Absolute insanity how Merz and his ilk are doing everything they can to harm Die Linke and to stop a progressive coalition from happening in Berlin. I'm glad the Berlin factions of the SPD and The Greens are not buying it.

This all happening against a backdrop of a CDU/CSU increasingly locking arms with the AfD, their own fair share of scandal and beyond proven willingness to shaft the people makes it even worse.

Nothing surprising, still utter madness.

Also not quite sure how I feel about Die Linke constantly making gestures to prove false the erroneous accusations lobbed against them but I can sort of understand it. Not sure if it'd be politically smart but I'd love to see them fight it a little harder though.

why the fuck has pumpkin spice invaded europe?

Scanning European media.

Headlines on the French protests. Those in Albania still make most front pages. Little bit on the protests in Argentina too.

I don't know what you all are doing in the US but unless Europeans are looking for it no one knows anything is happening.

And, sure, the media is to blame but at the same time nothing is drawing attention enough that they want to cover it.

(and no, I haven't checked every single media outlet but broadly No Kings seems to be ignored over here)

#NoKings #Protests

This is the kind of protest I like.

Pictures from this thread by @esqueer, there are quite a few more under the link. https://bsky.app/profile/esqueer.net/post/3mxmzjevan22v

#Brazil #TransgenderRights #Lula #Palestine

RE: https://mastodon.social/@noybeu/117426623731557738

The European People's Party, the largest group in the EU Parliament, is not a friend of the People.

Sadly they are effectively in charge of things. They are the largest group in the European Parliament and it's the group of Commission President von der Leyen.
They are also (over)represented in the European Council through the government leaders of Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden (that's 11 out of 27 leaders).

They also increasingly cooperate with the far right rather than seeking consensus with the centre and centre-left.

Who do we call in case of emergency?

#EU #EuropeanParliament

People keep blaming Thatcher and Reagan for so many modern ills and, honestly, I think that's part of why we're not getting out of this mess.
Yes, they were terrible leaders who introduced a lot of bad stuff. There was virtually nothing good about them.

They were also only there for a few years. They were a blip.

The true problem is every single successor they've had since. Directly in the UK and the US and indirectly in many other countries. They've all kept things in place and built upon them. Very little has ever been countered in the decades that came after T&R, especially when it comes to the economy and social infrastructure.

This is a system. Sure, Thatcher and Reagan may have laid the groundwork (though there were many before them, just less consequential) but it was merely the foundation.

Others had to build, and they've done so eagerly. Had they changed course instead, which would have made sense as cracks were showing everywhere, we'd live in a different world today.

Please stop focusing on the individuals, especially those from the past. Look at the systems, the enablers and those who just keep the same course even when it's clearly a failed strategy.

Don't look at the puppets, look at the theatre.
A theatre crumbling under its own weight that we refuse to tear down so we can build something better.
Just shouting at the poor puppetry, changing the colour of the stage lights or complaining about past performances is not going to do anything.

#Politics #UKPol #USPol #EUPol

Sometimes I feel like I am only bashing on the EU, especially the @EUCommission and the European Council.

It's not completely untrue but it's because I want - need - the EU to do better. To live up to its own promise and act in accordance with its own values. To take pride in who we are, or have become (cuz the past...). To believe in our strength.

To recognise the miracle that the EU actually is. When you learn its history and the general history of Europe the EU seems impossible. And yet, here we are.
There's nothing like it in the world.

Europe has everything it needs except the determination, will and confidence. There is no sense of urgency but a staunch refusal to recognise the crisis we're in. If Europe does not change course, and does so decisively and with vigour, I fear for our future.

The people are ready, polling shows this again and again. Now it's on our leaders and every day they wait - and it's been years if not decades - they play into the hands of those who want to divide and destroy us, right here at home and abroad.

Visionary, compassionate leadership is what we need. Not a manager class pandering to cheap sentiment and corporate interests. Not leaders who fail to understand that the European interest is the national interest.

Leadership that appeals to new countries, welcomes them as equals and proudly presents a compelling future within the EU. Leadership that can bring back an old friend.

I love Europe, I really do, even if Europe isn't always kind to me and has in fact done me significant harm. Perhaps Stockholm should be my city, but as long as it isn't...

If you've never seen it, this is the preamble of the Treaty on European Union, better known as the Maastricht Treaty. It is the founding document of the EU and was signed in 1992. This is the Europe I believe in. I wish our leaders did as well.

Almost 35 years later quite a bit of this has actually been achieved. More than you might think.
What we miss is the 'unity by heart' also professed in the treaty, the sense that we are not just nationals of our respective countries but Europeans too. That we're in this together.

The next step - the spirit of the treaty is not one of stagnation - should be taken today because we didn't yesterday. Sadly, going by current sentiments, we're not even taking it tomorrow.

