Grigore Pop-Eleches
@grigopop.bsky.social
Professor of Politics and Int'l Affairs at Princeton University
It's nice when science reaffirms our natural inclinations.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-hu...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-hu...
The Most Efficient Traveler Isn’t a Bird or a Fish—It’s You on a Bike
A famous graphic, now updated, compares locomotion in the animal kingdom
www.scientificamerican.com
October 15, 2025 at 2:43 PM
It's nice when science reaffirms our natural inclinations.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-hu...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-hu...
Hard to believe that even Putin's endorsement wasn't enough for Trump to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
www.reuters.com/world/europe...
www.reuters.com/world/europe...
www.reuters.com
October 10, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Hard to believe that even Putin's endorsement wasn't enough for Trump to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
www.reuters.com/world/europe...
www.reuters.com/world/europe...
Reposted by Grigore Pop-Eleches
Check out my new piece on Moldovan 🇲🇩 elections with @grigopop.bsky.social
Despite Russian meddling, Moldova’s pro-Europe party wins a majority.
Russia’s social media campaign fell short.
Read: goodauthority.org/news/despite...
Russia’s social media campaign fell short.
Read: goodauthority.org/news/despite...
Despite Russian meddling, Moldova’s pro-Europe party wins a majority
Russia’s social media campaign fell short.
goodauthority.org
October 5, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Check out my new piece on Moldovan 🇲🇩 elections with @grigopop.bsky.social
Moldovan voters have given the pro-EU PAS (of President Maia Sandu) a narrow but clear parliamentary majority, despite Russia hybrid warfare tactics. Let's hope that the planned opposition protests are not a foil for even more aggressive Russian tactics.
September 29, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Moldovan voters have given the pro-EU PAS (of President Maia Sandu) a narrow but clear parliamentary majority, despite Russia hybrid warfare tactics. Let's hope that the planned opposition protests are not a foil for even more aggressive Russian tactics.
We don't need to worry about stealth authoritarianism anymore. It's pretty clearly out in the open.
www.cnbc.com/2025/09/18/t...
www.cnbc.com/2025/09/18/t...
Trump floats pulling licenses if networks are 'against' him after Jimmy Kimmel suspended
President Donald Trump has applauded the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show over comments he made about the man accused of murdering Charlie Kirk.
www.cnbc.com
September 18, 2025 at 10:28 PM
We don't need to worry about stealth authoritarianism anymore. It's pretty clearly out in the open.
www.cnbc.com/2025/09/18/t...
www.cnbc.com/2025/09/18/t...
The authoritarian playbook in action...
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
‘Censoring you in real time’: suspension of Jimmy Kimmel show sparks shock and fears for free speech
ABC decision over Kimmel comments about Charlie Kirk killing comes hours after Trump-appointed chair of US media regulator threatened broadcaster’s license
www.theguardian.com
September 18, 2025 at 12:11 PM
The authoritarian playbook in action...
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
Yet another instance of the staggering human costs of US deportation practices.
‘I told my family, I’ll probably die’: US immigration sends Russian asylum seekers back to Moscow www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
‘I told my family, I’ll probably die’: US immigration sends Russian asylum seekers back to Moscow www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
‘I told my family, I’ll probably die’: US immigration sends Russian asylum seekers back to Moscow
Russian national who applied for asylum on political grounds describes inhumane treatment while in US custody
www.theguardian.com
September 3, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Yet another instance of the staggering human costs of US deportation practices.
‘I told my family, I’ll probably die’: US immigration sends Russian asylum seekers back to Moscow www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
‘I told my family, I’ll probably die’: US immigration sends Russian asylum seekers back to Moscow www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
In case you were curious about what Ukrainians think about Putin-style "peace" negotiations...
Read @grigopop.bsky.social and Graeme Robertson's analysis of recent survey data about Ukrainians' attitudes about negotiating peace with Russia:
Ukrainians don’t think much of Putin’s ‘peace’ plan.
Our surveys from earlier this summer show overwhelming opposition to a Russian land grab.
See the data here: goodauthority.org/news/ukraini...
Our surveys from earlier this summer show overwhelming opposition to a Russian land grab.
See the data here: goodauthority.org/news/ukraini...
September 3, 2025 at 11:53 PM
In case you were curious about what Ukrainians think about Putin-style "peace" negotiations...
The insistence of Texas Republicans to have Dem reps sign agreements to be shadowed by police reminds me of a line from a novel by Marin Preda: "[the communists] aren't content to take your cow from the barn, they also make you sign that you gave it willingly".
thehill.com/homenews/sta...
thehill.com/homenews/sta...
thehill.com
August 20, 2025 at 3:57 PM
The insistence of Texas Republicans to have Dem reps sign agreements to be shadowed by police reminds me of a line from a novel by Marin Preda: "[the communists] aren't content to take your cow from the barn, they also make you sign that you gave it willingly".
thehill.com/homenews/sta...
thehill.com/homenews/sta...
