Very interesting episode of @ajboekestijn.bsky.social and @robdewijk.bsky.social about the state of the Russian economy. Which does not look good for Russia.

@hugoreitsma.bsky.social @ajboekestijn.bsky.social @robdewijk.bsky.social Key strategic breakthrough ! Australia and Papua New Guinea will integratie their armies with each other !! www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09... #foreignaffairs #papua #papuanewguinea #australia

1/ Was at the International Criminal Court #ICC for a midday session. Was there to see hearings in the oldest case on its docket. On the menu: old and updated criminal charges against Joseph #Kony. He once headed the terrorising Lord’s Resistance Army (#LRA) in #Uganda. Some thoughts in the thread 🧵

Sinds de val van het kabinet houden Liset van Dijk en ik alle tv-optredens van politici bij. We zijn gestart op 4-6 en volgen sindsdien systematisch welke politici in welke programma’s verschijnen. Vandaag delen we de grafieken van 30-8 t/m 6-9. #politiek #media #data

As well in KNR: NATO allies to train with Danish armes forces in Greenland. Includes frigates, helicopters, aircrafts, soldiers and special forces of France, Germany, Sweden & Norway. #greenland #nato #eu #trump @marfusvalentin.bsky.social www.knr.gl/da/nyheder/n... @hugoreitsma.bsky.social

In Greenland: "There has been a visible military presence in several places in Greenland recently, and this will continue in September. The Danish Armed Forces are intensifying their training activities in September" #greenland #eu @marfusvalentin.bsky.social www.sermitsiaq.ag/samfund/mere...

@kallaert.li The best Dutch columnist @carolinedegruyter.bsky.social states "Liechtenstein is searching for cover with the EU". Referring also to Brigitte Haas starting a group to investigate future EU relations. Do you agree? #liechtenstein #microstate #democracy #eu www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...

@robdewijk.bsky.social Listening to your podcast from yesterday. I am very interested in the idea you dropped of all EU nations pulling out of the EU (via article 50), dumping Hungary and Slovakia, and re-founding the EU without those nations ditching veto powers. (1/2) #europe #eu #democracy

@freedomhouse.bsky.social With anti (or pro) democratic developments in the World going faster then ever. Why is there no LIVE log of key developments changing scores in your report. Erosion is so fast, a report can be too little too late. #democracy #freedom #authoritarianism

@timdewitnl.bsky.social @ajboekestijn.bsky.social Do listen to @asymmetricalh.bsky.social with the President of the Association of Genocide Scholars Melanie O'Brien ( @drmelob.bsky.social ) article by article explaining why Israel commits genocide. 1/2 www.asymmetricalhaircuts.com/episodes/epi...

🎉 I am so very happy that I was awarded an ERC Starting Grant for my project BORDERS: Border Change and Local Development in Europe and Beyond. My (future) team and I will investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of border change on development in historical Europe and worldwide. #ERCStG 🎉

Fantastic surprise cup win in the last minute from SC Genemuiden versus @vvijv.bsky.social in the 1st round of the @knvb.bsky.social Dutch Cup ! #football #cup #soccer @staantribunemedia.bsky.social

@hermanvanderzandt.bsky.social if you like flags so much, you have to be come member of @vlaggenkunde.bsky.social (just saw your comments in “Eva”)

Received the book of @markla94.bsky.social ("Wat iedereen aan gaat") yesterday, started reading. I must say promising start ! #democracy #neoliberalism #keynes

Nice overview piece of Eva Rovers on Citizens Assemblies: decorrespondent.nl/16317/democr... #lottocracy #citizenassemblies #democracy @tegenverkiezingen.bsky.social

Interesting piece from Angel Cabrera Silva in @opiniojuris.bsky.social about a "Right to Democracy". The Interamerican Court of Human Rights will for the first time judge on a case. opiniojuris.org/2025/08/26/a... www.angelcabrerasilva.com @asymmetricalh.bsky.social @markkersten.bsky.social

One of the only sensible NSC ministers Caspar Veldkamp (‪ @ministerbz.bsky.social ‬) stops ! He did far too less for Gaza. But, mainly due to coalition partners like @vvdonline.bsky.social ‬ ‪/ @rubenbrekelmans.bsky.social ‬ going against international law ! #veldkamp #gaza nos.nl/artikel/2579...

