Vera Jourová, EU commissioner for values and transparency, said the European Union has launched its European Action Plan to protect the European elections, fight the spread of false information and protect media freedoms.
Jourová told a debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday that Europe’s democracy must be protected from powers aiming to destroy it, adding that the European Commission would propose a package next year aimed against those outside the bloc who finance mechanisms seen as dangerously manipulating the public. Referring to the Ukraine war, Jourova said the conflict had benefitted not only the extreme right but the far left, too, and warned that political extremism could lead to violence. The European Commission will cooperate with member states to tackle risks posed by the far right, she said. Balázs Hidvéghi, MEP of Hungary’s ruling Fidesz, said the debate reflected “the European Left’s ideological terror against all those that dare to disagree”. The debate shows “the hysterical and intolerant nature of the Socialist and Liberal Left trampling on democratic decisions … they openly disrespect the democratic decisions of the people and will launch attacks against the Italian and Swedish governments just as they are trying to hunt down Hungary,” he said.