The International Astronomical Union’s Post

Dear Friends, Colleagues, Supporters and Disparagers I am good enough, I am here and I’m not going anywhere. For those of you that have reached out over the past couple of months during the IFoA Elections for a view from ‘someone you trust’, I respect and have gratitude for that. For those that actively campaigned against me in the background: 💪🏼Do not misread listening and watching as apathy; 🤛🏻Do not confuse compassion, empathy and collaboration as weakness; 👌🏻Do not misunderstand compromise as lack of influence. These are strengths and a choice because of their impact. For those of you that have said to my face do not get involved or stand down because I don’t understand, and leave it to people that do - you misconstrue a difference of opinion or challenge as a lack of intelligence or understanding. Since when is diversity of thought and difference of experience, or a basic difference on direction looked down on? Celebrate this and use it to get to the best answer. Do not underestimate my passion and ability to support our profession and the IFoA. I watch, I listen, I analyse, I act, I influence. I will make a difference here. I bring people together to do this. We are not a political organisation, stop making it into one. We are a member organisation to benefit the public good, and make peoples lives better through our technical acumen and decision making ability. There is more than one way to do this, but it has to be together, not pushing people aside due to different views. We are not where we need to be yet, but which organisation is - lets change it together and work together. Elections are open for another week. Cast your vote now. I would appreciate your support here. Look for your CES election services email from 6th July and click your unique voting link. All votes are important. #strengths #impostersyndrome #actuaries #collaborationforchange

*Liberals of Renew lose third place in the European Parliament!* 🇪🇺 Since the results of the European elections on June 9, the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group has taken third place in the European Parliament, surpassing the liberal Renew Europe group, which includes French elected officials from Renaissance. 📊 **New figures:** - **ECR**: 83 MEPs - Increase thanks to the arrival of Marion Maréchal (Reconquête!) and five Romanian nationalists (AUR). - **Renew Europe**: 74 MEPs 👥 **Comparison of main political forces:** - **European People's Party (EPP)**: 190 seats (center-right) - **Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D)**: 137 seats (center-left) - **European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR)**: 83 seats - **Renew Europe**: 74 seats 🔍 **Implications:** - The third-place position in the European Parliament is crucial, as it offers more posts and influence within the EU institutions. - This loss could reduce the influence of Emmanuel Macron's liberals in decisions and appointments within the European Parliament. 🌐 **#EuropeanElections #EuropeanParliament #ECR #RenewEurope** 🌐

This Wednesday at UCL SSEES, I am delighted to speak at a panel with distinguished academics on the outcome of today's parliamentary elections in Slovakia. This could be a turning point for the Visegrad Four as Slovaks decide between the progressive party led by a third-generation political intellectual, Michal Šimecka, and SMER's Robert Fico, whose pan-Slavic, pro-Russian sentiments take particular hold in the country following the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In Brussels, these elections are considered “a test case” for how vulnerable European democracy is to Russian propaganda, and huge fines are to be put on social media outlets if they do not comply with the increasing scrutiny on removing/flagging misleading or hate speech content. As a half-Slovak and disinformation researcher myself, I do not only have an understanding of the political attitudes in the country but also the wider disinformation landscape therein. I sincerely wish all my Slovak friends and connections all the best with the outcome, hoping that big tech regulators will learn a lot from today's election. 🗳🇸🇰 PS: If you are unable to join in person, the panel will be live-streamed.

📣 Ding Dong! It’s that time of the year again when the State of the Union Address takes centre stage in the EU discourse. The State of the Union is the annual speech delivered by the President of the European Commission in which (s)he outlines the EU’s current state of affairs and the achievements of the past year while also presenting the priorities and vision for the coming year. This morning, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg with her annual speech. This year marks the last year of the Commission mandate, providing an opportunity for von der Leyen to look at the achievements of the past years: she proudly announced that the Commission has delivered over 90% of its original plans from 2019. She also looked forward to next year’s European elections, highlighting the opportunity for voters to shape the future of the EU. The State of the Union forms the perfect opportunity for businesses to understand the political rationale behind the Commission’s actions and to anticipate on EU priorities going forward. For organisations, it is crucial to remain well-informed about the political developments coming from Brussels and strategically position yourself vis-à-vis the new political landscape. Publyon’s European elections services can help you navigate the evolving political landscape. More information 👉 https://lnkd.in/ehv3mZsq The Publyon team has prepared a short summary of the #SOTEU2023 key highlights to get you up to speed with the Commission’s plan. Here it is! 👇

The EU faces a critical moment in its history, with multiple challenges and a need to strengthen its democracy. A High-Level Group, consisting of diverse experts, was formed by Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) and CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies) to provide recommendations. The group's key theme is the 'Radicality of Sunlight,' with five pathways for enhancing EU democracy. The report, supported by Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union, Brussels and FNF Europe, offers valuable insights for the 2024 European Parliament elections. Download the report here: https://lnkd.in/eT6g2Wq5 #EUdemocracy #Report #EP2024

ECSL Concludes Post-Election Evaluation Retreat in Bo https://lnkd.in/d83bG95w By Foday Moriba Conteh In order to he...

With only one week remaining till the European Parliament elections we are happy to share the second batch of supported projects, campaigns and initiatives in our latest edition of the #cultureofsolidarityfund. This edition has been developed in collaboration with Evens Foundation and Allianz Foundation & partners to support European transnational initiatives that mobilise voters for the #EUelections. The upcoming elections will determine whether our societies will be resilient enough to sustain and reinforce a European culture of solidarity or if the forces of division and violent confrontation will further grow. Read more these great initiatives - https://lnkd.in/ejbab7V6 - and #useyourvote to make our continent more inclusive, more democratic, more culturally aware. Among the supported projects feature: Democracy Reporting International, EUobserver, European Forum Alpbach, Institut Jean Monnet, Our Rule of Law Foundation, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, Ruhrpott für Europa. Image courtesy of Europe Elects.

🎊 Do you know what's the story behind this speech? The State of the European Union speech is an annual address by the president of the European Commission (currently Ursula von der Leyen) before the European Parliament in Strasbourg in which she presents her main priorities and planned initiatives for the forthcoming year. Afterwards, there is a debate. 💡 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) come back from their summer recess - end of July until the end of August. The State of the Union speech marks the start of the next legislative year. This will be the last State of the Union address of von der Leyen in her current term. In May 2024, elections to the European Parliament will be held, followed by the investiture of a new European Commission. It is still unclear if Ursula von der Leyen will get a second term as Commission president. 📷 Wednesday, 9:00 am CET, 13 September 2023 - State of the Union speech (#SOTEU) @ Europe by Satellite (EbS). #EuropeanUnion

After a very turbulent few years, populism remains a defining feature of ongoing electoral politics in Europe and the world. This year can be seen as a major tipping point for the role of populist parties, left and right, as looming National Parliamentary Elections are on the way, as well as the European Parliamentary Elections in June. This evening, scholars Sarah de Lange, Robin de Bruin and Brian Burgoon will discuss the different aspects of populist politics in Europe and the world. https://lnkd.in/ey2Qhfye

Looking forward to contributing to this webinar on the results of the European elections and how they will affect the EU's policies for the parliamentary term (2024-2029)! #BusinessTravel #GBTA #GBTAwebinar #GBTAEurope