You can find the text of the treaty here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:11992M/TXT

#EU #EuropeanUnion #EuropeanCommission #EuropeanCouncil

@autistics

Some years ago I was hired for a project and came to work really close with one person. She and I got along and we would spend long days together focusing on our work but also connecting as people.

After a few months she asked me if I was autistic. I said no, which I thought was an honest answer.
I knew I am different but I am different in many ways. I knew I struggled in social situations but there was always another plausible reason (too). I knew I kept having to fight for things that no one else seemed bothered with.
For everything I could come up with an explanation that was not related to being neurodivergent. I had just never put the puzzle together and see the bigger picture.

I tried to let her question go but it wouldn’t let me. Why would she think this about me? Eventually I started looking things up online and it was eye opening. I recognised so much and pretty much self-diagnosed right there and then. She saw something I didn’t and whether or not others may have no one had ever voiced it.

Later I was formally diagnosed in two out of three countries (long story), but the one that didn’t is my home country where I lived at the time these questions arose. It was difficult to handle because they also couldn’t offer an alternative suggestion of what might be going on. It was all just my problem and for me to sort out on my own. That failure in support has caused some serious harm.

There’s a reason why I write about this today but I’m not sure I’m ready to share that yet, so instead here’s a question for anyone who wants to answer:

How did you discover you were autistic and how difficult has it been to find recognition and acknowledgement?

This question particularly applies to those of us who recognised their neurodivergence in adulthood but I welcome everyone’s thoughts.

#ActuallyAutistic

Just started playing Phonopolis. What a gorgeous game made from actual paper which was digitised. There's a free demo if you want to try it.

I love the Czech Amanita Design. Europe at its best.

https://amanita-design.net/games/phonopolis.html

#Phonopolis #AmanitaDesign #VideoGames #Games

RE: https://mastodon.social/@europeanspodcast/117370748040797346

You don't want to read this but you absolutely should.

It also quotes and links to Lighthouse Reports who always deliver excellent work.

Also yet another reason why we absolutely cannot trust VDL II @EUCommission to do the right thing when it comes to tech legislation of any kind. I am embarrassed to ever have defended VDL I.

another day another fight with a customer 'service' chat bot.

The other day I was talking to a fairly tech-savvy and generally well informed friend. He also has proper knowledge of the functioning of the EU and little trust for its current set of leaders.

He was incredibly fierce in his (rightful!) opposition to chat control.

So I was a bit surprised when he considered the EU Kids Act a good thing. Only after I informed him about its true content and provided some sources could he recognise how nefarious it actually is and how our leaders are trying to hoodwink us.

This is what we're up against. You need more than casual knowledge to understand that a) this law does none of the good it claims and does b) a whole lot of the bad it seeks to hide.

#EU #EUKidsAct

Recently I came across a news article which seemed to imply a person's transgender identity was relevant to the crime she committed. It wasn't, and it was ridiculous and careless to include it - even more so as they linked it to her apparent poor mental health.

So I wrote them. Just got a reply; they agreed and changed it. It probably matters little in this case, given the speed with which the news moves, but it may make them think twice next time.
Especially if more people make it known this is not ok.

Always report it when media gets it wrong. Do not let them get away with it. It matters.

I have done this several times with many outlets and when you remain polite (but firm) typically they understand and will address it.

The walkout at UNGA is somewhat impressive though (the counter reaction less so).

https://bsky.app/profile/acyn.bsky.social/post/3mwbu7mtc6s2r

RE: https://flipboard.com/@timesofindia_/times-of-india-bsl3e3p0z/-/a-7bRiy8WNSCOq5WnasmFvVA%3Aa%3A3972488315-%2F0

These days no politician wears a bright red satin tie without it meaning something, even if they genuinely have poor taste this is not a random choice.

How on earth is it possible that a man actively committing a genocide and having an arrest warrant for war crimes just shows up at the UN General Assembly? (I mean, I know but jfc)

https://youtu.be/zib7FqDj_Mk

#NishKumar #PodSaveTheUK #Corruption #Lobbying

"Lobbying is just corruption for white people."

- Nish Kumar

Interrail has a massive sale going on.

50% for 'global' passes longer than a month, 15% for everything else. You have up to a year to activate the pass.

Available to anyone anywhere in the world.

h/t @seatsixtyone.bsky.social

https://www.interrail.com/en

#Interrail #Trains #Europe

Cowardice.

And it's problematic the Dutch coordinating body of public broadcasters won't back one of its members even when the people by and large support the (temporary) Dutch withdrawal of Eurovision.

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/netherlands-eurovision-2027-return_uk_6ab3d223e4b08976697d2576

Nox Mobility has just revealed the design for its night trains. It's possibly the best design for a regular night train? I love the overhead double bed!

I really hope they become a successful player in the market.

Starting in March 2027 (Hamburg-Munich).

https://youtu.be/TiuQeDUyZ98

#NoxMobility #NightTrain #Travel #TravelEurope #Trains