Empowering Europe: Strengthening Democracy, Protecting Citizens from Authoritarian Influence, and Addressing External Economic and Political Challenges

Speakers:

• Dimitry Kochenov, Senior Research Fellow, CEU Democracy Instiute
• Matej Šimalčik, Executive Director, Central European Institute of Asian Studies
• Olga Richterová, Member and Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Czech Republic
• Roland Freudenstein, Director, Free Russia Foundation Brussels; Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Brussels Freedom Hub
• Moderator: Péter Krekó, Executive Director, Political Capital

Main takeaways:

• The historical memory of the Russian occupation plays an important role in being more outspoken about Russian and Chinese influence in the Czech Republic, for example in the energy sector. Even though the public is in favour of strong opposition to Russia because it is perceived as a threat, there are challenges in explaining the economic consequences of opposing Russia.
• In Slovakia, the principles of democracy are being challenged by the current government, which is attacking all institutions capable of exercising any form of control over the exercise of power by the government and its collaborators. In addition to significant Russian influence, cooperation with China is also increasing in the country.
• Decisions on foreign and security policy are taken by the European Council, not the European Parliament. The threat to the EU comes from member state governments like Hungary. Autocratic threats from outside exploit conflicts and failures of democracies within the EU - democratic politics must become better at providing solutions to these problems. The fight against national populism must be a political one, democratic politics must win over undecided voters.
• Debate on migration in the EU:
  • Short-term political goals undermine the EU's core values of democracy, human rights and respect for the legal principles set out in Article 2 of the EU Treaty. The EU is not upholding its values in its handling of migration and selective treatment of refugees.
  • On the other hand, the rise of populist parties is largely driven by public fears of increased immigration and security concerns. In some cases, these fears are justified, as democracies have failed to deliver the security they promised their citizens. We must adapt to reality and recognise the shortcomings of democracy.
  • No democracy can escape the rule of law - democracies must operate within the framework of the rule of law and human rights, even if popular opinion demands otherwise. Allowing large-scale human rights abuses, such as the deaths of thousands of migrants at sea, not only undermines the rule of law but also fuels populist forces that exploit these crises for political gain.
  • We must first accept that we do not live in a black and white world, but in a shady reality, and then debate and address possible steps we can take.
• In the CEE region, China's primary focus has been on the elite, targeting politicians and influential figures across the political spectrum to promote its interests. More recently, China has fostered links with far-right political parties in countries such as Slovakia, using these connections and disinformation outlets to promote anti-Western narratives. This approach is beginning to influence public opinion.
• In recent regional elections in eastern Germany, radical left and right parties, both pro-Russian and anti-immigration, gained significant support. This reflects a growing East-West divide in Germany since reunification in 1990.
• Social and economic problems have fuelled populism, with immigration a major political issue across Europe. The mainstream political response focuses on addressing real socio-economic problems and securing borders. But by copying them, mainstream parties are only making populist parties stronger.
• Beyond monitoring Member States, the EU should assess its own compliance with the rule of law.