Classic @mijnvitesse.bsky.social should never die ! For me there are two options: - Relegate to Tweede Divisie (3rd level) with the same club - Re-start at the lowest level (10th level) with refounded club @afcwimbledon1889.bsky.social & @vvrbc.bsky.social style! #vitesse #knvb #football

Does this also lead to an emergency podcast @janethanderson.bsky.social & @svdberg.bsky.social ? Would also be interesting to see which lobby groups are fighting against it. This is @asymmetricalh.bsky.social terrain correct? www.reuters.com/world/asia-p... #icc #sanctions #trump

More movement in the arctic: "Canada courts arctic allies to counter russia" #canada #geopolitics #eu #sweden #norway #iceland #finland #denmark www.politico.com/news/2025/08... @euolifant.bsky.social @ajboekestijn.bsky.social

With further US sanctions, read below of @markkersten.bsky.social . Now it's time for the Netherlands ( @groenlinks-pvda.bsky.social @cda.nl @volteuropa.org ) and the World to save the International Criminal Court (ICC). justiceinconflict.org/2025/01/15/t... #icc #justice @robdewijk.bsky.social

I am all for it ! But it is interesting to see how via this “ratione loci” argumentation several non-Rome Statute countries are smuggled into the ICC jurisdiction: Myanmar / Belarus. opiniojuris.org/2025/08/01/i... #icc @asymmetricalh.bsky.social #belarus #justice @opiniojuris.bsky.social

Also expanded the list of Cult Football clubs again. Slowly more on Bluesky. Amongst them @vvrbc.bsky.social @vfbluebeck.bsky.social @colwynbayfc.bsky.social @clydebankfc.bsky.social @zeerobbentweets.bsky.social go.bsky.app/bvDYyX #football #soccer @sweeperpod.bsky.social #againstmodernfootball

Very disappointing this :( www.icc-cpi.int/news/icc-str... #internationaljustice #icc #genocide #gaza #trump @asymmetricalh.bsky.social

Updated my Bluesky Starter Pack of all vexillologists of note present on Bluesky (Associations, FIAV Congress visitors, Board Members of Associations, flag websites). Amongst the new: @vexi.cat @flagarchive.bsky.social @fundesvex.bsky.social #flags #flag #vexillology #fiav go.bsky.app/MPXoUhJ

Switzerland considers joining UK's 'dirty money' task force reut.rs/3V9ZP7a

Can Tuvalu be saved as a country ? Will climate change make them disappear ? @jameskerlindsay.bsky.social on this #microstate m.youtube.com/watch?v=S2ap... #self-determination @diegovaladares.bsky.social #tuvalu

Northern enlargement ! This article from Villy Søvndal and @rkefferputz.bsky.social that next to Iceland, also the majority in Greenland wants to join the EU. tomorrowsaffairs.com/should-the-e... @robdewijk.bsky.social #eu #iceland #greenland #norway @catherinedevries.bsky.social

Extremely impressive episode of @vprozomergasten.bsky.social with @uungor.bsky.social Professor of Genocide Studies at @niodamsterdam.bsky.social ! Made me remember again why these 3 beasts of books are staring at me every day ! npo.nl/start/serie/... #genocide #icc #humanrights #democracy

I know it's not everybody's favourite book. But it certainly is mine! From now on I will force myself to regularly do it. An ode to Arend Lijpharts beautiful book: "Patterns of Democracy" - Government Forms and Performance in Thirty-Six Countries !!!!!!! #democracy #proportionalrepresentation

Cannot wait listening to this podcast tonight ! About the book "The Disunited States". A full hour of @ryan-griffiths.bsky.social on Red & Blue Secession. newbooksnetwork.com/the-disunite... @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social @elisendapaluzie.bsky.social @karlobasta.bsky.social #self-determination

