Stein Rokkan Chair in Comparative Politics, EUI. President of @epssnet.bsky.social. FBA, FRSA. Democracy, parties, elections, electoral systems etc. Live music. COYIhttps://bsky.app/profile/simonhix.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/simonhix.bsky.social/post/3mr5ndfrohc2pThe new UK cabinet has 12 women and 11 men. 👏21 Jul 2026 10:52 +0000at://did:plc:6yuigqo7h2nixspjdyi2465c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr5ndfrohc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/simonhix.bsky.social/post/3mr5m73qauc2bI am pro a wealth tax. But I’m sceptical starting at 2% would work, as superrich would hide or move assets (as cases in other countries have shown). Why not start at a low level, eg. 0.5%. That would still raise a huge amount and would test feasibility. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/21/uk-wealth-tax-super-rich-andy-burnham21 Jul 2026 10:32 +0000at://did:plc:6yuigqo7h2nixspjdyi2465c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr5m73qauc2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/simonhix.bsky.social/post/3mqujwxh5l227Great piece by @hetanshah.bsky.social https://giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/actions/redeem/fe28555a-b903-4db9-bbec-5052d988912c We need humanities more than ever in the age of AI17 Jul 2026 19:58 +0000at://did:plc:6yuigqo7h2nixspjdyi2465c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqujwxh5l227https://bsky.app/profile/simonhix.bsky.social/post/3mqrhvzrllk2zShould immigrants be allowed to vote? This is a highly politically charged question. In a new research paper and substack piece, me and @tarekjaziri.bsky.social test the biggest objection to letting foreign residents vote locally, and find it doesn't hold up. 🧵 https://simonhix.substack.com/p/why-not-give-immigrants-the-right16 Jul 2026 14:43 +0000at://did:plc:6yuigqo7h2nixspjdyi2465c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqrhvzrllk2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/simonhix.bsky.social/post/3mqr5gv62mc25I don't remember ever feeling this disappointed after an England defeat (and I remember every tournament since the 1980 Euros). Maybe a combination of expectation (the best Eng team for decades), the cynical play of Argentina, and the nature of our capitulation in the last 20 minutes :-(16 Jul 2026 11:36 +0000at://did:plc:6yuigqo7h2nixspjdyi2465c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqr5gv62mc25https://bsky.app/profile/simonhix.bsky.social/post/3mqmqdw6aes2wI fear that this could be a “Reichstag Fire moment” for British politics https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jul/14/ann-widdecombe-killing-police-investigating-possible-leftwing-motivation?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other14 Jul 2026 17:31 +0000at://did:plc:6yuigqo7h2nixspjdyi2465c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqmqdw6aes2whttps://bsky.app/profile/simonhix.bsky.social/post/3mpzwyiqyys2kJustice! https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/videos/cj0gg55613do07 Jul 2026 06:09 +0000at://did:plc:6yuigqo7h2nixspjdyi2465c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpzwyiqyys2khttps://bsky.app/profile/simonhix.bsky.social/post/3mptgnatewk2aThis was clearly FIFAs plan … [contains quote post or other embedded content]04 Jul 2026 16:01 +0000at://did:plc:6yuigqo7h2nixspjdyi2465c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mptgnatewk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/simonhix.bsky.social/post/3mptggykkvk2aEnjoyed this https://giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/actions/redeem/2f75eada-4888-4e08-8965-0a58619cf3a5 What has America ever done for us?04 Jul 2026 15:57 +0000at://did:plc:6yuigqo7h2nixspjdyi2465c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mptggykkvk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/simonhix.bsky.social/post/3mptfhx4css2aFascism on the march in Washington DC, on the US’s 250th anniversary. Shameful. [contains quote post or other embedded content]04 Jul 2026 15:40 +0000at://did:plc:6yuigqo7h2nixspjdyi2465c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mptfhx4css2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/simonhix.bsky.social/post/3mpj5vkiswc2pI was raised on these streets [contains quote post or other embedded content]30 Jun 2026 13:58 +0000at://did:plc:6yuigqo7h2nixspjdyi2465c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpj5vkiswc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/simonhix.bsky.social/post/3mp4vphp7ds2cEurope needs to invest in AirCon manufacturing on a massive scale. Crazy that we rely on Japanese, Taiwanese, and Chinese companies for such a basic appliance.25 Jun 2026 16:59 +0000at://did:plc:6yuigqo7h2nixspjdyi2465c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mp4vphp7ds2chttps://bsky.app/profile/simonhix.bsky.social/post/3mosxk5m7ls2bQ. for you folks: who was the last UK PM to win an election after becoming a party leader in opposition and then be replaced as party leader after losing an election as PM?21 Jun 2026 18:05 +0000at://did:plc:6yuigqo7h2nixspjdyi2465c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mosxk5m7ls2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/simonhix.bsky.social/post/3mosxf7jdsk2bLittle known fact: the UK is about to have its first Catholic prime minister. Unthinkable only 30 years ago, when Blair waited until he left office before converting (even though he’d been practicing for some time) Back then the PM nominated the Arch Bishop of Canterbury, head of the CofE21 Jun 2026 18:03 +0000at://did:plc:6yuigqo7h2nixspjdyi2465c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mosxf7jdsk2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/simonhix.bsky.social/post/3mortwuuihs27Thank you Sara for being an amazing President. You’ve set the bar very high! Thank you all for coming and for the great papers, discussions, and roundtables. And thank you to our wonderful and dedicated Council team and to our brilliant local organisers. See you next year in Copenhagen! [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Jun 2026 07:28 +0000at://did:plc:6yuigqo7h2nixspjdyi2465c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mortwuuihs27