R. Daniel Kelemen
@rdanielkelemen
Followers
22K
Following
81K
Media
836
Statuses
40K
McCourt Chair at @McCourtSchool of Public Policy at @Georgetown. Non-Resident Senior Associate @CSIS. Life Member @CFR_org
Philadelphia, PA
Joined February 2016
New Publication! My latest @jepp_journal article provides a broad overview of the EU's response to the emergence of autocratic member govts & explains why we shouldn't expect the EU to escape its "autocracy trap" anytime soon. First 50 copies free 👇.
4
38
116
1. So many stories coming out revealing that Brexiteers sold Brexit on lies and that reality of Brexit is turning out - just as experts had warned - to be a fiasco and an enormous act of economic self-harm for UK. I’ll keep track of some in this Brexit reality thread🧵 👇.
Small UK businesses are drowning in post-Brexit red tape to trade with the EU. "There's so much complexity," @BCCAdam says. "It's like an onion. The more you peel, the more you cry"🧅. With @lucy_meakin, @DeirdreHipwell, @Joe_Mayes & @_DavidGoodman 👇.
215
3K
5K
#BrexitReality As I said when I started this 🧵, Brexit was sold on lies & the reality of Brexit is turning out - just as experts had warned - to be a fiasco and an enormous act of economic self-harm for UK. Behold 1000 examples of #BrexitReality 👇 .@threadreaderapp unroll.
1. So many stories coming out revealing that Brexiteers sold Brexit on lies and that reality of Brexit is turning out - just as experts had warned - to be a fiasco and an enormous act of economic self-harm for UK. I’ll keep track of some in this Brexit reality thread🧵 👇.
117
2K
3K
Though Brexit will continue to damage the UK economy for years to come, I will end this #BrexitReality 🧵 on the economic self-harm caused by Brexit when it reaches 1000 entries. Only 50 more to go! Please spread the word about it so more people can follow the final countdown.
950. #BrexitReality “Shortages of lorry drivers that have beset supply chains are primarily the result of a lack of EU workers due to Covid and Brexit, according to official statistics.”
57
900
2K
More accurate to say the Republican Party is the only major party in an advanced democracy to be politicizing mask wearing in the middle of a pandemic.
The US is the world’s only advanced democracy politicizing mask wearing in the middle of a pandemic.
25
369
1K
“Taking back control” - by establishing border checks within our own country, if the EU gives us permission. 🤣🤣🤣.
The UK government has submitted applications to the EU to create Border Control Posts at Northern Ireland's ports.
11
345
859
2. Brexit reality: Scottish fish 🐟 exports 👇.
A Scottish fisherman has told LBC the "shambolic" post-Brexit arrangements are leading to lorries full of seafood being rejected by EU clients.
15
282
730
Remember: the Brexiteers told Britons Brexit would be easy and have no economic downsides. They lied. @BorisJohnson & @DavidGHFrost continue to lie about it. Below see 1000 stories on costs of #BrexitReality 👇
#BrexitReality As I said when I started this 🧵, Brexit was sold on lies & the reality of Brexit is turning out - just as experts had warned - to be a fiasco and an enormous act of economic self-harm for UK. Behold 1000 examples of #BrexitReality 👇 .@threadreaderapp unroll.
17
332
632
Just out in @jepp_journal - "The European Union's authoritarian equilibrium" - my article explaining why autocratic member governments like Orbán's can endure so comfortably within the EU. Warning to fellow Europhiles: it is a very depressing read 1/12.
52
327
654
11. #BrexitReality 🧵: the interesting thing here is the @BBCNews headline. They claim these are 'surprising' consequences of Brexit, when in fact experts warned for years of exactly these sorts of disruptions
9
165
587
3. #BrexitReality 🧵: first food shortages.
Today, in "predicted consequences of Brexit turn out to be right", our first entry is some shortages of fresh fruit and veg.
9
168
544
12. #BrexitReality 🧵: great video emphasizing how @BorisJohnson lies about introducing checks on BG-NI trade & how @BBCNews fails to call out Gove on that.
