley
#EU candidate countries must choose sides before joining bloc, Commissioner Kos tells Euronews
www.euronews.com/my-europe/20... #politics #foreignpolicy
www.euronews.com/my-europe/20... #politics #foreignpolicy
EU candidate countries must choose sides before joining bloc, Commissioner Kos tells Euronews
Candidate countries waiting to enter the EU must make geopolitical choices and align with the bloc on fundamental questions before joining the bloc, Commissioner Marta Kos, in charge of EU enlargement...
www.euronews.com
November 8, 2025 at 7:08 AM
#EU candidate countries must choose sides before joining bloc, Commissioner Kos tells Euronews
www.euronews.com/my-europe/20... #politics #foreignpolicy
www.euronews.com/my-europe/20... #politics #foreignpolicy
Reposted by Seán Hanley
Liberal minds are neurologically wired to accept greater uncertainty than conservative minds. Which leads the latter to reject change: medicine, tech, migration.
Fascinating.
www.newscientist.com/article/mg26...
Fascinating.
www.newscientist.com/article/mg26...
Human minds abhor uncertainty. This is a problem for liberal democracy
Neurologically, the flexibility of the future promised by liberal democracy can be a challenge because it brings with it uncertainty. But there are solutions, say Florence Gaub and Liya Yu
www.newscientist.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Liberal minds are neurologically wired to accept greater uncertainty than conservative minds. Which leads the latter to reject change: medicine, tech, migration.
Fascinating.
www.newscientist.com/article/mg26...
Fascinating.
www.newscientist.com/article/mg26...
Reposted by Seán Hanley
Czech lower house elects #farright party leader Tomio Okamura as speaker
www.reuters.com/world/czech-... #Czechia #politics
www.reuters.com/world/czech-... #Czechia #politics
www.reuters.com
November 5, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Czech lower house elects #farright party leader Tomio Okamura as speaker
www.reuters.com/world/czech-... #Czechia #politics
www.reuters.com/world/czech-... #Czechia #politics
www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/zahra...
Foreign policy of the emerging Babiš government in Czechia stresses sovereignty, national interests & economic diplomacy. Doesn’t mention values or support for Ukraine. Orbanesque say journalists. Well yes, kinda. But also descendant of Klaus outlook of 2000s
Foreign policy of the emerging Babiš government in Czechia stresses sovereignty, national interests & economic diplomacy. Doesn’t mention values or support for Ukraine. Orbanesque say journalists. Well yes, kinda. But also descendant of Klaus outlook of 2000s
Z Babišovy zahraniční politiky vykukuje Orbán - Seznam Zprávy
Důraz na suverenitu, jiné vnímání Evropy i proklamovaná snaha resuscitovat Visegrádskou skupinu. Návrh programového prohlášení vznikající vlády Andreje Babiše znamená obrat k národovectví, pragmatismu...
www.seznamzpravy.cz
November 1, 2025 at 7:34 PM
www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/zahra...
Foreign policy of the emerging Babiš government in Czechia stresses sovereignty, national interests & economic diplomacy. Doesn’t mention values or support for Ukraine. Orbanesque say journalists. Well yes, kinda. But also descendant of Klaus outlook of 2000s
Foreign policy of the emerging Babiš government in Czechia stresses sovereignty, national interests & economic diplomacy. Doesn’t mention values or support for Ukraine. Orbanesque say journalists. Well yes, kinda. But also descendant of Klaus outlook of 2000s
Reposted by Seán Hanley
A majority of voters, and a plurality of white voters, think that Reform is a racist party with racist policies.
October 28, 2025 at 2:03 PM
A majority of voters, and a plurality of white voters, think that Reform is a racist party with racist policies.
Reposted by Seán Hanley
💥 Viktor Orbán faces a possible ousting in April 2026 — and whether he manages to cling to power or not, his regime and its global allure as a model for autocrats worldwide are crumbling. Read the sharpest analysis available.
