Giulio Mattioli: I can think of a few ways...
I can think of a few ways in which this could backfire 😳
Giulio Mattioli: The "dirty work they do for us"...
The "dirty work they do for us" (cit.) turned out to have some consequences we don't like. There is a word for this in German and is "Tja"Giulio Mattioli: This is unironically...
This is unironically, a common position in many countries including Germany and ItalyGiulio Mattioli: We see a similar rhetorical...
We see a similar rhetorical trick in transport: there should be no "anti-car" measures because people are dependent on cars in the absence of viable alternatives. Shall we then improve such alternatives? Of course not, we should rather invest in carsGiulio Mattioli: Very interesting-looking new study...
Very interesting-looking new study on car dependence impacts the acceptability of interventions such as pedestrianizations, bike lanes, superblocks, and school streets https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urbm ob.2026.100270Giulio Mattioli: For my freelance activities...
For my freelance activities I once had to get a certificate from a German notary which they read out loud at length to you and then put a wax seal on it. Then we chatted a bit and the notary said: "Can you imagine in Latvia you can download this from a website" and laughed.Giulio Mattioli: Just a few months ago...
Just a few months ago, European carmakers were arguing that market demand for EVs in Europe was "too low". But now everyone's worried about how Europeans are buying too many Chinese EVs, which suggests that European carmarkers' *supply* of EVs is too low. So which is it?Giulio Mattioli: Looks like East Germany...
Looks like East Germany is to Germany what Italy is to Europe. Generally seen as backwards or even maligned as a "failed state" - but then political developments happen there first, and then the rest of the country follows.Giulio Mattioli: If you have the time...
If you have the time, the energy and the resources to sue a baker for 10g lost of bread, you are way too comfortable in lifeGiulio Mattioli: If you live long enough...
If you live long enough you realise the right is always: - absolutely terrified by something happening in the present - absolutely forgetful and in denial about how they used to be terrified by something happening in the past, which is now mundane and normalisedGiulio Mattioli: The "European mind" discourse...
The "European mind" discourse is fascinating because Europeans are dumb for tolerating the inconvenience of, say, high temperatures and hanging clothes, but also for *not* tolerating the inconvenience of 4h commutes by carGiulio Mattioli: If you research climate change...
If you research climate change, you're very familiar with this. People will be uncomfortable with the implications of your findings (in terms of e.g., curbing travel activity) and that will motivate them to reject your study, either without engaging with it...Giulio Mattioli: Wow, in 7 EU countries aviation CO2...
Wow, in 7 EU countries aviation CO2 emissions are higher than those from cars, and in countries like Spain, Germany and France still more than 50% of them And yet in sustainable transport circles aviation remains a bit of a niche topic relative to cars https://transportenvironment.org/state-of-europ ean-transport/state-of-transport-2026/aviationGiulio Mattioli: Fascinating to see...
Fascinating to see higher tourism intensity in the Northern coast of Germany than in Southern ItalyGiulio Mattioli: Somehow people abroad...
Somehow people abroad think of Italy as a country with generous welfare state, but the new far-right party booming in the polls wants to scrap the little unemployment benefits that exist, under the slogan "Those who do not want to work should not eat either"Giulio Mattioli: Britain, 2026...
Britain, 2026, in the age of climate changeGiulio Mattioli: Trade partners like the US...
Trade partners like the US and France did not welcome Germany's trade surplus as “good and natural”, but Germany did indeed defend it not just as such, but also as a role model for any country. So there's that.Giulio Mattioli: EU & American institutions...
"EU & American institutions provided incumbent firms with policy access, enabling them to shape policymaking, leading to weaker policies and slower (clean-tech) transitions (while) Chinese institutions shielded policymakers from incumbent firm lobbying" https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2026.104885Giulio Mattioli: It's fascinating how...
It's fascinating how all of this was buried under the "the automotive interests are the country's interests" and the "keine Spaltung der Gesellschaft" precepts of unity. Making united front is Germany's blessing and Germany's curse.Giulio Mattioli: Someone should...
Someone should study Merzism as a utterly disastrous political strategyGiulio Mattioli: The economic discourse on Twitter...
The economic discourse on Twitter is confusing because you have people arguing that anything less than US-style capitalism makes you a failed state, but then some go "of course we lose against China, they are Leninist!" 😲Giulio Mattioli: With permanently campaigning...
With permanently campaigning, show-over-substance leaders like Meloni and Merz, divide and conquer works all too wellGiulio Mattioli: The same people that argued...
The same people that argued against climate as a policy priority are resorting to long-winded phrases such as "At least since the turn of the millennium, it's been common knowledge that European summers are going to be progressively hotter". I guess that's progress 😅Giulio Mattioli: Me: (try to play a song on the phone)...
Me: (try to play a song on the phone) Phone: Do you want to ask Gemini? Me: (rants out loud about AI being everywhere and everyone talking about it) Gemini: "I understand, there is a lot of hype around AI, do you want us to talk about something else?"Giulio Mattioli: Curious whether and how...
Curious whether and how this will be enforced when there are football gamesGiulio Mattioli: Schrödinger's Germany...
Schrödinger's Germany: The epitome of "hard-working" in much domestic and European discourse "A civilization that has become too lazy to continue" in US discourse (both perceptions are misguided by the way)Giulio Mattioli: When I point out the double standards...
When I point out the double standards in how Germany's exports and China's exports are covered, this is a typical response It's fair enough but raises the question: if China is such a dictatorship & enemy, why did Germany strive to export as much as possible to them for so long?Giulio Mattioli: If Germany were leading in electric...
If Germany were leading in electric vehicle exports, would we be pondering with concern about the "devastation" that that brings to other countries' industries and economies?Giulio Mattioli: Fascinating how Italy...
Fascinating how Italy is becoming the paragon of bad football: "You're even worse than Italy!" is the utmost offense these days 😂😱😂😂Giulio Mattioli: This is the best & worst thing...
This is the best & worst thing about football: for so many key decisions it's damned if you do damned if you don't. This maximizes the possibility for recrimination. Ultimately, *that's what the fans want* (they'll find it boring otherwise) but they don't often admit it.Giulio Mattioli: What I remember from the 2010s...
What I remember from the 2010s is many arguing that a large trade surplus is proof of sound policymaking & industriousness & something all countries should aspire to (or suffer what they must) It would be good if we could use this crisis to revisit those assumptions a wee bitGiulio Mattioli: This is very interesting...
This is very interesting: France's railway is the most affected and Italy's the least affected by heatwaves. But read the fine print https://chuuchuu.com/heatwaveGiulio Mattioli: This whole saga has exposed quite an interesting psychology...
This whole saga has exposed quite an interesting psychology: - winning is the most important thing - anything is allowed to win - redefine everything that stands in the way of winning as "unfair" and to be overturned - if you lose, argue you could have won if you had triedGiulio Mattioli: Another symptom of the Italianisation of Europe
Another symptom of the Italianisation of Europe: that famous Churchill quip about Italians ""losing wars as if they were football matches, and football matches as if they were wars" now applies to EuropeRead more