Willem
Former journalist, political advisor, and candidate for parliament. Author of the European—a weekly newsletter about the history and culture behind European current affairs: european.substack.com/
- Reposted by WillemAfter drones repeatedly hovered over the #Madleen last night, we need people of the world to help tag and email their foreign ministry. The volunteers aboard are delivering life-saving aid to Gaza. They are unarmed, carrying only food, medicine, baby formula; acting fully within international law.
- Already 350,000 letters sent. Add your voice by putting Israel on formal notice:
- Reposted by Willem[Not loaded yet]
- Reposted by Willem[Not loaded yet]
- Reposted by Willem[Not loaded yet]
- Just a month after another aid ship, Conscience, was struck by drones near Malta, a new Freedom Flotilla is on its way to #Gaza — this time with MEP #Rima Hassan, Greta #Thunberg, and other volunteers on board. #StopGenocide #FreedomFlotilla #BreakTheSiege
- I recall Bayrou as the head of the modest, somewhat unremarkable MoDem party, who made multiple attempts to become president without success. It appears he played his cards wisely. Has Bayrou's moment finally arrived?
- The Guardian's review of her memoir states that Angela Merkel is shortsighted in praising traditional sectors like the automobile and chemical industry. Under her leadership, Germany’s national culture has become even more self-satisfied, and the country's economy is now paying the price.
- Overnight lows reached 26.9°C in the southwest of France on Tuesday morning, the Guardian reports. A climatologist at Météo France called it unusually high, "especially for summer, and even more so for late November.”
- The Venetians dreamed of something impossible when they attempted to force the sea to retreat. Writers on European decay dream in a similar fashion.
- Everyone's visiting Mar-a-Lago now. Zuckerberg paid his homage—even Morning Joe's Scarborough and Brzezinski are courting Trump. They're all visiting Versailles to kiss the ring of the new king.
- Fascism is transactional.
- “Fascism comes from below.”
- “It’s not Trump's doing, it was already there.”
- In about an hour, I'll send out a new episode of The European. It'll discuss some of fascism's core characteristics, paramount to understanding how to deal with it today. If you don't want to miss it, subscribe here—it's free: european.substack.com
- Hungary's Viktor Orbán invites Netanyahu to Budapest, while Dutch leader Geert Wilders announces a visit to Tel Aviv—just days after the ICC issued an arrest warrant. Their opportunism has always been obvious. The blatant racism and disregard for human rights and Palestinian lives are overwhelming.
- Reading the newspaper is the "daily prayer of modern man," Umberto Eco, referring to Hegel, told Le Monde. Amen.
- Reposted by Willem[Not loaded yet]