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Mert Kartal

@mertkartal.bsky.social
1.3K followers 332 following 473 posts

* Associate Prof. of Political Science, St. Lawrence University * Transparency International Consultant * International organization; the European Union; good governance & corruption (control) in Europe, and a bit of Turkey * 💛💙Fenerbahçe💛💙

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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
“most mainstream politicians … try to remain in power by arguing that they are the lesser evil … If democratic parties do not develop inspiring manifestos for what they want to achieve in government, liberal democrats will refuse to come out to vote and the far right will win a majority of votes”
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Conceding electoral defeat is democratic, but congratulating the far right normalizes it. Normalizing extreme ideas is a big reason the mainstream everywhere has lost support for years. amp.dw.com/en/cdu-conce...
amp.dw.com
CDU concedes defeat as AfD tops Saxony-Anhalt vote
"We're going to have to live with this result," the CDU's lead candidate Sven Schulze said after congratulating the AfD on becoming the state's strongest party.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
This is what happens when the mainstream normalizes the far right by catering to far-right voters without offering a substantive policy agenda of its own.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
“Nearly 200 private colleges borrowed from restricted endowments in 2025, [sometimes without the donors’ knowledge].” www.wsj.com/us-news/educ...
wsj.com
The Struggling Colleges Raiding Their Endowments to Pay the Bills
It’s the last resort for institutions on the brink: tapping restricted funds from donors to keep the lights on.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
FIFA’s already very prone to corruption. Infantino’s plan to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup & other FIFA competitions to private investors would create even more rent-seeking. UEFA is right to object. When public goods are governed by private interests, profit trumps accountability.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Well, this is a first! EU Parliament calls for sanctions on Turkey’s justice minister. www.turkishminute.com/2026/06/17/e...
turkishminute.com
European Parliament adopts report urging EU sanctions on Turkey’s justice minister - Turkish Minute
The European Parliament on Wednesday adopted a report urging the European Union to consider human rights sanctions against Turkish Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, naming the former İstanbul chief public...
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Academic research now confirms what many of us already suspected: Brands can easily post promotional content on platforms such as Reddit, Quora, Wikipedia, etc. and use it to manipulate the outputs of AI tools.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
There’s been debate over which chant would be used to support Turkey’s national team at the World Cup. I think that debate is now over. The Turkish Football Federation has just shared the national team anthem prepared at the instruction of President Erdoğan.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Apparently, this was not as clear as I thought: The ESN group and the ESN party are different entities. The possible ban would apply to the party only and cut off EU funding(~€2 in 2026). Far-right MEPs would still keep their seats in the European Parliament. www.politico.eu/article/eu-w...
politico.eu
Brussels watchdog moves to ban Alternative for Germany’s EU party
The far-right Europe of Sovereign Nations could lose its funding and its right to be a political party.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
TI report below suggests concerns about ineffective rule of law reforms in Albania are still very real since I posted this (bsky.app/profile/mert...) back in November:
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Alberto Alemanno @alemanno.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
After years of institutional paralysis, the otherwise obscure Authority for EU Political Parties has finally discovered its monitoring mandate. The target? The AfD. The EPP's biggest headache in Germany. A mere coincidence? substack.com/home/post/p-...
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
The decision to shut down Bilgi has been reversed. The president of Turkey’s Higher Education Council says the initial move was a “mandatory legal procedure,” but that President Erdoğan later acted “sensitively” toward the concerns of students, families, and university staff.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
Past experience suggests a much harsher crackdown may be coming. Those resisting would be detained. It’d not be surprising to ultimately see efforts to strip Özgür Özel of immunity for inciting public hatred & hostility. And given where we’re, noone would be shocked to see Kılıçdaroğlu support it.
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Howard Eissenstat @heissenstat.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
The shit that we insisted was going to happen in Turkey finally happened just as we predicted. The only difference is that, ten years down the line, barely anybody outside of Turkey even cares anymore...
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
The EU now has another Orbán-like leader.
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Howard Eissenstat @heissenstat.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
Hard to overstate how sharp Turkey's descent into unvarnished authoritarianism is right now; at one point this would be major news, a cause of consternation in Brussels and Washington. Today, it seems to barely cause raised eyebrows.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
In case anyone outside Turkey still cares, today marks another turning point for Turkish “democracy.” A major threshold has been crossed.
