Debate: Terrorist threats posed by far-right extremist networks defying the democratic constitutional order
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 JANUARY 2023
Speaker: Ylva Johansson
Language: EN

In the last months and years, we have also seen a new type of threat, from Washington to Berlin, to Brasilia: violent attacks on institutions representing the people. Last December, German police put a stop to a conspiracy, detaining 25 men and women suspected of membership of a terrorist organisation who planned to assault the Bundestag, round up Members of Parliament and the Government, and abolish democracy. It’s tempting to laugh at this plot around Prince Heinrich and its outlandish ideology, including nostalgia for the German empire, anti—Semitic and anti—vax elements. But it would be a serious mistake to underestimate a network including a pilot, a judge, a lawyer, a doctor, a policeman and former soldiers, including special forces, spread out over Germany with arrests also in Austria and Italy, with money, with weapons and with the will to carry out their plans. So to the German police, I say, well done with this crackdown. Well done for showing democracy in Germany is resilient and strong. But we cannot take support for democracy for granted. In a worrying trend, right—wing extremists are getting younger and younger. In Estonia, a 13—year—old boy founded a far—right extremist movement. In Bratislava, a 19—year—old shot dead two people in a gay bar. Teenagers and adults are going down internet rabbit holes, making up what I would like to call a ‘do it yourself’ ideology from what they find: hate of minorities, hate of democracy, hate of women, hate of Jews, hate of gays. And with conspiracy theories and warrants for violence, a Frankenstein ideology of different parts is forming a living, violent, dangerous monster. But how can we expect young people to do the right thing if adults don’t give the right example? We must speak out against the creeping normalisation of hatred. As democrats, we must say, it’s not normal to be a Nazi, it’s not normal to destroy our institutions, it’s not normal to attack the symbols of our democracies or our elected representatives. When democracy is under attack, Russia is never far away. The far—right Russian imperial movement, the Night Wolves biker gang have ties with extremists in the EU. The German plotters apparently tried to get the blessing of the Russian consulate in Leipzig, which would make them not only terrorists, but also traitors. We will never tolerate Russian attempts to undermine us. The EU launched sanctions against Sputnik and Russia Today, and day in and day out, our services counter Russian disinformation, and we will do more to counter external threats. In May, the Commission will launch a new ‘defence of democracy’ package to bring covert foreign influence and shady funding to light against third country entities covertly impacting public opinion and undermining democracies, supporting Member States’ actions on funding of national political parties in the EU by Russia and others. The Terrorist Content Online Regulation allows authorities or providers to take down terrorist propaganda within the hour. The Digital Service Act will provide a solid legal framework to tackle the spread of illegal content. Europol’s Internet Referral Unit monitors and analyses far—right material. To take it down, tech companies and Member States join forces in the EU Internet Forum, which gives guidance to providers to help identify far—right symbols and prevent extremist from raising funds online. This year, the Forum will publish a new handbook on borderline content: propaganda that is harmful but not illegal, like disinformation or conspiracy theories. The Radicalisation Awareness Network will focus its research on finding new trends in far—right extremism. As shown in France and Germany, the fight against terror depends on police action. To fight terrorism across borders, we are improving police cooperation and information exchange. As we outlined in our counter—terrorism agenda two years ago, we gave Europol a stronger mandate so it can work directly with internet companies essential to removing terrorist content.  In case of terrorist offences, Member States must now create alerts in the Schengen Information System. We made sure of that, and the updated Prüm Regulation will make police information exchange more efficient. So I call on you today: adopt your negotiating position on Prüm as soon as possible, and give police the up—to—date tools they need to fight terror. Dear Members of Parliament, today we discuss a new threat: political violence mobilised online, inspired by populist leaders, driven by a far—right ideology but defeated by the forces of democracy. They failed in Washington. They failed in Berlin. They failed in Brasilia. But they are watching. They are learning. They could try again and they must fail again. We need legislation, police cooperation and inspiration. We can there can be no democracy without democrats. We must speak out against all forms of extremism and say, hands off our institutions, our politicians, our parliaments. They don’t belong to you. They belong to the people of Europe.