Friday

9th Jun 2023

Study shows how authoritarian regimes gain EU leverage

  • Russian president Vladimir Putin at the wedding of then Austrian foreign minister Karin Kneissl (left) in 2018. The EU is too complex for straightforward Kremlin influence (Photo: kremlin.ru)

National delegations from Germany, France, UK, Ireland, Greece, Italy and Cyprus in the European Parliament are more prone to supporting authoritarian powers due to having large populist right-wing and left-wing parties domestically, according to new research.

MEPs from central and eastern Europe are more likely to be tough on authoritarian powers, particularly Russia, than the average EU country, the study on authoritarian influence in the EU done by the Budapest-based Political Capital think tank found.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

The study highlighted Spain's Podemos, the Portuguese Communist Party, and the Czech Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia, which are all either members of the ruling government coalition or support a government from the outside, as very supportive of authoritarians.

"They can be essential pathways for authoritarian regimes to influence European policies," the study, published on Thursday (3 September) warned.

Germany's AfD, France's National Rally, Italy's League, the UK's Brexit Party, and Greece's Golden Dawn had been also among supporters of authoritarian powers, while parties from Romania, Luxembourg, Poland, Lithuania and Croatia are the most "hawkish" on the topic.

The study found that MEPs critical of authoritarian regimes, including Russia, have a secure majority in the European Parliament, which only comes under threat when mainstream political groups are divided.

Fringe parliamentary groups, such as the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) and the far-left European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) are the most supportive of authoritarian regimes - and so are most of the non-attached MEPs.

Together, they represent a 20-percent minority of MEPs - which is not enough to block initiatives if there is consensus among the big parties.

The study, however, warned that this could change in the wake of the pandemic should these parties gain better elections results.

The largest mainstream parliamentary groups, the centre-right European People's Party, the liberal Renew Europe, and the centre-left Socialists & Democrats, are generally highly-critical of autocratic practices.

Support for Russia in the EU stems from a "genuine admiration for Russian policies built on alleged national sovereignty and pride", and the influence of Russian propaganda, plus potential support from the Kremlin. While China's influence has been mainly based on its vast economic resources, the study says.

Council access

The study focused on the influence of authoritarian regimes, mainly China and Russia, in the European Parliament, partly because the deliberations in the council of member states - which is mostly in charge of the EU's foreign policy decisions - are done behind closed doors making it more difficult to measure.

Researchers examined some 19 votes in the parliament since new MEPs took their seats after last year's European elections - which thus still included the UK MEPs who later left due to Brexit.

These 19 included resolutions on Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, Russia's foreign agents law, on foreign electoral interference, elections in Bolivia, human rights violations against Uyghurs in China, crackdown on protests in Iran, EU foreign policy and defence strategy.

Ultimately, authoritarian pressure within the EU is "traditionally best-applied through member states via bilateral connections" and less through the union itself, the study found.

In foreign policy decisions unanimity is required in the council, meaning that one single member state can block a proposal.

But influencing decisions is still difficult there, the study concluded, because of the EU's "normative pressure" on member states.

The relative "success" of influencing EU policy through the council is part of the reason why such regimes, particularly Russia, seek to interfere with elections throughout Europe, the study says.

Authoritarian regimes also generally find the EU's complicated bureaucracy hard to access and influence.

"Compared to nation states, the EU as an institutional matrix is much more difficult to manipulate from the outside, because it is, so to speak, all over the place, […] the process is so diffused," Slovak liberal MEP Michal Simecka said at a discussion about the study.

The 'EU's conscience'?

Presenting the study, Peter Kreko, Political Capital's director, called the Brussels and Strasbourg-based parliament the "EU's conscience" and called for a bigger role for the assembly in the bloc's foreign policy, arguing it would make the EU's foreign policy more "value-driven and democratic.

Kreko also called for qualified majority decisions in the council on foreign affairs topics - an issue that strongly divides member states.

The study also argues that making the EU's rotating presidencies longer than six months could help make the foreign policy agenda of the EU more ambitious.

To push back authoritarian influence in the EU, the study argues for a more robust investment-screening program, especially in the wake of the pandemic.

It also calls for an improved vetting of MEPs, tougher lobbying rules, and better cybersecurity protection of the EU institutions.

Opinion

Stopping the authoritarian rot in Europe

A few weeks ago, the European Union underwent a fundamental change: it ceased being a bloc of exclusively democratic states. Even worse - leaders across Europe barely flinched.

Orban granted indefinite 'authoritarian' power

Ushering in a new era for Hungary - and for the EU - the central European country becomes the first to be ruled by decree, after Orban's party forced virus emergency laws through parliament.

Opinion

Covid-19 is a gift for authoritarians and dictators

From Iran, to Egypt, to Saudi Arabia, to Algeria, to Turkey, to Thailand, and even within the EU bloc with Hungary, the coronavirus pandemic is providing cover for authoritarian leaders to dispense with democracy - and even eliminate opponents.

Far left and right MEPs less critical of China and Russia

MEPs have shown consistent support for action against authoritarian regimes other than Russia or China, but unanimity requirements in the votes of the European Council are considered a clear impediment for a more effective EU foreign policy.

Letter

Right of Reply from the Hungarian government

Authors Samira Rafaela MEP and Tom Theuns present as facts the extreme views of a politically-motivated campaign in the European Parliament. By doing so, they undermine the very foundations of the European Union.

Latest News

  1. Belgian bâtonnier on Russia: 'You can have a client you don't like'
  2. EU's proposed ethics body 'toothless', say campaigners
  3. Study: 90% of Spanish inflation 'driven by corporate profits'
  4. If Spanish economy is doing well, why is Sanchez poised to lose?
  5. EU lawyers for Russia: making 'good' money?
  6. The 'BlackRock exemption' has no place in the EU's due diligence directive
  7. Europeans don't see China as a rival, but weapons to Russia is a red line
  8. Cleaning workers urge Parliament: 'Europe should lead by example'

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations
  2. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  3. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  4. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. EFBWWEFBWW calls for the EC to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains
  2. InformaConnecting Expert Industry-Leaders, Top Suppliers, and Inquiring Buyers all in one space - visit Battery Show Europe.
  3. EFBWWEFBWW and FIEC do not agree to any exemptions to mandatory prior notifications in construction
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic and Baltic ways to prevent gender-based violence
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Economic gender equality now! Nordic ways to close the pension gap
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Pushing back the push-back - Nordic solutions to online gender-based violence

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us