Excellent testimony & recommendations from @gmfus.bsky.social @danielhegedus.bsky.social at the U.S. Congressional @tlhumanrights.bsky.social hearing on “Laws Regulating Foreign NGOs: Human Rights Implications” — touches on Slovakia, Bulgaria and Hungary. www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu4B...

📺 Today at 2:00pm EST / 20 CET, tune into a US Congressional hearing about anti-NGO laws around the world featuring GMF's @danielhegedus.bsky.social, Regional Director, Transatlantic Trusts Central Europe. For more information and the livestream link:

Please join our hearing on anti-NGO laws and their human rights implications at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the United States Congress. 📆September 9, 2:00 pm EDT / 8:00 pm CET For the live webcast, follow the link below 👇 humanrightscommission.house.gov/events/heari...

Please join our hearing on anti-NGO laws and their human rights implications at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the United States Congress. 📆September 9, 2:00 pm EDT / 8:00 pm CET For the live webcast, follow the link below 👇 humanrightscommission.house.gov/events/heari...

What change might the upcoming election bring to #Czech foreign policy? Explore & discuss the potential scenarios with the AMO_cz's great @pavlinajan.bsky.social & Vít Dostál next Thursday in Berlin at @gmfus.bsky.social. 🗓️September 4, 1:00 pm CET RSVP 👉 www.gmfus.org/event/lines-...

🇧🇬🇨🇳 Great and comprehensive overview of #China–#Bulgaria relations and the PRC’s influence in Bulgaria by my always sharp colleagues Asya Metodieva and @dimker.bsky.social . Highly recommended reading 👇 www.gmfus.org/news/chinas-... @gmfus.bsky.social @engagingce.bsky.social

Penned together with the great @gbuldioski.bsky.social, our piece argues that even democratic societies need clear concepts of adversaries—and if democratic centrists don’t define them, the radical right and other opponents of democracy will. www.gmfus.org/news/it-or-n... @gmfus.bsky.social

Penned together with the great @gbuldioski.bsky.social, our piece argues that even democratic societies need clear concepts of adversaries—and if democratic centrists don’t define them, the radical right and other opponents of democracy will. www.gmfus.org/news/it-or-n... @gmfus.bsky.social

Anti-gender movements are gaining momentum across Western societies, including in the Western Balkans. Join our great #ReThinkCEE fellow Angel Dimitrievski, Adriana Zaharijevic, Irena Cvetkovic & yours truly to discuss the impact. 📅June 26, 3:00 pm CET RSVP⤵️ www.gmfus.org/event/battli...

Draft legislation of the Hungarian government aims at erasing the campaign spending limit for candidates & allowing unlimited campaign spendings, but solely from domestic resources. The ultimate version of skewed playing field in an electoral autocracy. 444.hu/2025/06/06/b...

How did the termination of USG democracy assistance impact civil society in Central Europe & how should public and private donors respond? Check out my piece at @revdem2020.bsky.social (in two parts—don’t miss part 2!) 👉 revdem.ceu.edu/2025/05/28/i... @ceudeminst.bsky.social

✍️ In the second part of his article, @danielhegedus.bsky.social analyzes the impact of the termination of US Government Assistance on the implementer landscape and the indirect political implications in the CEE region. 🧑‍💻 Read it now: 👉 tinyurl.com/e3uzaye7

✍️ In the first part of his article, @danielhegedus.bsky.social recounts the background of the termination of US Government Assistance and its immediate financial consequences for the CSO sector in Central and Eastern Europe. 🧑‍💻 Read it now: 👉 tinyurl.com/4zfkzvfj

Fantastic to see this declaration signed by 20 Member States. If Poland joins after its presidency term, that would make 21—just one Member State short of the threshold required to conclude Article 7(1). THREAD 1/4 www.government.nl/documents/di...

Don't forget to join us 📅on Wednesday, May 28, 3:00 pm CET / 9:00 am EDT and discuss with Katarína Batková, @martapardavi.bsky.social, @rdanielkelemen.bsky.social & yours truly the recent anti-#NGO legislations from #Slovakia & #Hungary. RSVP 👇 gmfus.org/event/mushro... @gmfus.bsky.social

If you're interested in the pop culture of resistance to contemporary illiberal rule, I can only recommend you the Hungarian punk rock band #Bankrupt. They combine mindblowing lyrics (also in 🇬🇧) with fantastic visuals. Their latest single is just out 👇 www.youtube.com/watch?v=InD4...

