Allan Sikk

We find all types of party switchers less likely to run again vs non-switchers. If seeking reelection, switching is bad for all (newly independent, splits, etc.) except defectors to other parties who can benefit from high list positions w/ new party even if their personal popularity drops. See 👇

Impact of switching on preference vote change

Does party switching pay off for MPs? Not really, but... For details see our #instaparty paper w @sonagolder.bsky.social, @ibenskasr.bsky.social & @paulinasl.bsky.social just out in @electoralstudies.bsky.social. doi.org/10.1016/j.el...

Congratulations! 👏🎉

- Legislative Party Switching and Party Electoral Support. Thu, 11/9, 4-5:30pm
- Party System Evolution in Parliaments and Elections. Sat, 13/9, 8-9:30am
- Electoral Fate of Party Switchers. Sun, 14/9, 10-11:30am
Find us in the online programme: convention2.allacademic.com/one/apsa/aps...

Instaparty logo

If you are in Vancouver this week, do come along to Instaparty presentations @apsa.bsky.social 2025!
instapartyproject.com
@ibenskasr.bsky.social @sonagolder.bsky.social @paulinasl.bsky.social

www.ipsa.org/wc/panel/gen...

www.ipsa.org/wc/panel/pol...

Excited to join #IPSA in Seoul to present "Parliamentary Switching & Electoral Party Evolution" and co-present "Gender & Parliamentary Party Switching" with @sonagolder.bsky.social co-authored by: @ibenskasr.bsky.social & @paulinasl.bsky.social. instapartyproject.com in full swing! Panel links ⬇️

www.ipsa.org/wc/panel/gen...

www.ipsa.org/wc/panel/pol...

Congratulations! 👏

PGTA - School of Slavonic and East European Studies The School of Slavonic and East European Studies are looking for PGTAs. Start date: 15 September 2025. Deadline to apply: 12am (midnight), Sunday 6th July 2025.

A teaching opportunity for political science PhD students in the London area - come and work with me or my colleagues!

www.ucl.ac.uk/pg-teaching-...

Independents in Parliament: Temporary Status or Final Destination? Political parties are essential for structuring parliamentary decision-making in democracies. However, in some countries, as many as 10% of legislators experience spells outside of parliamentary part....

Excited to share this INSTAPARTY project paper co-authored w Raimondas Ibenskas, Paulina Sałek-Lipcean and Sona Golder in Legislative Studies Quarterly: Independents in Parliament: Temporary Status or Final Destination?

Available open access: doi.org/10.1111/lsq....
instapartyproject.com

Independents in Parliament: Temporary Status or Final Destination? Political parties are essential for structuring parliamentary decision-making in democracies. However, in some countries, as many as 10% of legislators experience spells outside of parliamentary part....

🌟 New article 🇱🇹🇵🇱🇷🇴
👥 @ibenskasr.bsky.social‬ @paulinasl.bsky.social @sonagolder.bsky.social @allansikk.bsky.social
👉 Independents in Parliament: Temporary Status or Final Destination?
📗 Open access in: Legislative Studies Quarterly
🔗 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Unplug and Push Off: View from the Baltics The Baltic States’ strive to distance themselves from Russia has gained ever more traction since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, writes Alan Sikk. However, with increasing concerns about gre…

My short post on Baltic security for the @uclei.bsky.social series "A Changing Geopolitical Order"
ucleuropeblog.com/2025/04/01/u...

Five days to go!

Kui raskusi "mehitamisega" vaadakem põhja ja lääne poole. RK komme et komisjone juhivad vaid koal esindajad erineb enamuse 🇪🇺 demokraatiate (eriti Põhjamaade) omast kus toolid jagatakse võrdeliselt kõigi parteide vahel. Rääkisin sellest hiljuti Eesti Õigusteadlaste Päevadel: uttv.ee/naita?id=35943

The symposium will feature panel discussions on key issues of regional and global relevance from Baltic perspectives:
Panel I The Baltic states shaping the Global Security
Panel II Digital security
Panel III Creative Industries and Cultural Diplomacy

Baltic Symposium 2025: Standing Strong poster; Keynote by HE Toomas Hendrik Ilves

Very excited to share the full programme of the 11th Baltic Symposium 2025: Standing Strong 31/3/25, 9:30–17:00.

The keynote speech will be delivered by H.E. Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Former President of Estonia (2006-16).

Info & booking: www.ucl.ac.uk/ssees/events...

@uclssees.bsky.social

Nic O Nas Bez Nas Why settled migrants deserve voting rights

New Swingometer! With the new Lab govt expected to consider reforms to voting rights, I have revisited & updated analysis I did a few years ago looking at migrants' voting rights. Tl;dr: There is overwhelming public support for enfranchising settled migrants open.substack.com/pub/swingome...

Keynote speech

The conference badge

At the Cathedral Square w Gražina

Greatly enjoyed the Annual Lithuanian Pol Sci Conference last week: great panels & stimulating chats w colleagues after my keynote. Special thanks to Gražina for a wonderful walk in the Old Town - you're not only an excellent teacher & generous colleague, but also a 1st class tour guide!

Small but sweet @uclssees.bsky.social reunion with Vilius Mackinis and Gražina Bielousova at the Annual Lithuanian Political Science Conference! 🙂

The results of the first round of the Romanian presidential election were shocking. For the first time since 1989, neither of the candidates from the two largest parties qualified for the run-off and an ultra-nationalist won. What to expect from the parliamentary elections taking place tomorrow?

Annual Lithuanian Political Science Conference "The Year of Elections: Lithuania, Europe, the World" Annual Lithuanian Political Science Conference "The Echoes of Polycrisis in Lithuania and the World" will be held on November 30 – December 1, 2023.

Honoured to be invited to give a keynote speech about political parties and their people at the Annual Lithuanian Political Science Conference next week. Looking forward to wintry Vilnius! 🙂 www.tspmi.vu.lt/en/conferenc...

🗳️ Have you been following today's presidential election in #Romania? Check out the comments below for excellent & relevant publications below 👇 🇷🇴 @andreapirro.bsky.social

UCL SSEES YouTube video by UCLSSEES

We're new here. In case you don't know who we are, here's an intro: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD0G...

Great list - many thanks! I'd be happy to be part of this gang!

📌

Will Donald Trump destroy US democracy? Unlikely | Cas Mudde The US system is complex, rigid and set up to prevent tyranny. Still, marginalized groups will face an even more hostile state

Here is my Guardian piece.

I would have used the title: “Why Trump 2.0 will be nothing like Trump 1.0”

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Paris Chen

A fire alarm delayed Baltic independence by a week. But it was a real pleasure yesterday to have Paris Chen (U of Birmingham, f: UCL SSEES PhD) with us for another week of Baltic Politics & Society seminars! Always great to chat in Estonian with my Taiwanese friend, too. 🙂