A widening gap: Switzerland’s richest cantons keep getting richer (Zug!) while poorer cantons remain stuck, despite fiscal equalization. Also, federalism lacks acceptance, particularly among younger generations. My interview on Radio SRF: www.srf.ch/play/radio/r... @economiesuisse.bsky.social

A widening gap: Switzerland’s richest cantons keep getting richer (Zug!) while poorer cantons remain stuck, despite fiscal equalization. Also, federalism lacks acceptance, particularly among younger generations. My interview on Radio SRF: www.srf.ch/play/radio/r... @economiesuisse.bsky.social

4 years ago, we proposed in an op-ed how the federal and subnational levels could govern jointly. Now that model is already being implemented in two of the biggest cross-cutting challenges of our time: digitalization & security. Today, we encouraged its further use! @unibe.ch @unil.bsky.social

Off to the NATIONALE FÖDERALISMUSKONFERENZ where we’ll hopefully tackle some of the key challenges for Swiss federalism: ▪️What to do when, already in 2023, only 50.5% of residents in the canton of Basel-Stadt were eligible to vote (a minority decides for the majority)? foederalismuskonferenz.ch

Humbled & honored to take the stage in a completely sold-out prime-time event location in my hometown to discuss the future of democracy. Just deeply grateful for this experience & to the editor-in-chief @cellmob.bsky.social for the kind invite. Listen to the podcast www.derbund.ch/live-gesprae...

Humbled & honored to take the stage in a completely sold-out prime-time event location in my hometown to discuss the future of democracy. Just deeply grateful for this experience & to the editor-in-chief @cellmob.bsky.social for the kind invite. Listen to the podcast www.derbund.ch/live-gesprae...

"But the SVP is different": I hear this often, especially compared to A/fD. But 2024 data confirm different story: programmatically, the overlaps are strikingly close. The real difference is govt participation, not ideology. And yet, many still label the SVP as a center-right ("bürgerlich") party

#POLITKOLUMNE: Disinformation remains one of the most underestimated threats to democracy. But there is something we can do: a simple program (4x90min) by @priyadarshi-amar.bsky.social has proven highly effective in strengthening information and media literacy www.derbund.ch/desinformati...

4x90Min für die Demokratie: mit einem einfach umsetzbaren Programm Teammitglieder im Umgang mit Desinformation schulen. Ist Ihr Unternehmen dabei? There is something we all can do to effectively fight disinformation: four sessions of 90min each for your team, your professional development programs⬇️

#Abstimmungsschablone Secret ballot is fundamental to (direct) democracy. Yet until now the 377000 visually impaired people in Switzerland had to disclose their vote every single time. In the upcoming referendum, a newly developed stencil will allow them to cast a truly secret vote for the 1st time

Desinformation – die unterschätzte Gefahr für die Schweizer Demokratie www.derbund.ch/desinformati...

#Abstimmungsschablone Secret ballot is fundamental to (direct) democracy. Yet until now the 377000 visually impaired people in Switzerland had to disclose their vote every single time. In the upcoming referendum, a newly developed stencil will allow them to cast a truly secret vote for the 1st time

My hometown, this time of the year /Bern, Switzerland🇨🇭

Honored to speak on a panel with senior public officials celebrating 30y of the Bern Constitution, once among the most progressive (eg minority protection). My point:Csts bind future generations (Jefferson’s „dead hand” problem). That’s why they must strike a balance between stability&flexibility

Daniel Ziblatt writes the way he studies democracy: with discipline, patience, and a refusal to look away from complexity. He writes with the conviction that democracy depends on the continuous work of understanding. 🧵 New on Etched in Marble: catherineeunicedevries.substack.com/p/etched-in-...

Share widely with your students in Switzerland 🇨🇭thinking about a PhD @eui-eu.bsky.social 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗘𝗨𝗜 𝗣𝗵𝗗 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 🇨🇭 21 Nov 2025 | 2:30pm CET @alissasiara.bsky.social introduces the program & life at EUI, I share my experience, and we answer your questions. 👉 Register: www.eui.eu/events?id=58...