3
255
535
The corrupt autocrat Orbán makes fun of @Europarl_EN for its corruption scandal involving @EvaKaili. The difference of course is that she has been arrested and suspended whereas since he controls the public prosecutor & judiciary in Hungary, his corruption goes unpunished
17
156
557
OMG. This speech by Belgian PM @alexanderdecroo on the rule of law crisis is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥. Listen to every word. He says it all. Perfectly. 👇.
The recent attack on the European Court of Justice is unacceptable. The European Union is a union of values, not a cash machine. You cannot pocket the money but refuse the values. #OpeningCeremony2021 @collegeofeurope
20
151
538
4. #BrexitReality 🧵: sometimes no lines mean no trade is happening h/t @DavidHenigUK
No it isn't a good sign that instead of queues we have so few lorries heading to France. That's trade not happening.
4
148
500
largest culling of healthy pigs in the history of British farming. So how did we get here?. Short answer: Brexit.
Every farmers' worst nightmare is coming to pass. The mass culling of healthy animals because there simply aren't enough butchers to process them and get them off farms. It's the largest culling of healthy pigs in the history of British farming. So how did we get here?.
15
204
503
5. #BrexitReality 🧵: rotting oranges due to delays on GB-NI trade with new border on Irish Sea.
A Tesco employee has sent me this picture of rotting oranges at Tesco's fresh warehouse in Belfast today. He says that they took so long to arrive in Northern Ireland that by the time they got here they were out of date & went straight to the bin.
12
190
476
Editors of @Telegraph might want to ask (fired) colleagues in Hungary or Turkey what its like to run a paper in country w/o rule of law.
17
634
477
With the Brexit Trilemma back in the news - and with Boris Johnson furiously denying what he agreed to in the Withdrawal Agreement & threatening to renege on it - I thought it time to update my Brexit Trilemma Venn diagram. Behold the 2020 edition👇
"I think the government is putting the integrity of the United Kingdom at risk". Former PM Theresa May says the ministers' willingness to "renege" on parts of the Brexit agreement could result in a loss of trust that could threaten the integrity of the UK.
16
267
463
13. #BrexitReality 🧵: Let's not forget that a key promise of lying Brexiteer referendum campaign was that Brexit would free UK of EU red tape. Instead UK business is now being strangled by new Brexit red tape.
Brexit and “red tape”: how it started (during 2016 referendum campaign) vs. how it is going (actual Brexit in 2021)
6
158
423
@Europarl_EN formally acknowledges that Hungary is no longer a democracy- making it the first EU institution to do so. This is a huge deal with potentially explosive implications. Quick 🧵.
Vote in European Parliament declaring Hungary as ‘no longer a democracy’ passes substantially. 433 in favour 123 against.
7
197
435
This is not a spoof apparently. That is an actual video of Frost saying this. These Brexiteers… 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️.
26
171
416
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is calling from the 18th century and would like to have a word with the EU about the dangers of the liberum veto.
20
85
440
348. #BrexitReality Nice video from @PeterStefanovi2 reminding everyone that @BorisJohnson said "There will be no non-tariff barriers to trade" with Brexit, and that that was a complete lie.
With British food & drink sales to Europe having collapsed following #Brexit why is UK media not reminding Johnson he sold his trade deal to Parliament on the promise of “NO non-tariff barriers to trade”. IT WAS A BAREFACED LIE!. Where is accountability?
10
210
379
Polish regime to EU: Keep funding our autocracy or we'll blow up your union!. Law enforcement authorities advise not to pay off extortionists, as it will only lead them to demand more. EU has enormous leverage over the autocrats in HU & PL. It should use it & call their bluff.
Poland’s prime minister accuses EU of making demands with ‘gun to our head’
24
136
410
Professional News: I am thrilled to share that I will be joining the faculty of @Georgetown’s @McCourtSchool this fall as the newest McCourt Chair! I look forward to working with the amazing faculty and students at McCourt! #HoyaSaxa
76
14
392
This is how coups happen in EU member states these days. no guns, just illegal takeover of judiciary as precursor to autocratic consolidation of power. Next come attacks on private media & oppo parties & NGOs. Then rigging electoral system before next parliamentary elections.
