Europe's New Moral Crusade: A campaign against progressive values | People and Power
Summary
TLDRThe video investigates a coalition of Evangelical Christians, far-right politicians, and Russian oligarchs campaigning against progressive liberal values in Europe. The report traces significant funding sources, including $700 million from the US, Russia, and Europe, supporting anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ movements. It highlights key figures and organizations involved in this 'moral crusade,' revealing legal battles and political strategies aimed at undermining women's and LGBTQ rights. The investigation underscores the global scale and coordinated efforts of conservative activists pushing traditional Christian orthodoxies.
Takeaways
- ๐ The coalition of Evangelical Christians, far-right politicians, and Russian oligarchs is campaigning against progressive liberal values in Europe.
- ๐ฒ๐ฝ The World Congress of Families in Mexico gathered delegates aiming to roll back women's abortion rights, challenge LGBTQ equality, and defend traditional family values.
- โ๏ธ This 'moral crusade' involves American Evangelical Christians, Russian oligarchs, and far-right politicians like Italy's Matteo Salvini and Georgia's Giorgia Meloni.
- ๐ต๐ฑ Poland, seen as a model by the conservative right, has a near-total ban on abortion, with activists facing legal consequences for aiding abortions.
- ๐ Research identified that at least $700 million was spent in Europe over a decade to support the anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ movement, with significant funding from the US, Russia, and Europe.
- ๐ Activists in Poland, like Justyna Wydrzyลska, face prosecution for helping women with abortions, highlighting the state's strict anti-abortion laws.
- ๐ผ Organizations like Ordo Iuris in Poland use legal actions to promote their conservative agenda and raise local funds.
- ๐ท๐บ Russian oligarchs Vladimir Yakunin and Konstantin Malofeev have financially supported conservative moral initiatives in Europe, with close ties to the Kremlin.
- ๐ CitizenGO, a global conservative platform, has received significant funding and support from Russian sources, though it denies financial ties to Russian oligarchs.
- ๐ซ The ongoing war in Ukraine has strained but not entirely halted cooperation between Western European and Russian conservative activists.
Q & A
What is the main goal of the coalition of Evangelical Christians, far-right politicians, and Russian oligarchs as described in the video?
-The coalition aims to roll back women's abortion rights, challenge LGBTQ equality, and defend what they see as the sanctity of the family.
What event is highlighted as significant for this coalition in the video?
-The World Congress of Families, which took place last September in Mexico, is highlighted as one of the most important events for this coalition.
Which countries and figures are identified as key players in this moral crusade?
-Key players include American Evangelical Christians, Russian oligarchs, and far-right politicians like Italy's Matteo Salvini and Georgia Meloni.
What specific laws and actions are being promoted by this coalition in Europe?
-The coalition is promoting near-total bans on abortion, challenging LGBTQ rights, and defending traditional Christian values against progressive liberal values.
Who is Justyna Wydrzyลska, and why is she significant in this context?
-Justyna Wydrzyลska is an activist in Poland who was prosecuted for aiding an abortion, reflecting the strict enforcement of Poland's near-total ban on abortion.
What role does the legal foundation Ordo Iuris play in the anti-abortion movement in Poland?
-Ordo Iuris is actively involved in prosecuting abortion support workers and promoting strict anti-abortion laws in Poland.
How has the funding for the coalition's activities been sourced according to the video?
-Funding has been sourced from the United States (over 80 million dollars), the Russian Federation (about 188 million dollars), and Europe itself (437 million dollars).
What tactics and strategies are used by the coalition to promote their agenda?
-The coalition uses legal actions, public campaigns, and conferences to promote their agenda, often involving high-level coordination and strategic planning.
What is the significance of the Agenda Europe document mentioned in the video?
-The Agenda Europe document is a manifesto calling for anti-sodomy laws, bans on abortion and contraception, and the creation of a network to promote these values globally.
How has the Russian invasion of Crimea affected the coalition's activities?
-The Russian invasion of Crimea led to sanctions against key Russian oligarchs involved in the coalition, but the moral crusade activities continued with the involvement of other conservative groups.
