Do you agree with the assessments and predictions that the new European Parliament (EP) will tilt significantly towards right-wing radicalism and populism, and whether this change in the balance of power will be so great as to affect the new composition of the European Commission, which would already mean tools for changing specific policies in the European Union ?
I think the changes will be at least so great that the political discourse in the EP will change, not completely transform, but change in the sense that the proportion of conservative votes will become more visible and audible. And this change of discourse will already lead to influencing the processes in the European Union – simply through the discussion, through the concepts we use. Until now, the dominant liberal discourse in the EP has been about the Green Course, about inclusive politics, about topics concerning the Istanbul Convention and the like.
Citizens will, of course, make their choice, and I would not exaggerate in terms of predictions how much that turn to the right will be. So I started by emphasizing that the discourse of the EP will change, and that is already something, as its voices will become more audible. How much the possible turn to the right in the elections will then affect the new composition of the European Commission is still an open question, but I would not exaggerate its influence yet.
It is believed that the hand of the Kremlin is behind this effort to turn the ship of the European Union to the right.
The weak point of the EU has been excessive political correctness and concealment of some problems, thus giving them to populist parties and pro-Kremlin parties. The second moment is what is called “shredding”, or the bribing of European politicians friendly to Russia’s foreign policy goals with generously paid positions in Russian companies and financial assistance [Francijas galēji labējai politiķei] For Lepena, it is also clear that Russian special agents are operating in Europe, implementing special operations to influence political processes, various information campaigns. Since Putin came to power in Russia, the activity of special services has been turned into a component of foreign policy, even a basic instrument of foreign policy.
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