President Duda appoints 27 new Supreme Court judges despite the court itself, and the Supreme Administrative Court, ordering nominations suspended. It also preempts an ECJ ruling and attempt by @EU_Commission to have the law suspended until the ECJ rules
24
289
370
7. More on the new Brexit border on the Irish Sea and the empty shelves in Northern Ireland from the great @hayward_katy.
4
95
355
9. #BrexitReality 🧵: cars become more expensive thanks to Brexit! (h/t @Alex__Mircea ).
Ford has raised the UK list prices of some of its models, blaming post-Brexit 'rules of origin' tariffs. @Autocar reports that the Fiesta ST Edition went up by £1,695 between Dec and Jan, with Puma ST getting £1,920 more expensive.
3
125
349
10. #BrexitReality 🧵: and of course no such thread could ignore the episode of the confiscated ham sandwich
"Welcome to the Brexit sir, I'm sorry". The most iconic line from the Dutch Border Force.
5
76
349
My father Peter Tibor Kelemen died a year ago today. I miss him dearly. I'd like to share a thread about his amazing life, which spanned 3 continents and saw him survive the Holocaust, escape communism, become an engineer, pilot, polyglot, husband, father, grandfather & more 1/n.
23
57
361
Since @simonjhix mentioned my take on May's N. Ireland Trilemma when posting his excellent new chart, I thought I'd clean up and re-post the chart I presented @DCU_Brexit_Inst in January. Which promise will she break?
23
256
356
To my many Remainer friends: I understand your desperation to keep your country in the EU, as leaving will be a disaster for UK. But since you care about the EU also, have you considered what a problematic member state the UK will become if you stay after this debacle?.
135
84
345
14. #BrexitReality 🧵: Scottish shellfish can't get to EU market. "We are fighting for survival here just like every other exporter around Scotland. Get it sorted and get it sorted now."
6
88
320
Epic gaslighting from the fundamentally dishonest Boris Johnson government. Johnson chooses an Irish Sea border to resolve Brexit Trilemma, then lies and says EU is forcing the Sea border.
6
167
320
8. #BrexitReality 🧵"Hauliers say N. Ireland's supply chain could collapse within days." Thank the lying Tory Brexiteers! (h/t @Arnold_Platon. for this one. Please tweeps send more of these, I'll add them to the thread)
Hauliers say Northern Ireland’s supply chain could collapse within days -
2
95
313
18. #BrexitReality 🧵: "On 4 January billions of euros of business left the UK for the EU". "Britain is now losing its very strong position in trading of European equities in London”
3
119
311
20 #BrexitReality 🧵: Music orgs "had been repeatedly reassured that a Brexit deal would protect touring performers. in an industry worth £5.8bn a year to the UK economy." But instead UK rejected EU offer to allow visa free tour for musicians.
Finally, after 4 day of denying it, the UK government has admitted that it did indeed turn down the EU's offer to exempt performers from work visa rules. They won't say why, but it's reportedly because they didn't want European performers coming into UK.
3
107
303
16. #BrexitReality 🧵: and the damage to financial services in the UK is already beginning to show: “London lost 6.3 billion euros ($7.7 billion) in daily stock trades to EU venues on Jan. 4, the first business day after the transition period.”.
The City of London is coming to a realization about its post-Brexit future: a financial services accord with the EU may be too little, too late to protect its dominant position
2
101
304
500. #BrexitReality 🚚 “An exodus of EU lorry drivers from the UK since Brexit has left the British haulage & logistics industry facing an acute staff shortage & a looming crisis for industrial & retail deliveries.” Another excellent piece from @pmdfoster
12
192
308
With Brexiteers continuing to deny reality, it seems a good day recall - for the umpteenth time- that the Brexit Trilemma is inescapable & that it was @BorisJohnson who chose to resolve it by putting a trade border in the Irish Sea. The rest is noise.