Outlines
๐จ Evangelical Coalition Against Liberal Values
A coalition of Evangelical Christians, far-right politicians, and Russian oligarchs is aggressively campaigning against progressive liberal values in Europe. This movement, inspired by the reversal of abortion rights in the U.S., aims to roll back women's abortion rights, challenge LGBTQ equality, and defend traditional family values. The World Congress of Families, held in Mexico, epitomized this crusade, attracting various conservative figures determined to challenge liberal ideologies.
โ๏ธ Legal Battles Against Abortion Rights
In Poland, where abortion laws are extremely strict, activist Justina faces prosecution for helping a domestic abuse victim during the COVID-19 lockdown by sending her abortion pills. This case is emblematic of the broader legal and ideological battle against women's rights in Poland, driven by conservative organizations like Ordo Iuris. These groups seek to impose severe penalties on those promoting or aiding abortions, portraying their efforts as a defense of life.
๐ Investigating Conservative Networks
Efforts to trace the financial support for conservative movements in Europe reveal significant funding from the U.S., Russia, and within Europe itself. Organizations like Ordo Iuris, supported by various conservative foundations, are actively involved in legal battles against LGBTQ rights and abortion. These groups use litigation as a tool to intimidate and penalize activists, raising funds through local and international networks dedicated to conservative causes.
๐๏ธ TFP and the Funding of Conservative Movements
The Tradition, Family, and Property (TFP) movement, a significant funder of anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ initiatives in Europe, aims to restore traditional values and hereditary nobility. They have spent millions over a decade supporting conservative causes. Similarly, Russian oligarchs like Vladimir Yakunin and Konstantin Malofiev have financed various conservative projects in Europe, aligning with local movements to promote their shared moral agendas.
๐ International Conservative Collaboration
The World Congress of Families, a key platform for global conservative activists, has seen participation from Russian oligarchs and European far-right politicians. Despite sanctions and geopolitical tensions, these networks continue to collaborate, driven by a shared vision of defending traditional values against perceived Western moral decline. Organizations like CitizenGO, funded by small donations, amplify this agenda through petitions and advocacy, while maintaining ties with influential conservative figures worldwide.
Mindmap
Keywords
๐กMoral Crusade
๐กAbortion Rights
๐กLGBTQ Equality
๐กRussian Oligarchs
๐กWorld Congress of Families
๐กConservative Christians
๐กPoland's Abortion Laws
๐กCitizen Go
๐กTraditional Values
๐กReligious Freedom
Highlights
A coalition of Evangelical Christians, far-right politicians, and Russian oligarchs are engaged in a fierce campaign against progressive liberal values in Europe.
The reversal of abortion rights in the United States has emboldened conservative campaigners in Europe.
Delegates gathered for the World Congress of Families in Mexico, aiming to roll back women's abortion rights and challenge LGBTQ equality.
The coalition's mission is described as a crusade to defend traditional Christian orthodoxies against progressive liberal values.
American Evangelical Christians, Russian oligarchs, and far-right politicians like Italy's Matteo Salvini and Georgia Meloni are linked in this crusade.
Conservative activists in Europe see the continent as the next key battleground for their agenda.
In Poland, activists like Justyna Wydrzyลska face imprisonment for aiding abortions, reflecting strict state laws against abortion.
Legal organizations like Ordo Iuris in Poland use prosecutions to enforce anti-abortion laws and intimidate activists.
Research by Neil Datta and colleagues identified over 700 million dollars spent on anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ rights campaigns in Europe from 2009 to 2018.
Hidden camera footage from a conference revealed strategies and rhetoric used by right-wing and anti-abortion groups.
Agenda Europe, a conservative network, calls for anti-sodomy laws, bans on abortion and contraception, and other extreme policies.
U.S. organizations like Alliance Defending Freedom International and the European Center for Law and Justice receive millions to support faith-based legal advocacy in Europe.
Russian oligarchs like Vladimir Yakunin and Konstantin Malofeev have financially supported conservative moral agendas in Europe.
CitizenGO, a high-profile social media platform, was initially proposed to receive funding from Malofeev's foundation.
Despite interruptions from the war in Ukraine, conservative Christian activists in Western Europe and Russia continue to maintain friendly relations and collaborate.