Civil society is under concentrated attack in the EU. Join us on 📅May 28, 3:00 pm CET / 9:00 am EDT & discuss with Katarína Batková, Márta Pardavi, Daniel Kelemen & yours truly the recent anti-NGO legislation from #Slovakia & #Hungary. RSVP 👇 www.gmfus.org/event/mushro... @gmfus.bsky.social

Civil society is under concentrated attack in the EU. Join us on 📅May 28, 3:00 pm CET / 9:00 am EDT & discuss with Katarína Batková, Márta Pardavi, Daniel Kelemen & yours truly the recent anti-NGO legislation from #Slovakia & #Hungary. RSVP 👇 www.gmfus.org/event/mushro... @gmfus.bsky.social

Very on point quote from @danielhegedus.bsky.social about the proverbial frog. Also read his excellent op ed on the draft "transparency law" & how it would challenge the primacy of EU law euobserver.com/rule-of-law/...

#Hungary's new "Transparency Bill" surpasses all previous efforts in its open attack on basic democratic norms and fundamental rights & on the core principles of EU law and the authority of the @ec.europa.eu . My piece for @euobserver.com 👇 euobserver.com/rule-of-law/... @gmfus.bsky.social

#Hungary's new "Transparency Bill" surpasses all previous efforts in its open attack on basic democratic norms and fundamental rights & on the core principles of EU law and the authority of the @ec.europa.eu . My piece for @euobserver.com 👇 euobserver.com/rule-of-law/... @gmfus.bsky.social

The clear goal is to suffocate what remains of Hungary’s critical civil society and to intimidate independent media, ahead of the highly contested 2026 elections — elections that the incumbent Fidesz party would lose if held today, writes @danielhegedus.bsky.social. euobserver.com/rule-of-law/...

Ich habe dazu auch mit dem Ungarn-Experten @danielhegedus.bsky.social gesprochen. Hier der Text. Gern teilen! www.focus.de/politik/ausl...

It was not only a great pleasure but also a lot of fun to discuss with @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social and Dorjana Bojanovska Popovska how #illiberal #Transatlantic ties are reshaping Western democracy, and not for the better. 🎧 revdem.ceu.edu/2025/04/16/i... @revdem2020.bsky.social

Join us discussing how Central & Eastern Europe is adapting to global economic fragmentation with Jan Boguslawski, László Bruszt, Visnja Vukov & yours truly. 📅April 29 ⏲️3 PM CEST RSVP 👇 gmfus.org/event/geo-ec... @engagingce.bsky.social @gmfus.bsky.social @ceudeminst.bsky.social

🎙️ In the new episode of the Democracy After 2024 series, @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social and @danielhegedus.bsky.social examine transatlantic cooperation between state and non-state actors in the United States and Hungary. 🇺🇸🤝🇭🇺 🎧 Listen to it now: 👉 tinyurl.com/54uue92f

Brilliant piece by @mcfaulmike.bsky.social & Evan Medeiros explaining why a “Reverse Kissinger” strategy—trying to drive a wedge between China and Russia—is misguided and rooted in wishful thinking. Highly recommended reading 👇 www.foreignaffairs.com/china/china-...

"This [election] monitoring would have two aims: deterrence and documentation. [...] Solid documentation of any irregularities will also be crucial for the legitimacy of the next government, regardless of whether Fidesz or Tisza emerges as the winner."

For veterans of the Eurozone crisis, this is quite incredible - today Greece has a lower borrowing cost than both the UK and the US for their 10 year bonds. I had to check, all of the previous so called 'PIIGS' (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Spain) have lower borrowing costs than the US today.

In 2026, #Hungary will face its most consequential election since 1990. To avoid a Georgia-like scenario, the establishment of a robust international #ElectionObservation mission will be essential. @gmfus.bsky.social @goodlobbyprofs.bsky.social @ceudeminst.bsky.social gmfus.org/news/safegua...