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Ruth Michaelson @ruthmichaelson.com · 21/05/2026
A Turkish court today removed the head of the country's main opposition party, clearing the way for his predecessor to return. His predecessor already lost to Erdoğan in an election in 2023 – and is viewed as a far more convenient opposition leader for the Turkish president.
theguardian.com
Turkish court ruling removes head of main opposition party
Ruling annuls 2023 CHP leadership contest and deposes Özgür Özel, the face of opposition to Erdoğan
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Istanbul Bilgi University, which I am proud to have graduated from, has been shut down.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Özgür Özel: “The regime is offering me the chance to sit in opposition for 30 years as long as I don’t disturb it. This country doesn’t need party leaders who enjoy sitting in opposition until they’re 80 years old. It needs a leader who builds a government capable of solving the people’s problems.”
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Sinem Adar @sinemadar.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
This is going to be minority opinion but I see the likelihood of an early election lower today than yesterday. CHP under KK leadership might act aligned with the AKP, but this might have the reverse effect of antagonising its own base.The US/Israel-Iran war makes economic repair more difficult.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
www.sozcu.com.tr/iktidarin-pl... predicts the following: 1.Kilicdaroglu removes current CHP leadership 2.Erdogan calls a snap election later this year 3.Kilicdaroglu reshapes CHP’s candidate lists, which further divides CHP 4.Erdogan raises wages and gets DEM’s support by giving“status” to Ocalan
sozcu.com.tr
İktidarın planı bu: Bundan sonra bunları bekleyin - Sözcü Gazetesi
Yargı eliyle CHP’yi dağıtma planında bir eşik daha aşıldı. Kılıçdaroğlu “Kimse susmamı beklemesin” diyerek parti içi muhalefet bayrağını açtı. ‘Butlana hazırım’ mesajı verdi.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
AI use rising, Canvas getting hacked, students' final work unavailable just as grades are due... The old analog options, in-person examples, offline gradebooks, are starting to look more attractive than ever.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
I get nervous whenever the EU lends money to member states or external partners. Without effective monitoring and enforcement, we know aid incentivizes rent-seeking and corruption. It's always safe to assume anyone can be corruptible when the right checks and balances are not in place.
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Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu · 07/05/2026
Over the next two days, Poland and Lithuania will be the first countries to sign SAFE loan agreements. These two plans alone are over €50 billion, to close critical capability gaps and keep our Eastern flank safe.
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Cas Mudde @casmudde.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
To fight the far right, we need to learn the right lessons. Do not make them look stronger than they are, but also don’t write them off because one of them loses an election. My new op-Ed in the Guardian makes a couple of points 🧵
theguardian.com
Trump may be toxic and Orbán is gone, but Europe’s far right is not in decline | Cas Mudde
Let’s not draw the wrong conclusions from Hungary’s election or the US president’s troubles, says political scientist Cas Mudde
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Hungary's pushing the EU to release the full €10b in frozen EU funds. Yes, Magyar's election is reason for optimism, but the Commission should take a slower approach tied to governance reforms. Given past traumas under Orban, unfreezing the entire €10b without meaningful progress could be a mistake.
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Howard Eissenstat @heissenstat.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
For the love of God, having "black friends" does not mean you are not racist. Having "Jewish friends" does not mean you are not antisemitic.
media.tenor.com
a woman is talking about having black friends .
ALT: a woman is talking about having black friends .
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Aid to Ukraine passed after the reopening of the Druzhba pipeline carrying Russian oil through Ukraine to Slovakia & Hungary. That repair somehow took months and “somehow” wrapped up soon after Hungary’s election. A few notes: 1.Ukraine repays the no-interest loan only if Russia pays reparations…
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Howard Eissenstat @heissenstat.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Quite aside from them cutting dozens of mostly liberal arts majors, apparently, "Syracusing" is a common verb amongst admissions staff at SLACs. It refers to SU poaching admitted students with last minute additional financial aid to ensure that they go to Syracuse rather than another college.
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Howard Eissenstat @heissenstat.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Turkish hive mind: I'm looking for intensive Turkish lessons in Istanbul for a fifteen year old this summer. Any suggestions for schools?
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
The US and Iran repeatedly failing at bargaining over the last few weeks is clearly very unfortunate. On the bright side, I now have a fresh case study for teaching Fearon’s rationalist explanations for war in my IR class this fall.