Transcripts
foreign
[Music]
encouraged by the reversal of abortion
rights in the United States a coalition
of Evangelical Christians far right
politicians and Russian oligarchs are
now engaged in a fierce campaign against
Progressive liberal values in Europe but
what's driving this so-called moral
Crusade and who is funding it reporter
Sarah Spiller has been in search of
answers
foreign
it was billed as one of the most
important events of its kind in the
world last September in Mexico delegates
gathered for the World Congress of
families and they were on a mission
come on
[Applause]
a mission to roll back women's abortion
rights to challenge lgbtq equality and
to defend what they see as the sanctity
of the family
[Music]
thank you
this is nothing less than a crusade in
defense of traditional Christian
orthodoxies against Progressive liberal
values
[Music]
a crusade that has linked American
Evangelical Christians Russian oligarchs
and far-right politicians like Italy's
Matthew salvini and Georgia Maloney
natalita
okay
emboldened by the reversal of abortion
rights in America conservative
campaigners see Europe as the next key
Battleground
[Applause]
we talk about the family being under
attack the epicenter of this is is in
Europe that in Europe that the
governments they don't want you to get
married and they are anti-children you
are supposed to be gay or you are
supposed to be
diverse
we are building armies in all the major
cities across the world to fight to
speak out and to witness
that pool was taken up by conservative
Christians in Russia Keen to make common
cause with the West's moral Crusaders
[Music]
so we set out to investigate this
movement of European conservative moral
activists and Trace the millions of
Euros rubles and dollars which has
helped fund its moral Crusade
the places where this comes from three
main geographic sources first of them is
the United States accounting for just
over 80 million second sources the
Russian Federation about 188 million and
then the third source is Europe itself
437 million
our journey began in a European country
seen by the conservative right as
showing the way forward
Poland has a near total ban on abortion
and those who defy that ban was
imprisonment under strict state laws
Ka works with fellow activists in a
group which counsels women on how to
safely find help with abortion
we met her the day before a court case
which could see her jailed for up to
three years what will happen maybe
tomorrow will be the beginning of like
the Witch Hunt
[Music]
justina's ordeal began during the covid
pandemic in 2020 she was contacted by a
woman who said she was the victim of
domestic abuse trapped by the lockdown
and desperately needed help with an
unwanted pregnancy Justina sent the
woman her own abortion pills it is a
thing that every decent person would do
in my opinion and also this was the
safest and recommended method of
abortion
but that act resulted in Justina being
accused of aiding an abortion I was
really
pretty skirt
I I cried here like the two days
activities they they use us uh as a tool
to
make other women afraid
the day after our meeting Houston always
back in a heavily guarded Court where
she faced not just the state prosecutor
but also this man Jacob sloanovsky
so who is Jacob zlonovsky and why was he
there
[Music]
to find the answer I began here the
collegium into Mariam
private university in Warsaw which
trains lawyers in conservative ideals
it was set up by a legal foundation
called Aldo euras and the court has
allowed Odo Uris represented by the
lawyer soloski to participate in Houston
urban jinska's prosecution
in their Warsaw HQ I asked order urus's
president what he wanted to happen to
use dinner
we hope that
the lady will be punished by by the
court if anybody
promotes campaigns to take Life The
Unborn
we need to provide proper sanctions in
the criminal law meanwhile back at the
trial key Witnesses failed to appear and
the judge rescheduled the hearing
I'm very disappointed and
and I have to find a courage
outside the court activists called out
what they see as Odo urus's mission
a sustained attack on women's right to
abortion
and just in a pledge to keep supporting
women who need her group's help if
anybody will need it we will do no
matter what their circumstances are
battle to enforce Poland's law which
only allows terminations in cases of
rape incest or when a woman's life is in
danger has now extended to Ukrainian
refugees
on their website they say they sent
letters to hundreds of Polish hospitals
to find out if they were providing
abortions to refugees from Ukraine
the letter asks if doctors were taking
required legal steps to ensure women
were telling the truth they'd been raped
abortion is an abortion even if you come
from a war zone an abortion is an act of
a Act of Killing of an innocent person
and according to the Polish law and
those are only rare exceptions to this
General principle the constitutional
principle of a protection of life
in their self-ordained role is Guardians
of flag bearer for Europe's moral
Crusaders
Crusade operate and how are they funded
in Brussels we met a man who's been
looking hard for answers to those
questions
Neil data and his colleagues began their
research by following the money they
identified all the different
organizations which were active in