The new book of @markla94.bsky.social "Wat iedereen aangaat" will be presented 03.09.2025 in Spui 25 ! He pleas for "radical democratization of democracy" Other speakers: @tamardewaal.bsky.social @rutgerclaassen.bsky.social spui25.nl/programma/wa... www.debezigebij.nl/boek/wat-ied... #democracy

Nice ! Another of those "I can't wait books". This time a book of @gracemc971.bsky.social : Colonisation and Non-Sovereignity - Small Island States in the Caribbean. Case studies: #martinique #guadeloupe #caymanislands #britishvirginislands @paulcomenencia.bsky.social @ryan-griffiths.bsky.social

For those where the link between the beautiful Finnish, Estonian and Hungarian languages are still mindboggling #finland #hungary #estonia news.harvard.edu/gazette/stor...

In Germany the first lottocratic party has been founded. 20 founding members came to Munich ! @alexgphilosophy.bsky.social @tegenverkiezingen.bsky.social @nuttlos.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy #lottocracy #citizenassemblee #democracy youtube.com/watch?v=RuUT...

So, a photo of the trilateral declaration (Arm-Azb-US) is now being circulated. A few initial thoughts: (1/8)

Interesting piece from Giannis Mavris: “How Trump is manoeuvring Switzerland closer to the EU” www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-di... @euolifant.bsky.social @ajboekestijn.bsky.social @robdewijk.bsky.social @carolinedegruyter.bsky.social @catherinedevries.bsky.social #eu #switzerland

The Faroe Islands is great in football ( @kiklaksvik.bsky.social ) but also very traditional ! All members of parliament in traditional clothing in the parliamentary year opening @tinganes.bsky.social ! I wonder if ever anyone dared to resist this tradition? @frodskaparfelag.bsky.social #faroe

German family of 4 are the first "climate citizens" confirmed on the tiny island of Nauru. They wanted to have Plan B given the current global political volatility. pina.com.fj/2025/08/06/f... www.abc.net.au/pacific/prog... #nauru #microstate @ellyjonkervliet.bsky.social

Nice podcast of @revdem2020.bsky.social about the crazy dynastic politics (Marcos vs Duterte) in the Philippines. With the very enthusiastic @richheydarian.bsky.social ! Note the podcast-link in below link is from the wrong podcast. But the smart ones will find it. revdem.ceu.edu/2025/08/04/p...

And the new Flag Master (No. 170) on the doormat ! The "flagship" publication from the @flaginstitute.bsky.social . With articles on the new US State Flags, Greenland Flags & the maritime / flag collection of the @rijksmuseum.bsky.social ! @leigh-w.bsky.social #flag #flags #vexillology

Another intriguing country with not too much (scientific) literature on political history: Lebanon! But this new book from @jonalendering.bsky.social with a historic angle comes far! With beautiful little historic maps and I must say a fantastic cover (for thos loving flags). #lebanon #microstates

Socalists, Greens and Left MEPs call for action on Gaza ‘genocide’

Had a week in the autonomous Aosta Valley (Italy) with a visit inside their parliament. But no scientific books or journal articles. Why is South Tyrol everywhere in literature and Aosta nowhere? @ryan-griffiths.bsky.social @andrefazi.bsky.social @karlobasta.bsky.social #aosta #self-determination

M A T C H D A Y!

Still no registration of the Fryske Nasjonale Partij at the Kiesraad. As well no Blue Sky account. Still a general meeting on deciding to compete to come. But FNP is leaving it late :) @fnpwaadhoeke.bsky.social @frankdeboer.bsky.social @chrisaalberts.bsky.social www.kiesraad.nl/verkiezingen...

New book from Vicente Valentim has arrived ("The normalization of the Radical Right") ! After the nudge in @nrc.nl "Haagse Zaken" from @leoniedejonge.bsky.social ! Together with long overdue @timothysnyder.bsky.social "On Freedom" which @beatricedegraaf.bsky.social remembered me on. #democracy

ICC advisers won a permanent injunction against the Trump administration barring any enforcement of the executive order that could expose them to legal penalties

#WeRemember🕯️ We honour the memory of victims that were part of the atrocious Roma Holocaust taking more than 500,000 lives. Today marks 10 years since the EU officially recognised this day. We stand united against antigypsyism — today and every day.