13
121
293
695. #BrexitReality "The government is set to spend twice as much on Brexit administration as its flagship Levelling-up Fund."
7
218
288
With Johnson taking over for May, he inherits her Brexit Trilemma, so I've made a slightly revised version of venn diagram I shared last year. Like her, he has made 3 incompatible promises. UK can only have 2 of the 3. Anyone who says UK can have all 3 is either deluded or lying.
9
212
296
183. #BrexitReality @SamuelJohnsnon just alerted me to this "Digby Jones Index -The index of jobs lost through Brexit that Lord Digby Jones said we wouldn’t lose" published by @YorksBylines tracking stories of Brexit woes similar to those in my THREAD👇
11
166
287
Lots of smoke & mirrors in fight over rule of law. Here's my take in @POLITICOEurope on what's really going on: "If European leaders want to escape this autocracy trap, they must begin by standing up forcefully to regimes that try to hold the EU hostage"🧵.
18
124
305
737. #BrexitReality “A leading North East business group has urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to acknowledge that his Brexit deal is causing major difficulties for firms in the region.”
14
108
298
17. #BrexitReality 🧵: Ireland-Wales trade down 70%
Ireland-Wales trade down 70% year on year as .@StenaLine shifts towards Ireland-France direct routes because of #Brexit with @ArthurBeesley via .@financialtimes.
5
86
280
15. #BrexitReality 🧵: oops!.
In other #Brexit news German logistics giant @DBSchenker has suspended shipments from EU to UK until further notice - following @DPDgroup_news last week. /1
1
81
274
950. #BrexitReality “Shortages of lorry drivers that have beset supply chains are primarily the result of a lack of EU workers due to Covid and Brexit, according to official statistics.”
7
132
257
1. A long 🧵 on what is going on & what is at stake in dispute between @EUCourtPress & @EU_Commission & German @BVerfG. It is a showdown over question of "Kompetenz Kompetenz", & the survival of EU legal order is at stake. The ECJ is right & BVerfG's position is untenable.
Statement by President von der Leyen on the ruling of the German Constitutional Court ruling of 4 May.
12
146
288
As my #BrexitReality thread hits #500, let’s pause to recall that Brexit was sold on lies. Some people continue to claim it isn’t causing economic damage to the UK or destabilizing the union with Scotland & N. Ireland. Seems to me like rejecting evidence of your eyes and ears.
500. #BrexitReality 🚚 “An exodus of EU lorry drivers from the UK since Brexit has left the British haulage & logistics industry facing an acute staff shortage & a looming crisis for industrial & retail deliveries.” Another excellent piece from @pmdfoster
8
130
272
Sociopath Jr.
25
59
237
19. #BrexitReality 🧵: More on trucking backups. .
Polish trucking magazine reports: A Polish truck driver entered Kent on Monday with valid Kent permit. He turned up at Ashford when they told him that his documents need to be double-checked, so he was sent to a different truck park to wait. 1/4.
1
65
244
31. #BrexitReality @LSEnews study predicts UK exports to EU will drop by more than one-third & total UK trade will drop by 13%, & per capita income will fall by 6% because of hard Brexit trade deal 👇.
Total UK trade will nosedive by 13%, "making a mockery of the government’s claims of a buccaneering “Global Britain” outside the bloc.". Worse: Britons like you and me will feel the pain, with income-per-head forecast to fall by 6%. #BrexitReality.
8
74
235
My #BrexitReality 🧵just hit its 400th entry. Thanks to all who have shared it. Over 2 million views of the 🧵 by now. Wherever one stood on Brexit before the referendum, it is important to see its actual economic consequences - and to recognize that Brexiteers lied👇.
400. #BrexitReality And coming in at #400 in this 🧵, a great summary of latest stories on economic consequences of Brexit in @chrisgreybrexit ‘s latest blog 👇.
5
123
235
21. #BrexitReality: Will become more expensive to down Brexit related sorrows:
Wine can be facing a 'brexit tax' of up to £1.50 .
