EU elections: Could far-right parties take over the European Parliament? | Focus on Europe

Summary

The video script delves into the rise of right-wing and populist parties in Europe, projected to gain significant influence in the upcoming European Parliament elections. It highlights concerns over the potential impact on democracy, climate policies, and migration. The script features activists like Donata Pormert, who founded an initiative to counter right-wing extremism in Germany, and Filipo Maona, who switched to Italy's post-fascist party. It also discusses the challenges of misinformation and deep fakes in Slovakia's elections and the media landscape shift in Poland. The script concludes with the unique perspective of a bination village, symbolizing European unity despite bureaucratic complexities.

Takeaways

• 🗳️ European voters are heading to the polls in June for parliamentary elections, with a notable rise in support for populist right-wing parties expected.
• 📊 The German party AFD is gaining popularity nationally and is projected to increase its seats in the European Parliament, despite controversies and being classified as potentially extreme.
• 👵 Donata Poman founded a citizens' initiative to counter the rise of the right-wing, which she believes is eroding democracy, but faces a challenge in her village of Dlan, Saxony.
• 🏛️ About 30% of Dlan voters chose the AFD, a party known for its opposition to climate change, LGBTQ rights, and refugees, and is seen as right-wing extremist by Germany's domestic intelligence agency.
• 📚 Activists in Dlan are taking to the streets to promote democracy and tolerance, but face resistance and are often seen as the problem rather than the right-wing populism they oppose.
• 💡 Filippo Maona from Italy switched his political allegiance from a conservative party to the post-fascist Brothers of Italy, believing they better represent his interests and will bring change.
• 🌍 Georgia Malone, leader of the post-fascist Brothers of Italy and now Italy's Prime Minister, is seen by some as a ray of hope, but her domestic policies have faced criticism and are a point of contention.
• 🤔 The European Union could see significant policy changes if right-wing parties gain more seats in the upcoming elections, potentially impacting migration, climate goals, and foreign aid.
• 🕊️ Slovakia has experienced a deep political divide, with concerns over disinformation campaigns and deep fakes affecting elections, as seen with the attempted assassination of the country's populist leader.
• 📺 The media landscape in Poland is shifting with the change of government, with the new administration attempting to reverse the country's shift to the right, though their methods have been controversial.
• 🏡 The village of Lian, straddling the Germany-France border, exemplifies European integration, with villagers living a binational life despite bureaucratic challenges.

Q & A

What is the significance of the upcoming European Parliament elections in June?

The upcoming European Parliament elections in June are significant because they are projected to result in historic gains for populist right-wing parties, which could have substantial implications for the future direction and policies of the European Union.

What is the current status of Germany's AFD party, and what challenges do they face?

Germany's AFD party has been polling high nationally and is expected to increase its number of seats in the European Parliament. However, they face challenges such as fresh scandals and a German court classifying them as potentially extreme.

Who is Donata Porman, and what is her initiative against the rise of the right-wing?

Donata Porman is a citizen who has founded an initiative to counter the rise of the right-wing, which she believes is eroding democracy. Her group, 'Grannies against the Right', aims to promote tolerance and equality in their village of Dlan in the state of Saxony.

What is the impact of the AFD party's policies on issues like climate change, LGBTQ rights, and refugees?

The AFD party is known for its strong opposition to climate change policies, campaigns against LGBTQ rights, and anti-refugee stances. Their policies reflect a nationalist and conservative ideology that has been gaining traction among certain segments of the German population.

How has the right-wing populist surge affected the political landscape in Italy?

The right-wing populist surge in Italy has led to the rise of parties like the post-fascist Brothers of Italy, which is currently in power. This shift has been driven by a sense among voters that traditional parties no longer represent their interests and concerns.

What are the potential consequences of a right-wing shift in the European Parliament for EU policies?

A right-wing shift in the European Parliament could lead to attempts to reduce migration into the EU, abandon climate neutrality goals, reduce European aid to developing countries, and potentially alter the EU's stance on issues related to Russia.

What is the role of fact-checking teams in the context of the European elections?

