Brendan Simms is a serious thinker but … twitter.com/EngelsbergIdea…
If we’re going down King of the Europeans route use the Malaysian option where it rotates between various local kings.
(We should not go down King of the Europeans route, still less Emperor).
Originally posted as a thread of 3 tweets on Twitter on 16 October 2022. View the original thread.
Articles, reports and other links I shared on Twitter this week.
‘Ernstige’ dreiging tegen Vincent Van Quickenborne: drie mensen opgepakt, minister onder verhoogde beveiliging geplaatst demorgen.be/a-bc28a319
Sat 24 Sep 2022 · on Twitter
This is an ingenious suggestion from @spignal but the problem is that in a law-based system doing nothing is easy but doing something is always open to legal challenge, so the informality of the Lux compromise can’t be easily reversed. economist.com/europe/2022/09…
In any case, there is no way an EU of 35 can operate without a full treaty revision, and then « vetoes on foreign policy » will not even be in the top ten worst arguments, I’m sure. Something to look forward to in 2026.
Sat 24 Sep 2022 · on Twitter
Articles, reports and other links I shared on Twitter this week.
Russia’s war in Ukraine is causing concern in Bosnia. Here’s why | Euronews euronews.com/my-europe/2022…
Apologies for forgetting to tag @brezaleksandar
Mon 12 Sep 2022 · on Twitter
Articles, reports and other links I shared on Twitter this week.
The dastardly Germano-Russo-Lesbian alliance to enslave Poland strikes again! (But seriously, I don’t understand how this sort of barking insanity gets 40% in the polls, while 80% of Poles want to stay in the EU). notesfrompoland.com/2022/08/08/we-…
Mon 8 Aug 2022 · on Twitter
<3 exetercityfc.co.uk/news/2022/augu…
Wed 10 Aug 2022 · on Twitter
This interview (🇫🇷) made me think about how we sell products by appeals to individualism and agency in a world where the core problems need collective awareness and action – and what you would need to do to create that collective culture. confinews.net/post/la-public…
Sat 13 Aug 2022 · on Twitter
Articles, reports and other links I shared on Twitter this week.
Look forward to Frost as Foreign Secretary screaming louder and louder about how Brexit is a triumph as he shrinks and transforms into a corn cob. theguardian.com/politics/2022/…
Sun 7 Aug 2022 · on Twitter
Regulatory independence (inc on immigration) is the one unqualified benefit of Brexit, bought at a cost in trade, rights and investment. So this might be a good thing. twitter.com/TheScotsman/st…
The problems are
(1) does the British state have capacity to make all these judgements consistently better than the better-resourced EU (maybe)
(2) does the public like the idea of lower regulation on chemicals (doubt it)
(3) do companies want to have two processes, one for
the UK market with one range of chemicals and one for the EU market with a different range (almost certainly not, so an EU ban is an effective UK ban, but without a say for the UK.
I suspect a lot of Brexiteers have in their heads that the UK is just in some hand-wavy way
better at this than the Europeans, or ready to take a risk that will pay off. There’s certainly not much more democracy in obscure regulatory decisions shifting from Brussels to London.
So even where Brexit is working as promised, the question is #WasItWorthIt.
Originally posted as a thread of 5 tweets on Twitter on 4 August 2022. View the original thread.
Have had an enjoyable #be2107 national day around Brussels. A few random thoughts: Europe is much more present even on a *national* day – the King and military saluting the European anthem as well as the Brabançonne, EU flags alongside 🇧🇪 outside the palace.
Even the EU stars on the defence crest (don’t tell Liz Truss). A bilingual pop concert in the park with lots of the artists interviewed talking about multilingualism and @aliceontheroof calling for more cultural crossover between French and Dutch language worlds.
Perhaps I’m Pollyanna-ish but I do have a sense of a growing Belgian identity that is explicitly bi/multi-lingual and bi/multi-cultural. It’s not much reflected in politics but more an emerging cultural space that politics could either kill or support.
After the king’s speech yesterday I also noticed politicians today leaning on inclusion, solidarity and cohesion – though of course if you need to say it …
Anyway, very rough impressions after a couple of beers, and with the caveat that I might have said the same about the UK a decade ago and now look at it being crucified by the English nationalist project – who knows what the future holds.
In any case, it’s good to go to bed optimistic, and sometimes the social shift moves towards diversity and inclusion.
Originally posted as a thread of 6 tweets on Twitter on 21 July 2022. View the original thread.
I’ve said it before but I’m always surprised by how political the King’s speeches are, compared to the UK. Today’s (for tomorrow’s fête nationale/nationale feestdag) talks about preventing the growth of inequality, solidarity inside the EU… vrt.be/vrtnws/fr/2022…
“language that federates rather than divides”, a social model based on inclusion, and the need for an unshakeable commitment to democracy. I agree with a lot of it, so clearly the King is woke, and it isn’t partisan political, but it feels odd from a hereditary office holder.
Democratic outrage at political influence of hereditary office / pro-solidarity and democracy messages from head of state
Originally posted as a thread of 3 tweets on Twitter on 20 July 2022. View the original thread.
Articles, reports and other links I shared on Twitter this week.
Shifting taxes from work to wealth has got to be a good idea. Lots to like about these proposals on first glance. And with a pension reform agreed too, it’s a good day for those who believe the federal level can get things done. lecho.be/economie-polit…
Tue 19 Jul 2022 · on Twitter
Good interview with Starmer and @campbellclaret / @RoryStewartUK on their podcast, but with the trap of “Better Brexit, look forward” still clamped tightly around his ankle, confirmed for me that I won’t be voting Labour for foreseeable future. podcast.standaard.be/episode/403958…
“Look forward not back” is perhaps the most vapid line. The EU will continue to exist. “Looking forward” is the reason why every party has to have an EU membership policy, not an excuse for avoiding one.
Wed 20 Jul 2022 · on Twitter
Articles, reports and other links I shared on Twitter this week.
Yes, obviously. Next question? lesoir.be/448724/article…
Wed 15 Jun 2022 · on Twitter
The end of two weeks spent mostly in Finland and Estonia. Lots of good memories of #usercentricities #eurocities2022 and #democracyconference to take home. usercentricities.eu/news/2022-user…
Fri 17 Jun 2022 · on Twitter
Largest party in francophone Belgium rejects idea of a state reform in 2024. Glad I didn’t spend time filling in that consultation, then. lesoir.be/449146/article…
Sat 18 Jun 2022 · on Twitter