1
56
223
My piece on @freedomhouse downgrading of Hungary. “This year, [Hungary] was downgraded to the status of “partly free” — along with countries such as Pakistan, Singapore, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe. This is deeply embarrassing for the European Union.”
12
140
239
What should we make of deal today in @EUCouncil on 🇪🇺 funding for Orbán autocracy? In short, while the €6.3bn suspended (only around 18% of what Hungary gets from EU budget) is far less than what was legally justified, the fact anything was suspended is a victory. Quick🧵👇
13
120
240
25. #BrexitReality: @guardian piece on Brexit damage to British entrepreneurs: “companies like ours in the UK are not going to be able to do ‘end sales’ to customers in the EU any more. Particularly, small orders for anything under £100 will be completely impossible,” says Paul”.
“Jobs lost will be lost here, that is the Brexit reality.” Whenever I read stories like these I can’t help thinking of Michael Gove’s claim in 2016 that Brexit Britain would be in an Iceland to Turkey free trade zone. What does he think about that now?
3
67
216
28. #BrexitReality “it is stupid but it is Brexit” . Sounds like a new motto for the whole mess. 👇.
NEW: - EU logistics company says it is making loads of money from Brexit as UK importers now “paying” for empty trucks to go back to EU to avoid hold ups in Kent. “It is stupid but it is Brexit” . 500 euro for empty truck worth it (tho not for environment)
1
69
218
23. #BrexitReality £50 an hour for truckers to park as they wait for new Brexit customs red tape before they can access ports for crossing to EU.
Telegraph unusually quiet on Brexit today. News section silent and one opinion piece saying "yah boo sucks to Brussels" re vaccinations. But this piece sneaks into the business section.
1
67
217
It is a pretty standard move for autocrats the world over to use troops from rural provinces to quell protests in the capital.
Another shift change in DC tonight: on the line across 16th street right now are Utah national guardsmen (who identified themselves when I asked)
14
110
222
This is not a a spoof, apparently.
We’ll harness space technology to solve problems on Earth, creating jobs and levelling up across the UK. Find out more about our new National Space Strategy: . #SpaceStrategyUK
68
42
228
I always thought Brexit would lead to a reduction of UK environmental standards, but I didn’t think it would happen so quickly or be because they couldn’t get imports of chemicals needed to treat sewage
911. #BrexitReality 💩🏊♂️ 🤢UK environment agency sets up process to allow polluters to “discharge effluent without meeting the conditions in your permit” if they can’t get needed chemicals due to Brexit & other supply chain issues. H/t @mwarhurst.
7
106
217
24. #BrexitReality: long 🧵 from a wine importer in Wales explaining how Brexit is strangling his business with red tape and will lead to price increases for consumers 👇.
1
48
207
22. #BrexitReality good thread and article here by @Joe_Mayes & @lizzzburden on how new Brexit red tape is strangling UK-EU trade.
It's been another torrid week at the border - inundated customs agents, goods stuck for days, companies buckling under the paperwork 1/ w/ @lizzzburden.
2
54
202
This was precisely the point of Brexit for many anti-EU regulation Tory Brexiteers. Predictable and predicted. #BrexitReality.
Beaches in #Bexhill, #NormansBay and #Hastings remain closed after raw sewage is pumped into the sea .
8
104
199
27. #BrexitReality more on fishing woes- stuck in port. (h/t @ChamonMerijn).
Sunday Times. "A boat responsible for catching a tenth of the fish in Britain's fish and chip shops has been stuck in port in Hull since Dec 5th"."A fisherman since he was 16, Waddy supported Brexit but has changed his mind: I think it's the wrong decision, yes." @BorisJohnson
1
56
198
Best news on EU’s rule of law crisis in past decade 👇.
🔴Official: European Commission blocks the Polish National Recovery Plan on the basis of #RuleOfLaw concerns. Bluffs by PM @MorawieckiM that 🇵🇱 respects ECJ & attempts real improvements utterly failed.