Fact-checking teams, in collaboration with tech giants like Meta, play a crucial role in debunking fake content and deep fakes, which are AI-generated clips that can spread disinformation and influence election outcomes.

How has the political situation in Slovakia been affected by deep fakes and disinformation campaigns?

Slovakia has experienced a significant rise in disinformation, particularly deep fakes, during election periods. These have been used to manipulate public opinion and have potentially influenced election results, as seen in the case of the 2023 parliamentary elections.

What challenges do journalists face in countries with politically polarized environments, such as Poland?

Journalists in politically polarized environments like Poland face challenges such as pressure to report favorably on certain governments, job instability due to political shifts, and the risk of being accused of bias.

How does the media landscape in Poland reflect the country's political shifts?

The media landscape in Poland has undergone significant changes, with the public broadcaster TVP experiencing a radical switch in personnel and tone following the rise of a new pro-European conservative coalition government.

What is the significance of the bination village of Lian, and how does it exemplify European integration?

The bination village of Lian, which straddles the border between Germany and France, exemplifies European integration by showcasing how a community can function harmoniously under the governance of two different countries, despite bureaucratic challenges.

Outlines

00:00

🗳️ Rise of Right-Wing Populism in Europe

The script discusses the upcoming European Parliamentary elections and the anticipated gains of right-wing populist parties. It highlights the case of Germany's AFD party, which is expected to increase its seats despite controversies and being classified as potentially extreme. The narrative focuses on Donata Pormanova, who founded a citizen's initiative to counter the right-wing's rise, which she perceives as a threat to democracy. The initiative aims to promote tolerance and equality in the face of the AFD's policies against climate change, LGBTQ rights, and refugees. Despite efforts, the group faces resistance in their village of Dlan, Saxony, where about 30% of voters support the AFD. The script also touches on the broader implications for the European Union's future as populist parties gain traction.

05:01

🌎 Political Shifts and the Impact on the European Union

This paragraph explores the political shifts in Italy, where Filippo has moved his support from traditional conservative parties to the post-fascist Brothers of Italy, now led by Prime Minister Georgia Malone. The party's stance on various issues, including its move away from glorifying Mussolini, is contrasted with the concerns of critics who fear a threat to democracy. The narrative also covers the potential impact of right-wing parties on European Union policies, such as migration, climate goals, and foreign aid, should they gain more influence in the European Parliament. The complexities of uniting various right-wing factions and the challenges posed by differing views on Russia are also discussed.

10:01

📢 Disinformation and the Threat to Democracy

The script delves into the issue of disinformation and its potential to sway elections, as illustrated by the case of Slovakia's populist leader, Robert Fico, and the deep fakes that surfaced during the country's elections. Experts like Veronica Frankovka are working to combat fake news and deep fakes, collaborating with tech companies like Meta to identify and debunk false content. The narrative highlights the challenges of tracing the origins of disinformation and the concerns about its impact on the upcoming European Parliament elections. It also touches on the political changes in Slovakia, including the removal of early warning systems under the new pro-Russian government, which has raised fears of increased foreign influence.

15:03

📺 Media Landscape and Political Polarization in Poland

This section examines the impact of political polarization on the media landscape in Poland. Journalist Dorota Babek discusses her experience of being fired from a private channel due to alleged code breaches, which she believes were politically motivated. The narrative describes the changes at Poland's public broadcaster TVP following the rise of a new pro-European coalition government. The station's shift from a perceived government mouthpiece to a more pluralistic and democratic language is controversial and has led to protests and staff dismissals. The challenges of restoring judicial independence and the difficulties of reversing the nationalist policies of the past are also highlighted.

20:06

🏡 Life in a Bination Village: Unity Amidst Bureaucracy

The script presents a unique perspective on European integration through the story of a bination village that straddles the border between Germany and France. Despite the complexities of living under two different legal systems, the villagers value their community and the European dream. The narrative explores the practical challenges of dealing with dual bureaucracies, such as in law enforcement and farming, and the desire for more open borders. The story emphasizes the importance of European subsidies in building community infrastructure and the villagers' pride in their shared European identity.