And the prize for understatement of the day goes to ...
search.app/qHk7P
search.app/qHk7P
French President Emmanuel Macron says he doesn't believe Putin is 'very willing to get peace' in Ukraine
After a meeting at the White House on Monday, the French president said that if there is no progress in talks, Russia should be hit with more sanctions.
search.app
August 19, 2025 at 8:45 PM
And the prize for understatement of the day goes to ...
search.app/qHk7P
search.app/qHk7P
This is so depressing- and makes me so grateful for growing up biking everywhere, and for my kids having the same experience 30 years later.
The number of children injured or killed by cars while walking or riding a bike has fallen steadily since the 1970s, but CDC researcher note that this decline is not because streets are safer, but because fewer kids are out and about in the first place.
Kids need freedom. Dangerous roads make it hard to grant it.
Bigger cars, distracted drivers and worried parents mean fewer kids are roaming freely.
www.washingtonpost.com
August 14, 2025 at 2:50 AM
This is so depressing- and makes me so grateful for growing up biking everywhere, and for my kids having the same experience 30 years later.
Glad to see that tax payers' money is being put to good use.
apnews.com/article/vp-v...
apnews.com/article/vp-v...
JD Vance went kayaking for his birthday. Secret Service had the river level raised
Vice President JD Vance’s security detail had an Ohio river’s water level raised last weekend to accommodate a kayaking trip he and his family took for his 41st birthday.
apnews.com
August 9, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Glad to see that tax payers' money is being put to good use.
apnews.com/article/vp-v...
apnews.com/article/vp-v...
My 2 cents on the recent Romanian elections in @goodauth.bsky.social. Romanian democracy dodged a bullet (barely) but this is no time to be complacent...
Romania’s democracy is back from the brink (for now).
Nicușor Dan pulls off a decisive win after last year’s cancelled election.
Read the latest: goodauthority.org/news/romania...
Nicușor Dan pulls off a decisive win after last year’s cancelled election.
Read the latest: goodauthority.org/news/romania...
Romania’s democracy is back from the brink (for now)
Nicușor Dan pulls off a decisive win after last year’s cancelled election.
goodauthority.org
May 27, 2025 at 9:09 PM
My 2 cents on the recent Romanian elections in @goodauth.bsky.social. Romanian democracy dodged a bullet (barely) but this is no time to be complacent...
Just when we thought the circus was finally over, Simion decided to challenge the results of the elections (after he had conceded earlier). Not surprisingly, his argument echoes the rhetoric of his Russian handlers. This could get ugly. www.g4media.ro/breaking-geo...
BREAKING George Simion anunță că va cere CCR anularea alegerilor / Liderul AUR acuză guvernele R.Moldova și Franței de implicare în alegerile din România și cere audierea fondatorului Telegram / Pavel...
Candidatul extremist George Simion a anunțat, marți, într-un mesaj video transmis pe Facebook, că va cere Curții Constituționale anularea alegerilor
www.g4media.ro
May 20, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Just when we thought the circus was finally over, Simion decided to challenge the results of the elections (after he had conceded earlier). Not surprisingly, his argument echoes the rhetoric of his Russian handlers. This could get ugly. www.g4media.ro/breaking-geo...
Here's a graph (based on my own online survey from May9-17) showing where support in yesterday's Romanian presidential vote came from vv. the parliamentary vote from 2024. As expected, Dan dominated overwhelmingly among USR and UDMR voters, and quite clearly among PSD and PNL voters.
May 19, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Here's a graph (based on my own online survey from May9-17) showing where support in yesterday's Romanian presidential vote came from vv. the parliamentary vote from 2024. As expected, Dan dominated overwhelmingly among USR and UDMR voters, and quite clearly among PSD and PNL voters.
Nicușor Dan won after an incredible campaign that culminated in an unexpectedly clear reversal of the first round vote. He also won because of the remarkable mobilization of many Romanian citizens, who drove the record turnout.
But let us not get dizzy with success:
But let us not get dizzy with success:
May 19, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Nicușor Dan won after an incredible campaign that culminated in an unexpectedly clear reversal of the first round vote. He also won because of the remarkable mobilization of many Romanian citizens, who drove the record turnout.
But let us not get dizzy with success:
But let us not get dizzy with success:
At this point Dan leads by over 800K votes, a difference that is virtually impossible to overcome with the roughly one million diaspora votes left to count. The question is whether Simion will accept defeat or whether he (and his handlers/followers) will resort to Jan 6 tactics.
May 18, 2025 at 8:00 PM
At this point Dan leads by over 800K votes, a difference that is virtually impossible to overcome with the roughly one million diaspora votes left to count. The question is whether Simion will accept defeat or whether he (and his handlers/followers) will resort to Jan 6 tactics.