The Era of Orbánism as an Exportable Model May Be Ending - VSquare.org
Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán’s once-admired “illiberal model” is faltering — plagued by economic crisis, voter frustration, and collapsing governance. With the 2026 election looming, his future — and the global appeal of his system — is at stake as his government faces its biggest political test.
vsquare.org
October 27, 2025 at 7:28 PM
💥 Viktor Orbán faces a possible ousting in April 2026 — and whether he manages to cling to power or not, his regime and its global allure as a model for autocrats worldwide are crumbling. Read the sharpest analysis available.
The experience of some east European countries absolutely confirms this.
Constitutions are only as strong as the willingness of institutions, parties & - above all - voters to uphold them.
A constitution cobbled together in a contested process, that lacked broad public support, in the absence of agreement on big constitutional questions, would be a high road to disaster
A constitution cobbled together in a contested process, that lacked broad public support, in the absence of agreement on big constitutional questions, would be a high road to disaster
October 26, 2025 at 3:06 PM
The experience of some east European countries absolutely confirms this.
Reposted by Seán Hanley
Constitutions are only as strong as the willingness of institutions, parties & - above all - voters to uphold them.
A constitution cobbled together in a contested process, that lacked broad public support, in the absence of agreement on big constitutional questions, would be a high road to disaster
A constitution cobbled together in a contested process, that lacked broad public support, in the absence of agreement on big constitutional questions, would be a high road to disaster
October 23, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Constitutions are only as strong as the willingness of institutions, parties & - above all - voters to uphold them.
A constitution cobbled together in a contested process, that lacked broad public support, in the absence of agreement on big constitutional questions, would be a high road to disaster
A constitution cobbled together in a contested process, that lacked broad public support, in the absence of agreement on big constitutional questions, would be a high road to disaster
Snažím se přeložit do angličtiny nejnovější výraz z českého politického slangu, „strejcokracie“. Nic lepšího mě nenapadá než „codger-ocracy“, což ale asi nebude srozumitelné pro mluvčí americké angličtiny.
October 25, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Snažím se přeložit do angličtiny nejnovější výraz z českého politického slangu, „strejcokracie“. Nic lepšího mě nenapadá než „codger-ocracy“, což ale asi nebude srozumitelné pro mluvčí americké angličtiny.
The tangled internal politics of Czechia’s Civic Democratic Party (ODS), have again enriched the Czech language. Latest new term - describing dominance of past-it generation of politicians - “strejcokracie”. My translation to British English? “codgerocracy” cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strejco...
Strejcokracie – Wikipedie
cs.wikipedia.org
October 25, 2025 at 10:09 AM
The tangled internal politics of Czechia’s Civic Democratic Party (ODS), have again enriched the Czech language. Latest new term - describing dominance of past-it generation of politicians - “strejcokracie”. My translation to British English? “codgerocracy” cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strejco...
Reposted by Seán Hanley
when all this is over we need to have a pretty serious conversation about the utter moral failure of the elite of this country
Ed Luce watching democracy die in the United States of America
October 24, 2025 at 12:36 PM
when all this is over we need to have a pretty serious conversation about the utter moral failure of the elite of this country
Well, yes, crisis of democracy.
October 19, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Well, yes, crisis of democracy.
Reposted by Seán Hanley
After visiting National Gallery in London, I realised that my thoughts about the post-election situation in the Czech Republic can be summarised like this:
October 15, 2025 at 1:51 PM
After visiting National Gallery in London, I realised that my thoughts about the post-election situation in the Czech Republic can be summarised like this:
Reposted by Seán Hanley
US ‘on a trajectory’ toward authoritarian rule, ex-officials warn
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
US ‘on a trajectory’ toward authoritarian rule, ex-officials warn
A network of former intelligence and security officers says democratic decline is accelerating under Trump’s rule
www.theguardian.com
October 16, 2025 at 9:26 PM
US ‘on a trajectory’ toward authoritarian rule, ex-officials warn
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Missed last week’s round table discussion of the Czech elections @uclssees.bsky.social ? Listen on YouTube youtu.be/25qTe3NM4-M?...
Democracy at a crossroads? The Czech parliamentary elections and their implications
YouTube video by UCLSSEES
youtu.be
October 14, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Missed last week’s round table discussion of the Czech elections @uclssees.bsky.social ? Listen on YouTube youtu.be/25qTe3NM4-M?...