25:08

🌿 The Desire for Further European Integration

In this final paragraph, the script hints at the potential for further European integration as a key to addressing the challenges faced by communities like the bination village. It suggests that deeper integration could provide solutions to the bureaucratic hurdles that complicate daily life for those living on the border between countries. The narrative leaves the reader with a contemplation of the benefits and possibilities of a more unified Europe.

Keywords

💡European Parliament Elections

The European Parliament Elections are a significant political event where citizens of EU member states vote for their representatives in the European Parliament. In the script, the upcoming elections are highlighted as pivotal, with right-wing populist parties expected to make historic gains. This shift in voter sentiment could impact the future policies and direction of the European Union.

💡Populist Right-Wing Parties

Populist right-wing parties advocate for nationalist, anti-immigration, and often Eurosceptic policies. The script discusses the rise of such parties across Europe, particularly the AfD in Germany and the Brothers of Italy, signaling a broader shift in political dynamics and voter priorities within the EU.

💡AfD (Alternative for Germany)

The AfD is a right-wing populist party in Germany known for its anti-immigration stance and criticism of the EU. Despite controversies and being labeled as extremist by German authorities, the AfD is gaining traction, especially in regions like Saxony, reflecting a growing trend of right-wing support.

💡Granny's Against the Right

Granny's Against the Right is a citizen's initiative founded by Donata Porman to counter the rise of right-wing populism in Germany. This group symbolizes grassroots activism aimed at promoting democracy, tolerance, and equality, illustrating the societal pushback against extremist ideologies.

💡Disinformation and Deep Fakes

Disinformation and deep fakes refer to the spread of false information and digitally manipulated media to deceive the public. The script mentions these tactics being used in Slovakia's elections, raising concerns about their impact on democratic processes and voter perceptions across the EU.

💡Climate Neutrality by 2050

The EU's goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 involves reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero. Right-wing parties often oppose these green policies, arguing they negatively impact domestic workers and farmers. The script suggests that a stronger right-wing presence in the EU Parliament could jeopardize these environmental goals.

💡Migration Policies

Migration policies are rules and regulations governing the movement of people across borders. Right-wing parties in Europe aim to tighten these policies, potentially leading to an increase in irregular migration routes. The script highlights how these proposed changes could affect both EU internal dynamics and external relationships.

💡European Union Aid

European Union aid refers to financial and technical assistance provided to developing countries and regions. The script indicates that right-wing parties may push to reduce this aid, which could have significant implications for global development and the EU's role on the international stage.

💡Russia and EU Relations

Relations between Russia and the EU are complex, often marked by political and economic tensions. The script discusses the divergent views within Europe's right-wing factions regarding Russia, particularly in the context of the Ukraine conflict, highlighting the challenges of achieving a unified stance within the EU.

💡Political Polarization

Political polarization refers to the growing divide between opposing political ideologies and parties. The script illustrates this through various examples, such as the contrasting views of Italian voters and the political landscape in Slovakia, emphasizing how this polarization is shaping electoral outcomes and public discourse in the EU.

Highlights

Europeans will be voting in parliamentary elections in June, with populist right-wing parties projected to make historic gains.

Germany's AfD party is expected to increase their number of seats in the European Parliament despite a string of fresh scandals.

Donata Porman founded a citizen's initiative to counter the rise of the right, which they believe is eroding democracy.

Activists in the small Saxon town of Duban are taking to the streets for democracy and tolerance.

About 30% of Duban voters chose the AfD, a party designated as right-wing extremist by Germany's domestic intelligence agency.

The AfD campaigns against LGBTQ rights and refugees, among other issues.

Grannies Against the Right is a group that seeks to engage with local AfD voters, but they face challenges in creating dialogue.

Filipo Maona from Italy switched political allegiance from a conservative party to the post-fascist Brothers of Italy.

Italy's Prime Minister Georgia Maloney, from the Brothers of Italy, is seen as a beacon of change by some and a concern by others.

Right-wing parties across Europe have yet to unite at the European level, which may impact their influence in the European Parliament.

