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Vlad Makszimov

@vmakszimov.bsky.social
359 followers 262 following 122 posts

PoliSci PhD candidate at ARENA Centre for European Studies, University of Oslo. Judicial politics, legal elites and public opinion. Formerly journo @Euractiv.

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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
It looks like @ec.europa.eu is using the leverage it has with Hungary’s new govt (Péter Magyar’s important electoral promise is the release of RRF money w/ aug deadline) is have HU Commit to a phase out put of some leavies 1/
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Another day, another Hungarian captured institution performing independence. Today the Constitutional Court struck down the Orbán govt's retroactive decree that tried to kill Budapest's lawsuits over the "solidarity contribution." Looks like a win for rule of law. Is it? 🧵 1/9
telex.hu
Az Alkotmánybíróság visszamenőleges hatállyal megsemmisítette a szolidaritási adóról szóló kormányrendelet egyes rendelkezéseit
Az Országos Bírói Tanács jogorvoslati kérelmét tárgyalta az Alkotmánybíróság, a kifogásolt szabályokat megsemmisítették, Budapest tovább perelhet.
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Katalin Halmai @eublogo.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
The Article 7 procedure against Hungary is nothing more than a political punitive measure, says Fidesz MEP Tamás Deutsch, announcing that their EP delegation is formally calling for the immediate termination of the procedure. 2/1
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
1/ Unusual scene inside Hungary’s Constitutional Court: during a sitting, judge Marcel Szabó reportedly read out a statement calling for court president Péter Polt to resign. telex.hu/belfold/2026...?
telex.hu
Az Alkotmánybíróság ülésén szólították fel lemondásra Polt Pétert
Szabó Marcel alkotmánybíró szerint a Polt múltjával terhelt intézményt már csak az elnök távozása mentheti meg.
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Antoinette Scherz @ascherz.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Democratic frontsliding in the EU is real! #Hungary Curious what people think: how does our frontsliding framework travel from Poland to Hungary? In our new paper @chrishillion.bsky.social, @tommasopavone.bsky.social & I examine the challenges of democratic restoration after backsliding. 👇 thread
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
We often say there is an entire Hungarian generation that has known nothing but the Orbán regime. I am part of that generation. Tomorrow is full of uncertainty. But today, we are together. Hát gyerekek, ennyi volt… Ezek is mi vagyunk.
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Gabriela Greilinger @gabrielagreilinger.com · 12/04/2026
Viktor Orbán has congratulated Péter Magyar! #Hungary
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
At @telexhu.bsky.social one political analyst just called the election for Tisza. Let’s wait, and as we all know, 2/3 may matter just as much.
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Europe Elects @europeelects.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Hungary: National parliament election Turnout at 5:00 PM CEST 2018: 63.21% 2022: 62.92% 2026: 74.23% Source: Nemzeti Választási Iroda ➤ europeelects.eu/hungary #Hungary
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Record-breaking turnout continues in #Hungary’s elections: by 3pm, participation had climbed to 66.01%. The previous high for this point in the day dates back to 2002, when 53.59% had voted under a very different electoral system.
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
1/ Many were wondering whether Fidesz would actually concede if it lost. High turnout today is encouraging — but there are now clear signals the government is preparing the ground to contest the legitimacy of the result, at least if it’s close.
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
More encouraging turnout data from Hungary 🇭🇺 By 9am, participation has already reached 16.89% (up from 3.46% at 7am) — well above the 10.31% recorded at the same time four years ago. #Hungary #Elections
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Palma Polyak @palmapolyak.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Some #hopium from Hungary: Record-breaking 3.46% turnout until 7am & early patterns are encouraging. Budapest met region, mid-sized towns are the most active, where Tisza is stronger. Fidesz-supporting villages/small towns are more passive, a big shift from earlier years. telex.hu/english/2026...
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Protesters at the exit of Orbán’s polling station, holding a one-way ticket from Budapest to Moscow, playing the «The Red Army is the Strongest» Soviet march song. Let’s hope they are wrong.
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
I guess once a journo, always a journo. Without meaning to, I managed to time my vote with Viktor Orbán’s, who’s residential address is three streets down from me. #Hungary #Elections
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
🇭🇺 Spotted a group of OSCE election observers at the gate, also Budapest-bound. The final stretch begins. 🛫🗳️ #Hungary #Elections
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Yes, we made a podcast about the Hungarian elections. Bear with us. 🇭🇺🫠 🗳️ Why a poll lead isn't enough 🏛️ Why a new government inherits a system designed to outlast it 🌍 Why rule of law enforcement matters more if the opposition wins With Alida Steigler (@unioslo-jus.bsky.social). 🎧 sptfy.in/arena
sv.uio.no
Hungary's elections: What they reveal, and what they cannot fix - ARENA Centre for European Studies
Electoral change is necessary for democratic renewal in Hungary. It is not sufficient.