4
50
208
26. #BrexitReality - business travel headaches 👇.
“British travellers will have to get used to carrying proof of hotel bookings, evidence they can support themselves, and return tickets. This has long been standard practice for travellers coming into the EU from the outside”.
2
55
193
Time for another Trilemma Diagram. This time not the Brexit Trilemma but the Scottish Independence Trilemma
“Nobody in the SNP wants to see a border between Scotland and England”. Nicola Sturgeon is asked about comments made by Emma Harper in her interview with @ITVBorderRB . The SNP candidate told @GregoryHoare “jobs can be created if a border is created”
20
66
214
"They use the language of democracy to dismantle democracy. That is the stark reality of Brexit."
Repeal bill analysis: This is the just the start of the Brexit attack on democracy
7
182
206
Chance Hungary or Poland leave the EU = 0. Massive public support for membership in both countries & economies in both countries depend on EU funds & investment. This is a bluff from autocrats who want to remain EU members and take EU funds while ignoring EU rules.
First Hungary's ruling party. Now Poland's government is openly talking about leaving the EU. "Illegal diktats of the ECJ" aka supremacy of EU law that Poland signed up for, although it doesn't apply to social policy.
16
48
206
Guess what?.Money talks.👏👏👏👏.
🏳️🌈BREAKING. 🇵🇱4 out of 5 Polish regions have now repealed the ‘LGBT Free Zone’-resolutions - after the EU threatened to take away 126 million Euro from the COVID-19 Recovery Fund and possibly a few billion of the Cohesion Fund. There’s no place for discrimination in the EU!🇪🇺✊
3
43
199
29. #BrexitReality: good 🧵from @ColdChainShane on declines in UK-EU trade 👇.
The big worry here is that ‘not-trading’becomes a habit. We can’t/won’t carry on at half the volumes of before, but as volumes claw back we may only reach something like 80% of previous volumes and that is a disaster for a food industry already battered by a recession.
1
43
179
Wow. Does this make @JJansaSDS the second @EPP leader of an EU member state (after Orbán) to endorse Trump? He is an aspiring authoritarian in the Orbán mold. Another pet autocrat of the @EPP. Guess they are afraid a Biden administration will stand up for democracy 👇.
15
62
202
Orban is cheating, just as he did in 2018. Attn: @osce_odihr.
‼️👀Bags of partly burnt mail ballots for the Hungarian election were found in Romania near a motorway on Wednesday. Some ballots show support for the opposition. Orbán granted voting rights to the neighbouring Hungarian diaspora. They can vote by mail.
11
110
188
951. #BrexitReality “UK fruit and vegetable growers are cutting their planting for 2022 after unprecedented labour shortages led to widespread wastage of produce, with hundreds of tonnes of crops from broccoli to raspberries left to rot in the fields.”
15
107
186
1.Setting the record straight on #EUTopJobs & why #Spitzenkandidaten @ManfredWeber @TimmermansEU and @vestager were blocked for @EU_Commission President. Lots of spin out there that needs to be countered, so here is a THREAD. 👇.
5
134
185
#BrexitReality Thread hits 900 👇. How it started. How it’s going
1. So many stories coming out revealing that Brexiteers sold Brexit on lies and that reality of Brexit is turning out - just as experts had warned - to be a fiasco and an enormous act of economic self-harm for UK. I’ll keep track of some in this Brexit reality thread🧵 👇.
2
82
184
UK won’t “align” with EU regulations? That’s fine, but then it won’t export goods to EU.
The Prime Minister refuses to align with Brussels as first shots are exchanged over trade talks
17
62
175
Today marks the 4th anniversary of my father’s death. I have many new followers here who wouldn’t have seen this, so I thought I’d reshare this thread about his amazing and inspiring life story.👇
My father Peter Tibor Kelemen died a year ago today. I miss him dearly. I'd like to share a thread about his amazing life, which spanned 3 continents and saw him survive the Holocaust, escape communism, become an engineer, pilot, polyglot, husband, father, grandfather & more 1/n.
