Babiš in trouble for buying a chateau, Austrian PM Kurz gets the heave-ho, Hahn hashtag use is a no-go
I know this is called Tweets of the “Week” but I think we can stretch the “week” part a bit with so much happening on the weekend.
So, let’s start in the country that – fun fact – has the most castles and chateaux in Europe. And a prime minister that still decided to buy one in France.
Which might have cost Andrej Babis his job, as he narrowly lost the election.
Czechia, national parliament election (lower house):
Final result (100% counted)
SPOLU-ECR|EPP: 27.8% (new)
ANO-RE: 27.1% (-2.5)
PaS-G/EFA|EPP: 15.6% (new)
SPD-ID: 9.6% (-1.0)
…+/- vs. 2017 election
Live results map: https://t.co/EvT7FIWCzK
#volby #volby2021 pic.twitter.com/PC8gx8cIWZ
— Europe Elects (@EuropeElects) October 9, 2021
Ilya Lozovsky called it “Another strike against cynicism.” after 8% of the population had switched their vote as a result of the #PandoraPapers story about his chateau.
Another strike against cynicism. In the Czech Republic, this survey says, 8% of the previous supporters of Babis’s party switched their votes to another party as a result of the #PandoraPapers story about his chateau. So he lost. https://t.co/4P6bZG0Ukj
— Ilya Lozovsky (@ichbinilya) October 10, 2021
And Green MEP Daniel Freund couldn’t resist gloating:
Looks like Czech voters managed to resolve Babis’ conflict of interests after all.
Looks like Czech voters managed to resolve #Babis' conflict of interests after all.
— Daniel Freund (@daniel_freund) October 9, 2021
This Czech legislative election has everything. The Pandora Papers implicating our PM, the president in the hospital, a coalition beating out the favored incumbents. Babiš accepting defeat like Trump accepted defeat, said Ana Motronic.
This Czech legislative election has everything. The Pandora Papers implicating our PM, the president in the hospital, a coalition beating out the favored incumbents. Babiš accepting defeat like Trump accepted defeat.
It’s documentary-worthy.
— Ana (@AnaMotronic) October 13, 2021
And the very reliable news source Le Chou reported that Defeated Czech PM @AndrejBabis Has Locked Himself In His Office And Refuses To Come Out And Concede
Defeated Czech PM @AndrejBabis Has Locked Himself In His Office And Refuses To Come Out And Concede pic.twitter.com/2SJ80UK3mK
— Le Chou (@LeChouNews) October 13, 2021
But that’s not all.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz resigned over the weekend after prosecutors had launched a corruption inquiry after chats surfaced as a result of the Ibiza scandal investigation.
Phillip Grüll said the situation in Austria shows the democratic importance of chats & balances.
Die Lage in Österreich zeigte die demokratische Bedeutung von Chats and Balances.#kurz #schallenberg #regierungskrise
— Philipp Grüll 🇪🇺🇦🇹 (@Gruell_Philipp) October 12, 2021
Nice.
Babis losing Czech elections, Kurz resigning as Austrian chancellor all in one hour. Anything else in store for today, Central Europe? Asked Viktória Serdült.
#Babis losing Czech elections, #Kurz resigning as Austrian chancellor all in one hour. Anything else in store for today, Central Europe? pic.twitter.com/nbm1K6wilk
— Viktória Serdült (@viktoriaserdult) October 9, 2021
And Gerardo Fortuna, always the philosopher said:
One day it’s all about Polexit and building anti-migrant walls in Europe. The very next day the European Council loses both Babiš and Kurz in one go.
Interesting times we live in.
One day it's all about Polexit and building anti-migrant walls in Europe. The very next day the European Council loses both Babiš and Kurz in one go.
Interesting times we live in.— Gerardo Fortuna (@gerardofortuna) October 9, 2021
MEP Assistants added:
F in chat for the EPP. #Kurz
F in chat for the EPP. #Kurz pic.twitter.com/gT0gefwgSB
— mepassistant (@mepassistants) October 9, 2021
But it’s not just the EPP losing it’s leaders, as the Visegrad look thinly spread.
— Szabolcs Panyi (@panyiszabolcs) October 9, 2021
At the end it’s revealed that Viktor Orban is actually Keyser Söze, quipped Daniel Tilles.
At the end it's revealed that Viktor Orban is actually Keyser Söze https://t.co/M3TWA2sPGR
— Daniel Tilles (@danieltilles1) October 9, 2021
Moving on to another Austrian, Budget Commissioner Johannes Hahn reminded us all of some basic clear writing tips on the occasion of #internat. #PlainLanguageDay!
Today it’s #Internat. #PlainLanguageDay! A good day to remind us of basic #ClearWriting tips:
💋 Keep It Short&Simple
📝 Structure your text
❌ Avoid abbreviations
🎭 Beware of false friends
⚠️ Don’t use jargon#Clearwriting is crucial to communicate with our citizens!— Johannes Hahn (@JHahnEU) October 13, 2021
I’d read the list but it would take too many takes to get through it with a straight face.
This tweet might break the #Internat joked Craig Winneker.
This tweet might break the #Internat https://t.co/v2Og2L0MPC
— Winneker (@CraigWinneker) October 13, 2021
But yes, having a Commissioner say to avoid abbreviations and not use jargon tempted more than one account to ask:
Is this a parody account?
Is this a parody account? https://t.co/eYwniEYqZm
— Richard Jones (@richard_devex) October 13, 2021
Gareth Harding called them “great tips. But frankly, getting advice on clear writing from the Commission is like getting advice on vegan cooking from a butcher.
These are all great tips. But frankly, getting advice on #clearwriting from @EU_Commission is like getting advice on vegan cooking from a butcher. https://t.co/rS5mk9XEh8
— Gareth Harding (@garethharding) October 13, 2021
But, as Sean Carroll pointed, it comes but once a year! And it seems it’s over in Brussels before you know it…
It comes but once a year! And it seems like #PlainLanguageDay is over in Brussels before you know it… https://t.co/hKp99qfwaV
— Sean Goulding Carroll (@Sean_G_Carroll) October 13, 2021
And for the rest of the year? Well, Joop Hazenberg can’t wait for the Impact Assessment and the Interservice Consultation of the Plain Language Directive.
I can't wait for the Impact Assessment and the Interservice Consultation of the Plain Language Directive.
— Joop Hazenberg (@joophazenberg) October 13, 2021