Welcome to EURACTIV’s EU Tweets of the Year, when we look back at what was happening throughout 2019.
This week we are sponsored by Deliver 4 Europe, more about them, at the end.
In January in a sign of omens foreshadowed, May’s meaningful vote was totally hammered.
May's Brexit deal hammered 202 to 432 – glad I spent two years reporting on all those crucial Brussels negotiations
— Danny Kemp (@dannyctkemp) January 15, 2019
February saw a “special place in hell” for Brexiteers and the copyright “mob” as well.
I've been wondering what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted #Brexit, without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely.
— Charles Michel (@eucopresident) February 6, 2019
There has been a lot of disinformation around the #CopyrightDirective.
If you were taken in by slogans like “meme ban” or “hyperlink tax," here is our blog post with fewer myths and more facts on copyright ↓ https://t.co/WhJ8Zb6pmU— European Commission 🇪🇺 (@EU_Commission) February 14, 2019
In March, bad behaviour saw Orban suspended, while the deadline for Brexit was
Too little too late to prevent damage caused by #Orban to the Hungarian democracy.
Fidesz's suspension from @EPP is hardly a sustainable solution if we are to stop the spreading of populism in Europe.
More from @UdoBullmann & @istvan_ujhelyi https://t.co/5NGdN0OP82 pic.twitter.com/i8fFBwwIJR
— S&D Group (@TheProgressives) March 20, 2019
This face on @BBCBreakfast sums up #Brexit pretty well, really. #BrexitShambles #wtf pic.twitter.com/Z85XJwJ5iN
— Kristy Shaw (@KristyShaw) March 28, 2019
For the first time in April we saw up-close a black hole, while Greta Thunberg warned Parliament not to score an own-goal.
The first ever image of a black hole.
Taken by Event Horizon Telescope. #EUFunded.#RealBlackHole. pic.twitter.com/seOgqfkuYL— European Commission 🇪🇺 (@EU_Commission) April 10, 2019
Speaking at the European Parliament today. #fridaysforfuture #schoolstrike4climate #climatebreakdown pic.twitter.com/j0ogmmKRF7
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) April 16, 2019
In May we were gripped by EU election fever, followed by wild horse-trading for next Commission leader.
The European Parliament has released this bizarre video in which a newborn baby encourages us to vote in the upcoming elections to "make the borders safe." https://t.co/vDAcRrnyJA
— Catriona Gray (@CatrionaLGray) April 25, 2019
My brief attempt to explain WTF is going on with the horse-trading over the EU's top jobs. (A phrase I should stop using after I accidentally called @vestager a horse to her face the other day.) https://t.co/0HEDtslqS1 pic.twitter.com/8Xl6i2mLIc
— Adam Fleming (@adamfleming) May 28, 2019
A Council Summit in June provided no more clarity, while the Trump-blimp took flight amid great hilarity.
UPDATE: Betting markets for next EU Commission President 📈🇪🇺#Spitzenkandidat #EUtopjobs #EUelections2019
Weber and Vestager are leading in the betting markets on 2/1 (33.3% win chance). Barnier is close behind in 3rd on 3/1 (25%). @LadPolitics pic.twitter.com/bAqU0ofjFT
— EGBA (@EUgambling) June 17, 2019
Tiny violins at the ready https://t.co/s6jbLUQEf5
— Trump Baby (@TrumpBabyUK) June 3, 2019
As far as the month of July is concerned, we finally saw VDL confirmed, Theresa May was roundly spurned, and a whole new crop of MEPs returned.
That was @vonderleyen at her best; she is very good at working an audience. MEPs will have to be brave to her down after that. While they have frustrations at the process and person, the key question now for MEPs: is there a better alternative on the shelf?
— Ryan Heath (@PoliticoRyan) July 16, 2019
Anyone want to sign Theresa’s leaving card? pic.twitter.com/OaTRASxs4g
— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) July 23, 2019
August is a difficult month to rhyme, since nothing ever happens and its tumbleweed time….
In September the new Commission began to take shape, but some job titles left commentators agape.
R.I.P Commissioner for "Protecting our European Way of Life". @vonderleyen has agreed to strip @MargSchinas of the job title after MEPs accused commission of using dog-whistling language of the far-right
— Mehreen (@MehreenKhn) September 11, 2019
October was all about Brexit once more and even Jean-Claude’s jokes were beginning to bore.
As @JunckerEU is forced to give a speech in English this evening, he jokes: "Everyone understands English, but nobody understands England" #brexit pic.twitter.com/93XjfNpb0H
— Georg von Harrach (@georgvh) October 16, 2019
In November the Commission promised a European green deal, while climate change activists highlighted the emergency is real!
.@vonderleyen help the @EIB win this race and become a climate bank! Act now and tell the @EU_Commission, @OlafScholz, @gualtierieurope, @JerzyKwiecinski to support #FossilFreeEIB #EuropeanGreenDeal
Cartoonist: @HenryCFry pic.twitter.com/D49fCN7Cfs
— Greenpeace UNITED FOR CLIMATE (@GreenpeaceU4C) November 12, 2019
BREAKING: @wemoveEU and young people @youth4climateBE are staging a die-in the @europarl demanding MEPs #VoteForMyFuture & block a new EU Commission unless they’re ready to commit to a #RealGreenDeal. Are you @IratxeGarper @RCorbettMEP @mmargmarques @JytteGuteland @ManfredWeber? pic.twitter.com/pDWpgMm3BY
— WeMove Europe (@wemoveEU) November 20, 2019
December: NATO leaders mock Trump, who will soon be impeached, while in the UK election a decision is reached.
This happens at every NATO summit with Trump. Every G7. Every G20. The US President is mocked by US allies behind his back. pic.twitter.com/FWncEM7jVs
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) December 4, 2019
BREAKING: World reacts as Donald Trump is impeached. pic.twitter.com/NZrya8RDKR
— Have I Got News For You (@haveigotnews) December 19, 2019
The election result in one photo
via @hannahmckay88 #QueensSpeech #GE2019 pic.twitter.com/RXEOjDJLA9
— William James (@WJames_Reuters) December 19, 2019
And as the end of the year draws to a close, what the future holds nobody knows, but I’d put my money on still much of Brexit and maybe a scandal where Trump finally legs it.
…but probably not! And that’s it for another year of Tweets of the Week.
This episode is sponsored by Deliver 4 Europe, the postal operators organisation. Find out why growing confidence in eCommerce is prompting more and more Europeans to buy cross-border by following them online.
At 88%, there is growing confidence in #ecommerce prompting
more and more Europeans to buy cross-border.The Posts #Deliver4Europe
@PostEurop pic.twitter.com/HeaCvtLv62— Deliver4Europe (@Deliver4Europe) December 18, 2019
That’s it for another year. Join me again in January. Happy holidays.