Off their phones and into the streets www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/n...

A sneak peek at the cover of next week’s issue, which celebrates Zohran Mamdani’s historic win. #NewYorkerCovers https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/451hFM

"But the SVP is different": I hear this often, especially compared to A/fD. But 2024 data confirm different story: programmatically, the overlaps are strikingly close. The real difference is govt participation, not ideology. And yet, many still label the SVP as a center-right ("bürgerlich") party

To my friends in the US: this is how a major Swiss tabloid reports on the upcoming NYC mayoral race (and yes, the candidate’s name Zohran Mamdani is deliberately omitted): “Donald Trump is already looking ahead: this Muslim could make US history next week”

A remarkable trend—one that runs fundamentally counter to the Swiss far-right’s portrayal of migrants as low-skilled: Through the 2020s, Switzerland has become the only small country to rank among the world’s top 10 preferred destinations for highly educated young adults („the brightest and best“)

Gerry Seoane 💛🖤 wiukomme zrügg daheim z bärn

A new postdoc position is now available at the Center for European Studies at Harvard for 2026 2027, The Guido Goldman postdoctoral fellowship, named after our center's founder A great opportunity to work at Harvard for the year. Here is more information: ces.fas.harvard.edu/opportunitie...

Exactly one year ago, my first edited volume was published. A year later, I’m experiencing another first: preparing my first CP lecture! What a privilege to teach with and from the excellent chapters written by our contributors. Feeling deeply grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey🙏🏾

"Interessanterweise richteten unsere Interviewpartner:innen ihre Wut nie gegen den Kapitalismus [...] weil man gerade auf diesem Boden sein eigenes Selbst aufgebaut hat – und sich daraus auch die affektiven Energien speisen."

One year ago

Even though Switzerland has one of the most elect. successful far-right parties, I often hear ppl say: “The SVP is different” I’m not sure many realize the radicalization of its youth wing, which has close links to the i//dentit. mov which just held a pan-European meeting here to discuss “re//mig"

We have just advertised a Full Prof position in the Political and Social Sciences department at the EUI (@eui-sps.bsky.social). Here are the details. Please spread the word, and get in touch if you have any questions. www.eui.eu/Documents/Se...

I’m deeply honored to receive the "Preis für Föderalismus- und Regionalforschung" for my book "Lobbyierende Kantone", presented by the presidents of the parliaments of the Austrian Bundesländer and South Tyrol, as well as the @ifoe.bsky.social. On the picture: e.g., Landeshauptmann Stelzer (ÖVP)

I’m deeply honored to receive the "Preis für Föderalismus- und Regionalforschung" for my book "Lobbyierende Kantone", presented by the presidents of the parliaments of the Austrian Bundesländer and South Tyrol, as well as the @ifoe.bsky.social. On the picture: e.g., Landeshauptmann Stelzer (ÖVP)

#Zerstörungslust – das Buch der Stunde, nun erstmals in der Schweiz vorgestellt: @camlinger.bsky.social & @onachtwey.bsky.social erklären, warums um Lust > Wut geht: In der Lust am Zerstören erhalten Menschen, die von liberalen Gesellschaften enttäuscht sind, das Gefühl zurück, „wieder jdm zu sein“

In Switzerland, Eurosceptic forces urge voters to reject the new EU–Switzerland deal in the name of federalism. Yet a new study by e.g. @ajazajilirjana.bsky.social & @pbundi.bsky.social shows: more than half of respondents cannot meaningfully make sense of federalism, mixing it up with "Förderung"

"In Switzerland, governing is something quite different from how it works elsewhere. The govt does govern, but in quotation marks. It's more of a mandate under permanent reservation. It initiates, proposes, consults,but it never decides conclusively" alt Kanzler Thurnherr www.nzz.ch/schweiz/inte...

