Europe at an existential crossroad

Last June, the 27 countries of the European Union held elections to select the 720 members of its Parliament. This expensive parliament, with no legislative power, must approve the European Council’s nominee for President of The European Commission, Europe’s top job, and the College of Commissioners.

Though, as Alfredo Jalife-Rahme says, the terms “far-right”, “far-left”, “right” and “left”  are outdated and it would be more accurately to talk in terms of globalists and sovereigntists, for the sake of sticking to the language of the World Economic Forum and mainstream media, I will keep to the old, overused and empty terms.

The recent election witnessed significant advancements by “right-wing” and “far-right” parties, with the “centre-right” ultimately emerging as the victor. In France, the National Rally’s crushing victory over the unpopular President Emmanuel Macron has led to the dissolution of Parliament and a call for early elections, which could make Marie Le Pen the first female president of France; and in Germany, AfD (Alternative for Germany) came second and ahead of Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his Social Democratic Party.

Despite Europe’s major shift to the “right” and Ursula von der Leyen unpopularity among European public, the former President of the European Commission is set to secure a second five-year term in office, as her “centre-right” European People’s party, in coalition with the “centre-left” and the badly beaten Renew and Green parties makes up the biggest bloc in Parliament.

Opposition to von der Leyen policies stems from several key issues that resonate with different segments of the European population. The perceived corruption and inefficiencies in her administration have contributed to this opposition. She has faced backlash for her management of contracts, especially amidst the COVID-19 crisis, and her lack of transparency regarding the heavily redacted Covid-19 vaccine contracts is not akin to democracy.

Many Europeans are unhappy with how the EU has handled the migration crisis. Critics argue that the policies she has supported are too lenient, leading to social and economic strain and a mass invasion of Europe, affecting negatively the livelihoods and security of Europeans. Issues around border security and the management of external borders have also been points of contention, with some countries feeling inadequately supported by the EU.

There is growing sentiment against perceived EU overreach into national affairs. Von der Leyen’s push for deeper integration and more centralised decision-making infringes on national sovereignty, which, no doubt, is one of the main reasons behind the rise of the right. The complex and often opaque nature of EU bureaucracy and its detachment from the everyday concerns of ordinary Europeans is the reason for the growing disaffection and euroscepticism.

The European Commission approach to rule of law issues in countries like Hungary and Poland has been controversial, as the pursued actions infringe on national sovereignty. Most Conservative parties feel, and rightly so, that there is a democratic deficit in how the EU operates, with decisions being made by unelected officials, including von der Leyen, rather than by the elected representatives of the very expensive European Parliament.

The European Green Deal has faced strong opposition from industries and regions that feel economically threatened by the transition to greener policies. For them, these policies are too drastic and not considerate of economic impacts. The ambitious goals set by the Green Deal are difficult to achieve, and the practical implementation has faced criticism for lacking clear, actionable steps.

There are grave concerns about lobby groups having privileged access to the European Commission’s policymaking and accusations that von der Leyen’s administration is susceptible to corporate interests at the expense of public welfare. The concentration of power within the EU Commission and the perceived lack of accountability contributes to the sentiment that the EU is unable to adequately represent the interests of all its citizens.

Ursula von der Leyen vow to never work with “far-right” parties, no matter how many voters they represent, does not portray her as a beacon of  democracy. The European Commission, instead of curbing free speech and independent thought, instead of seeking to regulate every aspect of our lives, would do well to encourage debate, critical thinking, creativity, entrepreneurship; and to promote a new Renaissance. The mainstream media labelling the conservative parties as “far-right” and trying to scare the public with the collapse of democracy and the rise of fascism while promoting. Cancel Culture is a disserving to the democracy they profess to defend and to the organic evolution of human thought.

If the Europeans manage to disengage from the grip of Thanatos, which is suffocating them, greener pastures await; if they do not, Europe’s demise will come from within, sooner than later.

In the coming weeks we will see if there is a change of course towards more sovereignty and freedom, or if we will be swatted like insignificant and annoying gnats by the proponents of the 2030 agenda.