Europe is “on its own” if Donald Trump wins the 2024 Presidential Election, says Alexander De Croo, asserting that the increasingly federal bloc should prepare for a future without America.
Belgium, which has just taken over the rotating Presidency of the Council of Europe, has warned of coming challenges to democracy — such as elections — in comments from their Prime Minister Alexander De Croo to the European Parliament in apparent reaction to Donald Trump easily carrying the Iowa caucuses on Monday night.
De Croo told the chamber that 2024 would be a “crucial year” for the West in remarks that appeared to make implicit a view that elections are a challenge to be overcome for democracy, rather than a key feature.
“Our democracies and our liberties will be put to the test, not only with the election for this house but equally so for U.S. Congress, equally with an election for the U.S. Presidency”, said De Croo, predicting: “If 2024 brings us ‘America First’ again, it will be more than ever ‘Europe on its own’.”
While making clear his view that a Trump presidency would mean a break between Europe and the U.S. — which has been expensively underwriting European security in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine so far — De Croo said this should not be feared, but embraced by making the EU stronger and capable of competing with the U.S. and China. This could be achieved, De Croo said, by continuing to push Europe towards the federal superstate model as envisioned by its architect Jacques Delors.
Another top European politician reacting to the workings of democracy — in this case, Donald Trump winning the Iowa caucuses — by asserting that this is killing democracy, is Guy Verhofstadt, well remembered for being one of the key enemies of Brexit from within the Union. Again referring both to Trump and the forthcoming European elections this year, Verhofstadt wrote: “Democracy fighting for survival… Window closing for Europe too”.
The feeling that elections are dangerous to democracy appears widespread. As reported last year, European Commission Vice-President and bloc Foreign Affairs boss Josep Borrell told British left-wing newspaper The Guardian said he was afraid that Europeans could “vote because they are afraid”, saying right-wing politics prey on fear while enlightened leftists like himself provide “a lucid analysis of the situation”.
If Europe votes in right-wing parties in greater numbers in the continent-wide election this year, Borrell panicked, then it could leave Europe in a situation “as dangerous” as that in the U.S. with Donald Trump.
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