20
17
187
1. Very proud to have coauthored this report on the legal case for activating the rule of law conditionality Regulation against Hungary with Kim Scheppele and @JMorijn, at the request of @daniel_freund & @GreensEFA. Quick 🧵below & here is the report 👉
9
82
180
Never felt prouder of my wonderful city, Philadelphia. The birthplace of American democracy helped knock out the despicable wannabe autocrat today. Lived here 20 years and have never seen such mobilization. @m_orenstein & I had a great time doing our bit getting out the vote!
5
13
179
The #BrexitTrilemma abides, and the deluded Brexiteer Mr Frost is its latest victim. You can promise the impossible, but you can’t deliver it
Lord Frost has resigned over the inevitable capitulation over the Northern Irish Protocol that will come soon. It’s his own fault; he has set the bar too high in the July Command Paper, pledging to remove all EU law from the Protocol. An impossible ask which has backfired on him.
2
55
167
Unable to resolve the Brexit Trilemma, May resigns
PM @Theresa_May makes a statement in Downing Street
5
84
179
With his corona coup, Orbán abandoned any pretense of being a democratic leader. Given that his electoral autocracy was already secure, why did he risk inflaming tensions with the EU by moving to outright dictatorship? My take in @monkeycageblog + a 🧵 👇
11
120
165
He was a very loving father, and he taught me so much: to be a Mensch, to love learning, to work hard, to laugh a lot and enjoy life. I also owe my career to him (reading this thread, you'll understand why I study European politics). I miss him every day - especially today. 21/21
26
8
170
A momentous day as Orbán leaves the @EPPGroup that has defended & empowered him for a decade as he built the EU’s first autocracy. Having written articles & given interviews on the topic for years, I’m feeling a bit like this 👇 today. 🧵to follow shortly on the whole saga. 1/n
BOOM. Fidesz quits the EPP, after the centre-right group amends its rules to make ejection easier. Orban jumps before he is pushed.
12
60
167
Brexiteer liars are waging a war on reality. They are losing.
9
41
164
Coronavirus crisis provides Orbán with the perfect justification to dispense with the pretense that his regime is democratic. Seems he may now move from electoral autocracy to full authoritarian rule with little chance that the EU -or Hungarian opposition- will try to stop him.
Hungarian Justice Min. @JuditVarga_EU sends bill to Parliament:.- State of emergency til end of 2020.- Rule by decree.- Parliament suspended.- No snap elections/referendums.- Spreading fake news and rumors punishable with up to 5 years in prison #COVID19 .
9
127
167
Lots of talk today about Hungary “blackmailing” the EU. This gets things wrong and misses the point. The EU has all the leverage and Hungary can only blackmail EU leaders if they are willing to be blackmailed. I discuss it in a forthcoming article in @JEI_Publication. An excerpt:.
9
52
162
Incredible and embarrassing for @BBCNews that it makes no mention of #Brexit in a story about huge queues for travelers in Dover caused by Brexit. #BrexitReality .
15
47
150
So much for the PiS autocrats in Poland being big friends of Ukraine. All they ultimately care about is keeping the flow of EU funds coming to them even as they persecute judges and destroy the rule of law.
Poland has refused to back an €18 billion EU aid package for Ukraine and two unrelated but linked decisions on Hungary over concerns about a separate minimum corporate tax rate plan.
21
62
160
345. #BrexitReality 🪴 💐 Brexit hits gardening “Almost all house plants sold in the UK are grown in Holland or Belgium.” Gardening tools and watering equipment also tends to come from Europe. “Those are also subject to further delays and increased costs”
4
78
144
Now we have it: intelligence agencies report Russia's goals were to promote Trump, harm Clinton & undermine faith in US democratic process
6
129
130
As my #BrexitReality 🧵 hits 700 entries, it is a good moment to remember that Brexiteers sold Brexit on a pack of lies.
700. #BrexitReality “‘I’m getting out’: Britain’s antiques dealers hit by Brexit.New regulations are forcing some dealers who relied on easy access to French markets to abandon the business”
3
87
156