Disinformation campaigns and deep fakes are a significant concern in upcoming European elections, as seen in Slovakia.

Slovakia's populist leader Robert Fico's pro-Russian stance highlights deep political divides and disinformation issues.

Poland's media landscape is changing as the new government seeks to reverse the shift to the right by the previous administration.

Journalist Dorota Babek returns to Polish public broadcasting amid controversies over media influence and freedom.

In the bi-national village of Lighting, France and Germany, residents navigate complex cross-border bureaucracy while embracing European integration.

Further European integration is seen as a solution to cross-border issues in towns like Lighting, straddling France and Germany.

Transcripts

Europeans will be voting in

parliamentary elections in June and

populist right-wing parties are

projected to make historic gains so what

has prompted this shift among voters and

what could it mean for the future of the

European Union find out on this special

edition about the European Parliament

elections Germany's afd party has been

polling High nationally and they're

expected to increase their number of

seats in the European Parliament this is

despite a string of fresh scandals and a

German Court classifying them as

potentially extreme Donata porman is

alarmed she's founded a citizen's

initiative to counter the rise of the

right which they believe is eroding

democracy but in her Village of dlan in

the state of Saxony their calls for

tolerance and equality seem to be

falling on deaf

ears activists are taking to the streets

for democracy and tolerance in the small

Saxon town of duban and in the thick of

it all GR against the

right this is about all of us and the

values we hold about Freedom equality

freedom of

thought in recent elections about 30% of

duban Voters chose the afd a party whose

Saxony branch has been designated as

right-wing extremist by Germany's

domestic intelligence agency the afd

lashes out against other German parties

denies human CA climate change and

campaigns against lgbtq rights and

refugees I can assure you that burkas

headscarf girls publicly supported Thugs

and other good for nothings will not

secure our prosperity economic growth

and the social

State the Granny's against the right are

watching this right word surge with

great concern ahead of the European

elections they want to talk to local afd

voters they've got coffee and cake and

information about the right-wing

populists if we can give out our

information hand out materials to a few

people say that later this evening some

might think it over in private and

possibly realize oh I didn't know that

that would be the greatest

thing porman founded the group in duban

about 3 months ago after journalists

reported on a right-wing meeting near

Berlin there afd politicians right-wing

exists and some conservative politicians

are said to have planned deporting

millions of

immigrants the fact that such a

discussion happened was shocking and

deeply

disturbing and convinced me something

had to be

done the group started out with 18

female activists now there are 41

they want to learn how to counter

right-wing populist arguments at

practice sessions like these almost all

of them are confronted with racism and

extremism on a daily basis in workplaces

sports clubs and

elsewhere I was

shocked but that's why we should speak

up in those

moments the most frustrating thing for