Applications for our flagship Visiting Scholars Program are now open and close Dec 14, 2025. Scholars who are European citizens can also apply for our 4 fellowships. Please share widely! @dziblatt.bsky.social 🔗https://ces.fas.harvard.edu/opportunities/visiting-scholars-overview/visiting-scholars

Update: Die Veranstaltung «Der Bund im Gespräch» zum Thema «Ist die Demokratie noch zu retten?» mit Prof. Adrian Vatter und mir im Berner Bierhübeli ist ausverkauft (Mod.: @cellmob.bsky.social). Wir sind sehr gerührt und bedanken uns herzlich für das grosse Interesse! @unil.bsky.social @unibe.ch

On 21 October, the University opened a new interdisciplinary centre to improve links between science, technology and policymaking. ethz.ch/en/news-and-...

We are hiring PhDs and postdocs to work on the ERC project GETGOV, where I am the PI. We will investigate governing elites since 1789. I am sure that it will be a lot of fun and result in great research! Postdocs: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available... PhDs: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...

„Die Ideenlosigkeit im politischen Raum ist eklatant“, so Prof. @steffenmau.bsky.social – und @ricardalang.bsky.social MdB berichtet, dass den Parteien als Getriebene oft schlicht die Zeit fehle, programmatisch nachzuladen. Äusserst hörenswertes Gespräch zu ihrem neuen Buch „Zeitenwende“ ⬇️

What happens when radical right-wing populist parties are in government? In our op-ed, we summarize some key polisky findings: normalization, curtailed civil liberties, weaker economic performance, greater inequality, and an overall threat to democracy itself www.derbund.ch/adrian-vatte...

Good morning, America, from Europe. There have been some rough mornings for a European to wake up to news from across the Atlantic. But today, the message you’ve sent – the crowds, the energy, the hope – feels deeply uplifting and hopeful #NoKings

I hear from informed sources that these #NoKings rallies are more than twice as big as last time, making them easily the largest protests in US history. Thanks to everyone and especially organizers.

😍 Boston, you are beautiful. #NoKings

Hi, speaking as a USian who did a PhD at a Swiss university: Fellow USians interested in a #polisky doctorate should LEAP at this. Leap, leap, leap.

🚨📢 Reupping this polisky PhD opportunity at @unil.bsky.social, Switzerland — there’s still time to apply until 25 October!

#POLITKOLUMNE: The ageing of the electorate is accelerating, and so is the growing divide between the youngest & the oldest voters in Swiss direct democracy, espec. on social policy issues. On av., the generational gap now amounts to 13%pts, as large as the Röstigraben www.derbund.ch/stimmrechtsa...

„Carolin Amlinger und Oliver Nachtwey schreiben auch mit ihrem neuen Buch Wissenschaft ganz nah an der gefährdeten Gegenwart. Wer besser verstehen will, was unsere Demokratie bedroht, sollte "Zerstörungslust" unbedingt lesen.“

Huge shoutout to Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln, @dziblatt.bsky.social & Michael Zürn & the entire team @wzb.bsky.social! It was truly a privilege to listen to outstanding keynotes & engage in interdisciplinary conversations that truly matter. Time now to digest all the many thoughts (and keep the optimism)

Prof @catherinedevries.bsky.social: „Demonstrate that the state can efficiently serve its citizens“ Truly the best keynote I’ve ever had the privilege of listening to, incredibly powerful &inspiring. It invited so many fields into a conversation we urgently need: how to design a state that delivers

Prof @catherinedevries.bsky.social: „Demonstrate that the state can efficiently serve its citizens“ Truly the best keynote I’ve ever had the privilege of listening to, incredibly powerful &inspiring. It invited so many fields into a conversation we urgently need: how to design a state that delivers

Beto O‘Rourke: ”We still have time to resist“. Excited for the 1. Annual Interdisciplinary @wzb.bsky.social Conference "The Future of #Democracy?", starting tonight with the public dialogue "Democracy at Stake: A Conversation Across the Atlantic", also featuring Anna Lührmann MdB