Exit polls and turnout figures look very promising for Nicușor Dan (and prediction markets seem to agree). But lots of uncertainty remains given the gap between exit polls and results in the first wave. Meanwhile, Simion claimed victory, setting the stage for fraud claims (and possibly violence.)
May 18, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Exit polls and turnout figures look very promising for Nicușor Dan (and prediction markets seem to agree). But lots of uncertainty remains given the gap between exit polls and results in the first wave. Meanwhile, Simion claimed victory, setting the stage for fraud claims (and possibly violence.)
Voted in R2 of the Romanian presidential elections this morning (in an Orthodox church in Philadelphia). For those who can, please make the effort to go vote - it will be really tight, and the stakes couldn't be higher! Hai la vot!
May 16, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Voted in R2 of the Romanian presidential elections this morning (in an Orthodox church in Philadelphia). For those who can, please make the effort to go vote - it will be really tight, and the stakes couldn't be higher! Hai la vot!
Simion has flip-flopped repeatedly about his position on EU & NATO. But the preferences of his supporters tell a pretty clear story: his support is heavily concentrated from those opposed to the EU and NATO (though it is of course not limited to them.)
May 15, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Simion has flip-flopped repeatedly about his position on EU & NATO. But the preferences of his supporters tell a pretty clear story: his support is heavily concentrated from those opposed to the EU and NATO (though it is of course not limited to them.)
Reposted by Grigore Pop-Eleches
Wherein I opine that the upcoming presidential elections in Poland will either enable or stymie democratic reform after the PiS years. For a largely ceremonial office, this one matters.
goodauthority.org/news/trzasko...
goodauthority.org/news/trzasko...
Trzaskowski vs. Nawrocki: Poland’s democratic future in the balance
Poland’s next presidential election could determine whether the restoration of democracy continues – or stalls.
goodauthority.org
May 15, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Wherein I opine that the upcoming presidential elections in Poland will either enable or stymie democratic reform after the PiS years. For a largely ceremonial office, this one matters.
goodauthority.org/news/trzasko...
goodauthority.org/news/trzasko...
Victor Ponta, former PM and #4 finisher in the first round, endorsed Simion for R2 in Romania. Based on my survey, prior to the announcement, half of his R1 supporters were undecided or planning to abstain, with the rest evenly split between Simion and Dan.
www.libertatea.ro/stiri/victor...
www.libertatea.ro/stiri/victor...
Victor Ponta a anunțat pe cine sprijină în turul 2 între George Simion și Nicușor Dan
Victor Ponta a anunțat voalat decizia finală în privința candidatului pe care îl va susține, între George Simion și Nicușor Dan.
www.libertatea.ro
May 15, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Victor Ponta, former PM and #4 finisher in the first round, endorsed Simion for R2 in Romania. Based on my survey, prior to the announcement, half of his R1 supporters were undecided or planning to abstain, with the rest evenly split between Simion and Dan.
www.libertatea.ro/stiri/victor...
www.libertatea.ro/stiri/victor...
In case you were wondering, here is the same graph as in my earlier post but for those who really dislike Trump (33%) vs. those who really like him (12%). The magnitude of the effect on voting for Simion is slightly smaller but the effects are still very clear.
May 13, 2025 at 7:51 PM
In case you were wondering, here is the same graph as in my earlier post but for those who really dislike Trump (33%) vs. those who really like him (12%). The magnitude of the effect on voting for Simion is slightly smaller but the effects are still very clear.
I've been running online surveys in #Romania about the presidential elections. Lots of crazy stuff but the graph below took me by surprise (and I'm someone who studies communist legacies). This is the share of the second-round vote for Simion as a function of what respondents think of Ceaușescu.
May 13, 2025 at 7:30 PM
I've been running online surveys in #Romania about the presidential elections. Lots of crazy stuff but the graph below took me by surprise (and I'm someone who studies communist legacies). This is the share of the second-round vote for Simion as a function of what respondents think of Ceaușescu.
Reposted by Grigore Pop-Eleches
What a stunning pair of films at the Doc10 festival in Chicago.
On Friday, Antidote, about and featuring Christo Grozev, here in person.
And then, yesterday, 2000 Meters to Andriivka—far and away the most powerful war movie I have seen.
See them both, when you can, and curse Putin.
On Friday, Antidote, about and featuring Christo Grozev, here in person.
And then, yesterday, 2000 Meters to Andriivka—far and away the most powerful war movie I have seen.
See them both, when you can, and curse Putin.
May 6, 2025 at 3:25 AM
What a stunning pair of films at the Doc10 festival in Chicago.
On Friday, Antidote, about and featuring Christo Grozev, here in person.
And then, yesterday, 2000 Meters to Andriivka—far and away the most powerful war movie I have seen.
See them both, when you can, and curse Putin.
On Friday, Antidote, about and featuring Christo Grozev, here in person.
And then, yesterday, 2000 Meters to Andriivka—far and away the most powerful war movie I have seen.
See them both, when you can, and curse Putin.