the active this is when their neighbors

see them as the problem and not

right-wing

populism when I drum up support for the

Granny's against the right for instance

or other campaigns we're organizing in

Durban I'm often confronted with blank

stairs silence people turn away and act

as if it's us who are the problem as if

we are the ones making trouble

here but the Granny's aren't giving up

there's too much at stake after the

European elections elections will be

held in the state of Saxony and

according to polls for the first time

ever the afd could

win I want my grandchildren to grow up

in the same free tolerant Democratic

state that I

did and now I'm so worried it's all

going down the drain

again but today no afd voters show up to

chat with them at their stand despite

free coffee tea and Cake none of the

locals seem interested and decide to

stay put inside there's simply no

dialogue between the Granny's and duban

afd

voters an increasing number of Voters

are turning to right and leftwing

parties because they no longer feel

represented by The Establishment which

is exactly what prompted felipo maona

from Italy to switch the political aisle

he used to be a staunch conservative but

now he feels best represented by the

post-fascist brothers of Italy who are

currently in power in southern Italy's

maratea filipo has faith that the party

will bring change but those around him

see things quite

differently a 21 M tall Christ the

Redeemer statue overlooks the Gulf of P

Castro in southern Italy filipo myON

owns a restaurant here in 2019 he made

the acquaintance of Georgia Malone

chairwoman of the post-fascist Fratelli

dalala at the time averaging only around

3% of the vote now she's Italy's Prime

Minister she made a positive impression

on me at the

time I realized that after the burone

era she and her political project had a

future my used to vote for Silvio B On's

party the right of Center fora Italia

but now he's gone over to the brothers

of Italy which many in the country label

post fascist he doesn't believe it poses

a danger to democracy and says the party

officially moved away from its

glorification of the former dictator

musolini long ago Mone claims this

alienated many early followers of the

party some in their loyal base are

disappointed because the part's not

pushing through their rightwing

platform but Malone is a responsible

politician so she has to consider the

finances and the national budget

first and for that she needs the support

of the European

Union myON feels that many left-leaning

workers voted for Georgia Maloney

because Italy's left-wing parties have

lost sight of their concerns jobs are

one of the most important

issues myON Chef is less inclined to

warm up to the ideas of the right-wing

nationalist prime

minister all politicians promise you the

Earth and the moon but in the end you

have to manage the problems of daily

life

yourself I don't demand that politicians

save our lives but if you believe in

something and have ideals but never see

anything get better you lose hope and in

Italy we haven't seen any real changes

for the

better Georgia Maloney has been

governing Italy since

2022 internationally she portrays a more

moderate stance showing support for NATO

and Ukraine critics say it's a different

matter when it comes to domestic affairs

she abolished the citizens benefits

outlawed surrogate motherhood and led

campaigns against journalists and

[Music]

[Applause]