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Palma Polyak @palmapolyak.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
This chart goes a long way in explaining why Orbán’s system is under real pressure for the first time. The growth that sustained it has stalled—and with it, the political bargain that kept voters on board. I tried to unpack what that means. 👉 brettoninthewoods.substack.com/p/can-hungar...
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ARENA Centre for European Studies @unioslo-arena.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
We are hiring! ARENA is looking for a Postdoctoral Fellow political science, political economy or European studies. The fellowship is connected to the Norwegian Centre for International Economics (NORCIE). Read more and apply by 6 April 🔗 www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
photo of UiO building. text: vacancy, post-doctoral fellow, ARENA, application deadline 6 April 2026
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Steve Peers @stevepeers.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
New EU court case III Rule of law/asylum law Hungary sues EU court for damages, saying that the EU court breached EU law by fining Hungary for *its* breach of EU law eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-conten...
Summary of Hungarian arguments. Full text in the link.
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Zelenskyy’s forceful responses to Orbán’s provocations are a strategic blunder, regardless of who wins the 🇭🇺 elections. 1/
politico.eu
EU blasts Zelenskyy over veiled threat against Orbán
Brussels issues rare condemnation of Ukraine’s president, as the Budapest-Kyiv feud boils over.
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
With roughly a month to Hungary’s vote 🇭🇺, I bring dispatches from the “wait, WHAT?” beat of the country's electoral theatre. 1/10 🧵 👇
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
Either lazy reporting or these "EU officials" are in for a rude awakening. Tisza's newly published programme explicitly rejects accelerated Ukraine accession.
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
Interesting dev in 🇭🇺 ongoing #RoL breakdown -- a Budapest court just signaled it won’t let the govt retro-decree its way to victory in an ongoing lawsuit against the capital. Did #Hungarian courts finally have enough? 1/ telex.hu/belfold/2026...
telex.hu
A bíróság is felhúzta magát a kormányrendeleten: jogellenes, alkotmányellenes, visszaható hatályú
Sérti az alkotmányt, a jogállamiságot, a bírói függetlenséget, a visszamenőleges jogalkotás tilalmát – a Fővárosi Törvényszék megtámadta a szolidaritási hozzájárulásról hozott friss kormányrendeletet.
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
To date, the ACI’s primary purpose appears to be benchmarking @ec.europa.eu spox team's talent to maximise mimetic facial and gestural intensity while minimising commitment to specifics.
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Right on cue. Here's Putin playing ball legitimising Trump's claims of Russian threat to Greenland. 🔗 www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Stumbled across McFaul (frm. US Amb. in Moscow) in a Jul '25 itw w/ @vDud saying he’s "disappointed" in Europeans, who didn’t have "bigger protests" against the Iraq invasion—except Europe literally had the largest anti-war demo. Ever. Like, Guinness World Record "big" 🤷 1/3 youtu.be/vxZEkll2N2I?...
youtu.be
Is U.S. policy hypocrisy? / US Professor vs Russian Journalist
YouTube video by vDud
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Szabolcs Panyi @szabolcspanyi.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
💥Hungary's main opposition Tisza party has widened its lead over PM Viktor Orban's Fidesz, two polls showed on Wednesday, ahead of an April election in which the veteran nationalist is seeking to retain his 16-year grip on power. @reuters.com
reuters.com
Hungary's main opposition widens lead over PM Orban's Fidesz, two surveys show
Hungary's main opposition Tisza party has widened its lead over Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz, two polls showed on Wednesday, ahead of an April election in which the veteran nationalist is seek...
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Department of Political Science, University of Oslo @statsvitenskap.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
📢 New book chapter 👤 Øyvind Stiansen (ISV) @oyvindstiansen.bsky.social 🔎 The Courts 📖 Published in Oxford Handbook of Norwegian Politics 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/oxfo...
doi.org
The Courts
AbstractCourts frequently decide politically important cases in Norway. Yet, despite voicing concerns about the consequences of judicialization for represe
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
With <97 days to go until Hungary’s elections, a few thoughts on what the battle of the pressers (Orbán vs Magyar) tells us about the state of the race 🧵 👇
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
Orbán’s presser was followed by a #Tisza press conference. Quick rundown: 1/
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
TL;DR + quick take: - Fidesz sticks w/ the 2022 playbook for April elections: “No war, no Brussels!” - Expect Hungary to muddy the waters on #Greenland - On #Taiwan, Hungary likely to veto any joint statement
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
Alongside fresh signs the multilateral order is unraveling, the year's first Monday brings another treat: #Orbán Viktor’s annual press conference—the one day a year the free press gets to ask him questions. Quick rundown 👇 1/
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Dr Etienne Hanelt 🇺🇦 @ehanelt.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
Together with Attila Vincze, I spoke about the state of the judiciary in Hungary's competitive authoritarian state, based on research we published previously in the German Journal of Comparative Politics.