In 2026, #Hungary will face its most consequential election since 1990. To avoid a Georgia-like scenario, the establishment of a robust international #ElectionObservation mission will be essential. @gmfus.bsky.social @goodlobbyprofs.bsky.social @ceudeminst.bsky.social gmfus.org/news/safegua...

Our age of polarisation: too lazy to look up the law, too lazy to look at the facts, too lazy to read the judgment. But strong opinion that decision is political based on what we assume some will say (too lazy to identify the ‚some‘).

Amid growing U.S. assertiveness toward allies—especially in the #Arctic—and its waning commitment to European security, reconsidering the EU’s #NorthernEnlargement has become a strategic imperative. My piece for @euobserver.com @martakos.ec.europa.eu euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

I’m deeply honored to join @ceudeminst.bsky.social as a research affiliate and to work alongside such fantastic colleagues on the topics of shrinking space for civil society, the intersection of autocratization and foreign policy, and the politics of rule of law protection in the EU.

Wie sollten europäische Partner mit den ungarischen EU-Blockaden umgehen? Wir sprachen darüber mit @kathrinsc.bsky.social im #WDR5 #EuropaPodcast. 👉 www.ardaudiothek.de/episode/punk...

Pro-Putin, Anti-EU: Viktor Orbán baut in #Ungarn Rechtsstaat und Medienfreiheit ab – und stellte sich erneut gegen die europäische Linie. Geldstrafen aus Brüssel beeindrucken ihn kaum. Bleibt nur der Rauswurf? #EU🎧 Die neue Folge unseres Europa-Podcasts mit @danielhegedus.bsky.social 👉 Links in KOM

Join our @authlibeu.bsky.social #FIMI conversation with Nad'a Kovalcikova, Vassilis Ntousas & Péter Krekó on March 25 👇

What's behind #Hungary's malign foreign influence game in North Macedonia? Check @dimker.bsky.social's analysis published by GMFUS www.gmfus.org/news/hungary...

Transparency watchdogs & pro-European CSOs of Central Europe, Apply! #EU #CERV #PROTEUS #TransatlanticFoundation The German Marshall Fund of the United States

Great article by @tgoscee.bsky.social on the growing suppression of #CivilSociety in #Hungary #Slovakia #Serbia & how changes in the Transatlantic space catalyze it, with quotes from @milanninberlin.bsky.social & yours truly. @deutschewelle.bsky.social www.dw.com/en/civil-soc...

Facing political challenges at home and emboldened by #Trump's dismantling of #USAID, the governments of #Hungary, #Serbia and #Slovakia are cracking down on civil society. With insight from @danielhegedus.bsky.social @milanninberlin.bsky.social Budapest Pride p.dw.com/p/4rfhL

Some "Russian Warship" vibes here from a tiny fed'l agency. via Brett Murphy: The African Development Foundation (budget ~$40 million) is putting up a fight and denying DOGE + Pete Marocco — the State Dept official dismantling USAID — access to their building:

Dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy, dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone.

"Today, it became clear that the Free World needs a new leader."

📢Working Paper Alert! In the age of spin dictatorships, propaganda isn’t just a tool of autocrats—it’s seeping into democracies, too. Péter Krekó (Political Capital, @gmfus.bsky.social) explores how modern regimes use social media to manipulate public opinion. www.authlib.eu/peter-kreko-...

The logic of the coup that is going on now. And how to resist it. snyder.substack.com/p/the-logic-...

This NYT piece describes the devastation being wrought in the global health sector by the foreign assistance freeze. Let me say a few words about what this looks like in the sector I work in, often called democracy and governance (DRG). 🧵

I know eyebrows will be raised but it's comforting to be living in a country where the Government is struggling to find a way to do something in a choked-off policy space, rather than a country where the Government is blowing up the policy space to act in its own malign and sinister interests.

Sharp piece by @ivodaalder.bsky.social & James Lindsay on the flawed strategic calculus behind Trump's power fetish driven U.S. foreign policy turn. Very much worth reading www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...

With an eye on the parade of European #radicalright at #InaugurationDay, I re-share my piece at @thehill.com on the contradictions in #Trump’s #Europe policy: he supports the very players who make it harder for Europe to deliver on his expectations. thehill.com/opinion/5014... @gmfus.bsky.social