intellectuals Myon often argues over

politics with his friend

jeppe you lefties only think about civil

rights you concentrate only on issues

like those you've forgotten the workers

the poorest of

society you've turned into the party of

the rich and the

privileged and you with your slogans

let's close the ports no to migrants and

abortion is not a right you're

constantly attacking these civil

rights it might work for now because

people are still honeymooning with

Maloney and the right-wing Coalition has

their

support but sooner or later that

honeymoon will be

over Malone's slogan for the European

Parliament election is Italy changes

Europe it's a ray of Hope for filipo but

a nightmare for jepe and for both it'll

be a bone of contention for a long time

to

come while far right parties are

becoming more established at National

levels in Europe they have yet to make

their mark on the European stage but if

they gain more seats in the upcoming

elections European Union policies could

significantly change so what exactly

would a shift to the right mean for the

EU our next report takes a look at the

consequences this could have both in

Europe and out inside its

borders in the June elections for the

European Parliament right-wing and Far

Right parties are expected to gain more

seats so far the far right has not yet

managed to unite at the European level

it's divided into different

factions but what would a right-wing

search in the European Parliament mean

what consequences would it have for the

EU and the world if Europe's right-wing

factions became a stronger and United

group they would most likely try to

reduce migration into the EU by

attempting to change EU laws this in

turn might mean an increased number of

people trying to enter the EU

irregularly via land routes or across

the dangerous Mediterranean Sea and the

Atlantic the far right would also likely

try to force the EU to abandon its goal

of being climate neutral by 2050 many

right-wing and Far Right parties say

green laws are having a negative effect

on domestic workers and Farmers European

Aid to developing countries could also

be reduced

drastically but all these changes would

require a United right and far right

political front which experts believe

the different groups are still unlikely

to achieve the main sticking point

Russia one of Italy's right-wing parties

the Lega as well as the Freedom Party of

Austria have both criticized the West's

heartline against Russia after its

invasion of Ukraine but Poland's

right-wing Law And Justice party and

Italy's other far-right party the

brothers of Italy are strong backers of

Ukraine and even if the far-right

factions are able to unite Europe's

conservative and Centrist parties have

so far refused to make deals with them

however if that changed the far right

and right-wing parties would truly gain

influence in the European Parliament

the attempted assassination of

Slovakia's populist leader Robert fito

has highlighted the nation's deep

political divide authorities say the

suspect had a clear political motivation

prime minister fito came to power again

last year this time on a pro-russian

platform his Nationalist and populist

rhetoric has raised concerns in the EU

data expert Veronica frankovka believes

disinformation campaigns with deep fakes

and artificial intelligence were rampant

in Slovakia's elections and she fears

they could also sway the vote in

European

elections in Bratislava the capital of

Slovakia Veronica franova is on a

mission to protect her home country from

disinformation and fake

news we come across a lot of information

especially on the internet and it's hard

for people to tell whether it is or

isn't the truth and our job is to look

for the pieces information that are

false or misleading in June Europeans

will vote for a new Parliament franova

small NGO is one of 29 factchecking

teams across the EU working with us Tech

Giant meta to debunk fake

content they are fighting a new enemy

deep fakes Clips created in minutes with

the help of AI software in which people

appear to say or do things they never

did

and no country in Europe has experienced

this new threat firsthand like

Slovakia in September 2023 we had

parliamentary elections and uh in the

months before them there was quite a

rise in uh

disinformation just a few days before

the election suspicious audio files

appeared online they seemingly involved

mikal shimeta the leader of the pro-

European Progressive Slovakia party

in one of them he seemed to be talking

to a journalist about how to Rick the

election in another one about plans for

raising the price of beer both of these

deep fakes first appeared uh on telegram

but they gained traction when they were

re-shared by accounts on

Facebook from there they spread like a

wildfire they were shared on uh personal

messages and WhatsApp

messages within hours fact Checkers

debugged the posts as like fakes

prompting meta to label them but people

continued to share them and shima's

progressives lost the election by a few

points to the populist pro-russian smear

SD party meta the tech giant behind

Facebook Instagram and WhatsApp said it

had slowed down the spread of the Slovak

deep fakes after they'd been

flagged and yet the Deep fake about

election rigging still amassed over a

100,000 public views in a country of

less than 5 and a half million people

that's how disinformation Works experts

say its very nature makes it impossible

to say with 100% certainty who's behind

it and yet one former senior government

official told us that when it comes to

last year's deep fakes he's pretty

sure I believe it's very likely that

there was a Russian footprint uh because

there are so many coincidences and so

many details dets that just wouldn't

allow any other logical explanation my

name is Daniel Milo and until December

last year I was the director of Center

for countering hybrid threats at Slovak

Ministry of interior shortly after the

government was formed that uh you know

the mission uh that I believe in mainly

to protect Slovakia from foreign hostile

influence and to be able to push back

against such influence uh was not

possible anymore since then Milo says

the new pro-russian government has got

rid of many early warning and defense

mechanisms it's much easier for Russia

to conduct its uh its influence

operations well I definitely expect

Russia to intensify their activities in

an email Slovakia's interior Ministry

rejected Milo statements saying that

they do not Accord with real fact and

undermine the work results of

specialists

as Slovakia along with the rest of the

European Union enters election mode

fears are running high that AI generated

deep fakes could once again emerge in

the runup to the

vote I'm afraid that especially in

Slovakia but also in other countries

this is only going to show and become

more distinct before the European

elections the threat is

[Music]