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Judicial Studies Institute @justinbrno.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
🎙️ New Podcast Episode! Our colleagues @ehanelt.bsky.social & Attila Vincze join Arena Europa to unpack how Hungary’s judiciary is managed in a competitive authoritarian system — from subtle pressure tools to why resistance has been limited. 🎧 Worth a listen! Link ⬇ www.sv.uio.no/arena/englis...
sv.uio.no
Arena Europa podcast - ARENA Centre for European Studies
Arena Europa gives you a deeper understanding of Europe, the EU, and the European Economic Area.
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ARENA Centre for European Studies @unioslo-arena.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
New podcast episode in our mini-series on Hungary! Attila Vincze and @ehanelt.bsky.social explain how the Hungarian justice system seems independent of party politics on paper - and how the reality is different. www.sv.uio.no/arena/englis... @verfassungsblog.de @unioslo-svfak.bsky.social
sv.uio.no
Hungary: How judges are kept in line - ARENA Centre for European Studies
The Hungarian justice system seems independent of party politics on paper. Reality is different. How does the regime manage to keep thousands of judges under control?
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
Always remarkable how supposed papers of record fall prey to usual patterns of political discourse. As per usual, this piece depicts (if implicitly) the #EU’s Single Market as an incomplete imitation of a barrier-free #US market. This conventional wisdom is deeply misleading. 1/
ft.com
Who killed Europe’s single market dream?
A decades-long effort to tear down internal trade barriers has stalled, leaving the EU economy ‘tagging along behind’
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Antoinette Scherz @ascherz.bsky.social · 30/11/2025
What should the EU do about #Hungary? 🇪🇺🇭🇺 New ARENA Europa podcast ep. is out! We often ask what’s feasible instead of what’s right when it comes to #RoL enforcement in the #EU. @vmakszimov.bsky.social asked me about what “the right thing” might be. 🔗 Listen here: open.spotify.com/show/2lyLtQi...
open.spotify.com
What should the EU do about Hungary?
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Ep. 1 in our mini-series on #Hungary 🇭🇺 is out! Too often we ask what's feasible, rather than what's right, when it comes #RoL enforcement in the #EU. Tune in for a 🎙️ w/ @ascherz.bsky.social about what “doing the right thing” could look like. 🔗 Listen here: open.spotify.com/show/2lyLtQi...
open.spotify.com
What should the EU do about Hungary?
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ARENA Centre for European Studies @unioslo-arena.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
What should the EU do about Hungary? Vlad Makszimov interviews Antoinette Scherz in the latest episode of Arena Europa. Listen to the episode and read more here 🔗 www.sv.uio.no/arena/englis...
sv.uio.no
Arena Europa podcast: What should the EU do about Hungary? - ARENA Centre for European Studies
Hungary is backsliding and is no longer a democracy. Why should the EU intervene when the democracy of a club member weakens?
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ECPR Standing Group on Law and Courts @ecpr-law-courts.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
At at 08:30 on Wednesday 27/8, we have the panel “Courts and Their Counterparts” chaired by @vmakszimov.bsky.social and Julián Manzano Gómez and with presentations by @vmakszimov.bsky.social, Julián Manzano Gómez, @hamriklukas.bsky.social, and @petrhrebenar.bsky.social! ecpr.eu/Events/Event...
ecpr.eu
Courts and Their Counterparts: Analysing the Role of Formal, Informal, and Extra-Judicial actors
European Consortium for Political Research
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ECPR Standing Group on Law and Courts @ecpr-law-courts.bsky.social · 27/08/2025
Good morning #ecprgc25! 🌄 We have another day of great Politics of Law and Courts papers. First out is @vmakszimov.bsky.social with his excellent paper on judicial responsiveness to legal elites!
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 28/06/2025
Today, Budapest won. A special thank you to all foreign friends who showed us what true solidarity looks like ✊🏳️‍🌈 The lessons are clear — Don’t be afraid. The emperor has no clothes.
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 27/06/2025
So by standing w/ Hungarians marching despite threat of govt sanctions at #BudapestPride, the @ec.europa.eu apparently means standing for a photo-op after the presser today, and not standing in the streets tomorrow. 1/
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 20/06/2025
Sadly, I was right. In Act III of the litigation saga over the NGO-led 🌈 March (scheduled same day as BUD Pride), the HU Supreme Court (Kúria) sided w/ the police. Court: 👮 "complied with its obligation to establish and justify facts required by the earlier annulment ruling". 🧵👇 1/
kuria-birosag.hu
Kgyk.IV.39.065/2025/6. számú határozat | Kúria
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Vlad Makszimov @vmakszimov.bsky.social · 02/06/2025
Fascinating critical response from the semi-captured Hungarian Supreme Court #Kúria to propaganda media coverage of its decision, striking down police ban on a Budapest "mini-pride" 🔗 kuria-birosag.hu/hu/sajto/kur... More info and musings 👇 1/8
kuria-birosag.hu
A Kúria közleménye | Kúria
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Daniel Naurin @dnaurin.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
IUROPA (www.iuropa.pol.gu.se) joins forces with UCL and Nuffield College to organise an Early Career Researcher workshop on Social Science Approaches to Law and Courts. Apply by 31 March with @icuervo.bsky.social!
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