Felix Dwinger

Postdoc @IASToulouse. Autocratic politics, democratic backsliding, & game theory.

[NEXTA @nexta_tv]

⚡️🇵🇱⚡️Poland reacted to Merkel’s interview — “Apparently she forgot”

Former German chancellor Angela Merkel said she wanted to arrange direct EU talks with Putin in 2021 — but the Baltic states and Poland opposed it, which, she said, became “one of the causes of the war.”

Polish foreign minister Radosław Sikorski fired back at Merkel:

💥 “That’s as true as what she wrote in her memoirs — that nobody in Central Europe protested against Nord Stream.”

Merkel’s interview caused a big stir — leading global outlets called it “explosive,” saying she blamed Poland for Putin’s invasion.

[Alex Taylor @AlexTaylorNews]

After more than 300 days of constant demonstrations, day in, day out, and despite the brutality of the corrupt Kremlin puppet regime, people from all over Georgia have headed towards Tbilisi tonight to say they are more than ever European and don't want to be Russian
🇪🇺🇬🇪💪

[Salome Zourabichvili @Zourabichvili_S]

I’m on Rustaveli Avenue on the 310th day of peaceful protest for Georgia’s European future. The regime’s staged “takeover” of the Presidential Palace is a provocation. We won’t fall for it — we stand for free and fair elections and a European Georgia. 🇬🇪

[Gocha Gogsadze @gocha_gogsadze]

For over 300 days, Georgians have protested for our European future, betrayed by the Georgian Dream regime on Nov. 28, 2024. Over 65 political prisoners, including journalists, opposition leaders, and actors, remain jailed. EU integration is paused. The government is sanctioned and lacks legitimacy.

On Oct. 4, Georgia faces sham local elections staged by the government, boycotted by most opposition. Key opposition leaders and non-partisan groups, supported by the Georgian nation, announce a peaceful revolution to reclaim power usurped by GD through rigged elections and betrayal of the Georgian constitution, aiming to restore European integration.

The world must not ignore this.
All eyes on Georgia. 🇬🇪 🇪🇺

#StandWithGeorgia #FreeGeorgia

[Katie Shoshiashvili @KShoshiashvili]

This is Georgia, 32 years since the fall of Sokhumi and 304 days of nonstop #GeorgiaProtests. Tbilisi chants the anthem of the EU, does Brussels hear Georgia?

The fall of Sokhumi is a national wound. Russia’s invasion brought mass killings and the ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia, forcing hundreds of thousands into exile under inhumane conditions. The memory of those days still defines our struggle for dignity, freedom, and sovereignty.

Today IDPs and citizens gathered at Heroes Square in Tbilisi to honor the heroes who gave their lives for Georgia.

[Tymofiy Mylovanov @Mylovanov]

Authoritarians win when democracies fail to coordinate. NATO was supposed to be such a mechanism.

Now it is rapidly turning into another dysfunctional “Security Council,” because allies can’t decide how to respond to a Russian attack. So, paralysis, while attacks continue. The definition of failure. 1/

[Rusudan Djakeli 🇬🇪🇺🇦 @rusudanjakeli]

"Putin Khuylo!"

This is day 300 of uninterrupted, nationwide protests in Georgia. 🇬🇪

[maksym eristavi. @maksymeristavi]

with all due respect to brave European pilots defending Europe from russian imperial drones yesterday, shooting down cheap drones with expensive rockets will bankrupt our defenses even before russia invades. listen, learn and copy Ukraine. or better integrate it into EU defences

[The Kyiv Independent @KyivIndependent]

⚡️Ukrainian soldier survives after 5 days crawling with throat cut by Russian troops.

https://t.co/zQ17CJrBiv

[Roman Sheremeta 🇺🇸🇺🇦 @rshereme]

U.S. Vice President Vance tried to call Zaluzhny after the clash with Zelensky in the White House, seeking to explore an alternative to the Ukrainian president. Zaluzhny, however, refused to take the call.

“Many of his supporters didn’t understand why he did it. But it was his principled stance: Ukraine had been humiliated, and we must remain united,” a source told the outlet.

Source: The Guardian

[Sam Greene @samagreene]

For six months now, European leaders have confused Trump‘s malleability for an opportunity. What it really means is that US policy is not the foundation on which European and Ukrainian security can be built.

A quick thread

/1

[Lisel Hintz @LiselHintz]

Before my PhD, I worked in arts + media. Regimes invest lots in AV media, but Pol Sci largely doesn't engage it.

So I was thrilled to see images in the proofs for Film-Making the Nation Great Again with @JonasDraege

We analyze autocrats' AV instrumentalizations of history.

[Volodymyr Tretyak 🇺🇦 @VolodyaTretyak]

A story of Ukrainian veteran Vladyslav Zadorin, who spent 22 months in a Russian captivity. What he describes is horrific — daily physical and mental torture. Please share this story so the world understands the true nature of Russia’s evil.

[Alexander Kustov @akoustov]

Big news — I'm launching a Substack on immigration policies that work!

Whether you see immigration as an opportunity or a problem, the truth is it can be better. Popular by Design will feature new ideas for making immigration both more functional and sustainable.

If you care not just about what immigration is, but what it could be, and want the best social science research behind it, subscribe and spread the word.

[Rusudan Djakeli 🇬🇪🇺🇦 @rusudanjakeli]

"Until the end!"

Day 250 of daily, nationwide protests in Georgia. 🇬🇪✊

[Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 @Mikiashvili_M]

People have gathered in Batumi to reject what they believe to be the sham local elections in October.

This is the second such march announced by the 8-party alliance that do not cooperate with the regime.

The Tbilisi one on July 19 was a huge success.

#GeorgiaProtests Day 248.

[Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya @Tsihanouskaya]

Belarus is not Russia.

We are a proud European nation—with our own language, identity, and democratic aspirations.

Some say we’re too small to matter. But we are part of Europe’s unfinished story of freedom.

We’ve paid the price—and we’re not giving up.

[Rusudan Djakeli 🇬🇪🇺🇦 @rusudanjakeli]

For the 240th consecutive day, the main avenue in Georgia's capital is blocked. ✅🇬🇪

Protests continue in 8+ cities across the country.

Goal: dissolve the illegitimate, pro-Russian regime.

[Katie Shoshiashvili @KShoshiashvili]

🇬🇪🇪🇺 Georgia today

Day 236 of nonstop nationwide protests.

Photo via @RTavisupleba

[Rusudan Djakeli 🇬🇪🇺🇦 @rusudanjakeli]

For the 236th consecutive day, Rustaveli Avenue is blocked. Protests continue in 8+ cities across Georgia. 🇬🇪

Our goal: ending the pro-Russian GD regime.