real the tug of war between between

pro-european parties and the right is

also changing the media landscape in

Poland journalist dorata babek was

directly affected by the policies of the

Nationalist Law And Justice party they

ruled Poland from 2015 until last year

the new Coalition is now trying to

reverse the country's shift to the right

but their methods are drawing criticism

even from the government's own

supporters D bck is getting ready to

return to polish Airwaves from here in

Strasburg she's become the new face of

Poland's public broadcaster in the

European Union something Unthinkable

until last year I did everything I could

to not let the politicians decide about

my profession doroto was fired from a

private polish channel in 2022

officially over Co rule breaches but

she's sure it was down to the media

influence of Poland's former nationalist

Euros skeptic government I felt the

pressure

from uh 2015 onwards it was growing it

was uh always bigger when it was close

to the elections sometimes when uh when

the big things were happening in

Brussels which were negative for Poland

um I was not ask to report on

them after a pro-european conservative

Le Coalition gained the numbers to

govern last year dto was recruited to

report for Poland's public service

broadcaster TVP

in Warsaw there are more New Kids on the

Block there's been a radical switch up

at the channel once accused of being

nothing more than a populist government

mouthpiece what changed everything

changed most of all the people entire

teams are new plus the type of language

we use has changed this means there is

no hatred or the Venom that has flowed

from the screens over the last 8 years

we changed it to Simply pluralistic

language Democratic language the

language of public

television but the change is

controversial the station was occupied

by nationalist protesters in December

and temporarily went off air amid the

chaos many staffers were suddenly sacked

among them

Camis newly returned from Germany and

out of a job I'm sad that I'm not in

berin Mar for years Cesar was a TVP

correspondent breaking big stories he's

been acced acced of favoring the

previous government in his coverage but

after being sacked he says he's the one

who's the victim of a biased

system this is the experience of every

journalist in Poland with conservative

use I never work in any media outlet for

more than a few years because

left-leaning liberal circles put

pressure on these media to deprive them

of their

voice as the media landscape shifts even

observers who back the new government's

move moves say it stretched the limits

of the law maybe these activities of our

government I mean firing people out was

not pretty legal but it was necessary

this new television new public media

needs some time to find to to GA

credibility unpicking the legacy of

Poland's recent past is also proving

difficult for the new government in

other areas the EU sanctioned the last

Administration over alleged attempts to

control polish courts through new laws

no judges want systemic change to

restore

independence the last eight years have

been very difficult because we have been

fighting to ensure that polls have the

right to go to court so that politicians

do not dictate the content of Judges

rulings we want to build a modern

European system and anti system that

over several decades has greatly

strengthened the role of the Minister of

Justice in po

and that will take time in a Poland

which remains politically

polarized but outside Wars so there are

fewer clashes to cover these days the

general atmosphere around Poland um in

Brussels in Europe has changed to much

more positive one when I report from

Brussels um I don't have to explain so

much uh why the EU decided to criticize

us why we are punished but I have new

challenge which is

to to present the real face of the

European Union to the Polish

people EU elections are fast approaching

and populist parties are expected to

gain ground D says she'll be here to

cover every twist and

turn now to a place that's divided not

by politics but by a border Lian is a

town that straddles both Germany and

France while EU regulations apply here

one part is governed by French laws and

the other by German ones the red tape

makes life complicated but despite those

challenges the villagers don't want to

take

sides now I'm in

[Applause]

Germany and now I'm in France Henning

and his parents live in a bational

village France on the left Germany on

the right Lighting in has been split

since Napoleonic times aloise tush loves

strolling around the

village we're on the neutral Street my

left foot is in France my right foot is

in Germany we're living the European

dream but not everyone is a fan there's

a German hydrant and a French

hydrant a French church and a German one

French pets and German ones

too there's never been a border fence

and right-wing populist ideas have never

caught on Lighting in simply to European

for

that but Castine moza says dealing with

German and French bureaucracy can be

exhausting it doesn't really have any

advantages there's a unique situation

for example with thefts and burglar

criminals can just simply cross the

border then we have to inform our French

colleagues which takes a while

longer and the criminals get

away then there are crimes you'd find in

few other Villages says German Village

headid so the German side still has a

flag up proudly signaling that this is

Germany on the other side someone has

removed the French flag pole

if a German had removed it mcon would

have traveled to Berlin to take this up

with the German

Chancellor everyone here however is

proud of the village community center

built with plenty of EU

subsidies we couldn't have set this up

without European

support Schmidt's counterpart French

mayor Madame LaRon used to slip over the

Border as a teenager

[Music]

at the time it was

smuggling sometimes we'd walk through

the little alley so that nobody would

see us see alcohol n no not alcohol

German wine isn't the

best a little outside the village Kine

CBA and her husband run a cattle farm

they say dealing with two countries

bureaucracy is a pain but before getting

into the details they first need to help

a cow give birth the clas breed cattle

having the farm right by the French

border complicates

matters we farm land here on French

soil we would like to use the land for

grazing but the law says the animals

have to be quarantined for 3 months

before they can be taken over to the

other side of the road to

France she wants an even more open

border not just for the cows but for her

daughter

too I'm in

Germany it's Fin and now I'm back in

France further European integration

could be the key