This European election campaign is toxic
The European election campaign is due to start next week. In reality, it was already over before it had even really begun.
First, BILD reported that the CDU wanted to ‘hide’ its lead candidate von der Leyen from voters and not show her on election posters – apparently she doesn’t go down well even in her own ranks.
The AfD then decided to hide its top candidate Krah as well – he is not allowed to appear at the election campaign kick-off in Donaueschingen on Saturday. Reports about an alleged Chinese agent in his entourage and accusations of being too close to China even bother the AfD.
However, these reports are not only damaging the AfD, but the entire election campaign. It has become toxic – because instead of politics and programmes, the media and the public are ‘discussing’ intelligence service information and conspiracy theories; even Interior Minister Faeser is joining in.
Suddenly, even a trip to China is considered ‘proof’ of corruption and treason – even though Chancellor Scholz himself was in Beijing just a week ago. Accompanied by a business delegation, he wanted to do business for Germany. Anyone following the European election campaign might believe that this is forbidden.
Russia and China are being turned into ‘enemies’ in Brussels. The relationship with the USA, on the other hand, is not being scrutinised – despite Trump. The proximity of numerous EU MEPs and candidates to American politicians and think tanks is also not an election campaign issue. Honni soit qui mal y pense.
The main problem, however, is that the EU’s major fateful issues – from agricultural policy to migration and debt to Ukraine – are not even being discussed. This is because binding decisions have already been taken in Brussels and Strasbourg without waiting for the voters’ vote…
Not only is the space for discourse narrowed, the decision-making horizon is also restricted. In Germany and France, undesirable EU candidates are even banned from travelling or persecuted and silenced as ‘terror supporters’.
This also shows that the election campaign in EUrope has never been as toxic as in 2024!
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Arthur Dent
27. April 2024 @ 21:13
The good news (for whomever): in Germany you can vote from the age of 16.