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Anand Menon @anandmenon.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
Me on why it is important that the UK understands where the EU is on Brexit inews.co.uk/news/world/e...
inews.co.uk
Europe doesn't care about the UK - we're deluded
The story of Brexit has, in part, been one of Britain misunderstanding the European Union
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
What I’ve learned from energy experts in Germany is that there are several reasons for Germany’s insistence on not using nuclear energy. One is the trauma caused by the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
A successful negotiation leaves both sides feeling the deal is fair even if neither side gets everything they want. If one side feels like they “won” at the expense of the other, the deal will probably not last.
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R. Daniel Kelemen @rdanielkelemen.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
My take on the Hungarian election in @lawfaremedia.org www.lawfaremedia.org/article/how-...
lawfaremedia.org
How Hungary Escaped Electoral Autocracy
Viktor Orbán’s defeat will have consequences for the country, Europe, and aspiring autocrats around the world.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Magyar’s Tisza is more anti-Putin & pro-EU than Orbán’s Fidesz. But their European Parliament voting shows less distance on immigration & Ukraine than many expect. Magyar will likely work with 🇪🇺 to unlock frozen funds & not veto aid to🇺🇦. Still, Ukraine’s EU accession may not be high on his agenda.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Research shows pro-democracy wins in authoritarian systems often fall short: New leaders keep unfair rules and/or old regime loyalists block reform. In Hungary, Magyar has 2/3 majority & strong ties to democracies. There's reason for hope but only if he's genuinely committed to democratic change.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
This is a major moment for Hungary. The country now has a real chance to move back toward electoral democracy. Expecting much more in the short term would be unrealistic.
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Szabolcs Panyi @szabolcspanyi.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
💥🇭🇺🗳️ BREAKING: Péter Magyar says Viktor Orbán called to concede and congratulate him. Magyar will be Hungary’s next prime minister and, as it stands, is set to secure a 2/3 supermajority – enough to fully dismantle Orbán’s system. A 16-year chapter is over.
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Gabriela Greilinger @gabrielagreilinger.com · 12/04/2026
Viktor Orbán has congratulated Péter Magyar! #Hungary
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Kim Lane Scheppele @kimlanelaw.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Here's the map with 1/3rd of the votes counted. Tisza = blue; Fidesz = orange. The strength of the color tells you how far ahead the lead party is. It's a blow-out. Fidesz strongholds are falling to Tisza.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Votes cast at embassies will be counted only after they are sent in on April 17. So, the final result may not be known until April 18, which would matter only if the race is very close.
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Kim Lane Scheppele @kimlanelaw.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Votes are starting to come in -- with 3% of the vote counted, Tisza is on track for 91 seats to Fidesz 76, with many to be called. 100 necessary for a majority, 133 for a constitutional majority (2/3rds vote can change the constitution). vtr.valasztas.hu/ogy2026?filt...
vtr.valasztas.hu
Nemzeti Választási Iroda - Országgyűlési képviselők választása
Választási szervek - Nemzeti Választási Iroda
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mathieu gallard @mathieugallard.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
🗳️ Dans le sondage Medián réalisé ces derniers jours, on voyait l'avantage massif de l'opposition chez les jeunes (73% vs 11%), alors que le Fidesz de Viktor Orban restait dominant chez les 50 ans et plus.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
The all-time-high voter turnout in Hungary does not necessarily favor either the government or the opposition. Both sides have been mobilizing their supporters heavily. What is clear is that Hungarian voters are deeply aware of the importance of this election.
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Gabriela Greilinger @gabrielagreilinger.com · 12/04/2026
Beyond electoral politics, the far right is well-connected through various "think tanks" and other organisations. The Orbán government has also spent tons of money on funding various GONGOs and "think tanks" that will most likely survive and are linked to far-right organisations in other countries.
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Szabolcs Panyi @szabolcspanyi.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
👀🗳️ When polls close in Hungary at 7pm, there won’t be proper exit polls. Instead, some reliable independent pollsters will release embargoed surveys conducted just days before the vote. Their results are in line with their previous, already published findings (no surprises).
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Gabriela Greilinger @gabrielagreilinger.com · 12/04/2026
Historic turnout in 🇭🇺 – 66% as of 3pm. We will likely have surpassed 2022's turnout (70.2%) by 5pm. I don't dare to draw any conclusions or make predictions based on turnout data alone, but let's just say: Hungarians know how consequential this election is, and they are mobilising in huge numbers.
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Mert Kartal @mertkartal.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
If democracy in Europe is to improve any time soon, that change has to begin in Hungary today.
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