EU presents 'center for democratic resilience'

This Wednesday, the EU Commission will announce its plans for a ‘center for democratic resilience’, reports The Guardian, citing leaked documents.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen already revealed her plans for such a center in September during a speech in the EU Parliament, claiming the need is ‘urgent’.

– We need more capacity to monitor and detect information manipulation and disinformation. Therefore, we will establish a new European center for democratic resilience, she said at the time.

The proposal was met with jeers from several EU parliamentarians.

– You are obviously afraid of this new center! von der Leyen responded with a mocking smile.

‘A European Stasi’

Liberal and green members of the EU Parliament support the idea of increased control over what is spread in both traditional and social media. They argue that it is necessary to ensure that EU citizens do not read or listen to the wrong things.

However, the proposal is met with resistance from the right. Austrian EU parliamentarian Roman Haider (FPÖ) believes that the whole idea brings to mind East Germany.

– Good God! A ‘European center for democratic resilience’. I have never heard a more euphemistic description for a European Stasi, he has previously said.

– Democracy and freedom of speech go hand in hand. When authorities and interest groups are to determine what should be classified as ‘disinformation’, they in practice decide what citizens are allowed and not allowed to say. This strongly resembles a ministry of truth. Introducing European opinion censorship, disguised as wanting to protect democracy, is insane.

Focus on Russia

Exactly what the EU’s ‘center for democratic resilience’ will focus on, and the extent of its powers, is still unclear. According to a draft seen by The Guardian, the focus is on Russia.

‘In addition to its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine, Russia is also stepping up its hybrid attacks and waging an influence war against Europe’, the draft states, and: ‘By spreading misleading narratives, sometimes with manipulation and distortion of historical facts, they seek to undermine trust in democratic systems.’

The plan is to announce the document this Wednesday. Then we will find out if, and if so, to what extent and in what way, the authorities in Brussels intend to further curtail the freedoms of Europeans.