contesting abortion rights women's
rights contraception LGBT rights laws on
violence against women and then tracked
down their financial details their
annual reports audited accounts Etc over
a 10-year period from 2009 to 2018
I was able to find that there is at
least over 700 million dollars going
into this movement in Europe
for lgbtq activist Bart stachevsky this
movement felt like a real threat
so in 2016 he wired himself up with a
hidden camera to attend a conference
with the title agenda Europe this is the
first time he's spoken about what
happened
the guests were welcomed at a Gala
dinner
with special guests members of the
government and developments have fallen
the more I was there it was few day
conference the more I could understand
that there is very special meeting
especially when we see on how high level
those participants were attendees
included people from right wing and
anti-abortion groups from Spain to
Croatia and they were all given a
warning
[Music]
when they were speaking out about
tactics you need to use to win the
battles the language you need to use the
rhetoric the tools you need to use I've
seen the PowerPoint presentation which
was quite obvious that they don't want
to have a like an equal discussion with
us they just want to win
agenda Europe's online blog later
published this document which they
claimed showed how the abortionist the
homosexualist and the eugenicist agendas
a part of one and the same ideology
we are not an ideology we are human
beings that deserve to be treated
equally
[Music]
the document reads like a Manifesto
calling for everything from anti-sodomy
laws to bans on abortion contraception
and IVF and it notes we should not be
afraid to be unrealistic or extremist in
choosing our policy objectives
but perhaps the most significant idea
was its call for the creation of a
network which must be capable of acting
at the level of each country as well as
globally
we don't know if this idea was adopted
by agenda Europe what we do know is that
Alan formal Network which looks like
this has continued to grow in strength
it's a loose informal network of
organizations that want to undermine
human rights in relation to sexual and
Reproductive Rights and LGBT issues they
meet they exchange ideas they brainstorm
data's organization which is funded by
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
amongst others calculated that at least
700 million dollars was spent in Europe
in a 10-year period to 2018.
it suggested around 80 million of that
came from United States and tax filing
show US Dollars have continued to pour
into Europe from various sources if we
take a look at the American money for
example we can see that that 80 million
dollars is really concentrated in a few
organizations which have specific a very
specific specialty that of litigation on
subtle issues such as abortion really
what they call religious freedom LGBT
rights children's rights the woman who
opened the agenda Europe meeting in
Warsaw is Sophia Kuby a director of
Alliance defending Freedom International
an organization with offices and
capitals across Europe
it's backed by its U.S counterpart which
has poured Millions into the European
offshoot money they say used for
faith-based legal advocacy
their website boasts of many successes
when we emailed and even called at the
adf's Strasbourg office to ask about
their work they declined to take part
another conservative faith-based Legal
Foundation that's received large sums
from the U.S is the European Center for
Law and Justice led by French jurist
Greek or popink we
fellow conservatives
are the only ones who can save human
rights from self-destruction
because we accept that God exists
Mr Poppins Foundation issues legal
opinions represents clients and mounts
challenges in the European Court of
Human Rights he was also unavailable for
an interview
but not all litigation relies on U.S
funding
in Poland leaked emails show how Auto
eurus uses its legal actions such as the
prosecution of abortion support worker
used Tina vajinska to raise local funds
foolish lgbtq
camel Machu
machuse found himself at the center of
order euras supported litigation
what is concerning is that they are
using the legal ways to
um
to threat the activists the action Rose
after activists published this online
map of local municipalities arguing that
some had passed resolutions which
discriminate against lgbtq people with
the support of order Uris several of
those regions are now suing for
defamation demanding Financial penalties
and public apologies
the demands
are
extreme like
20 thousands Lots per each case
order Uris was originally set up with
financial help from another polish group
The Pietro skaga Institute so we are
very grateful to them what what did they
do was to provide us with the initial
funding to provide us with uh
fundraising know-how
based in krakov The pietroscarga
Institute is aligned with an
international network of Affiliated
organizations known as tradition family
and property
they believe in restoring not just
Traditional Values but also hereditary
nobility to positions of power
they're also amongst the most
significant funders of antichoice and
anti-lgbtq equality in EU countries
tfp student action will continue the
Crusade for the family the left can do
what it will
with great confidence those fighting in
this spiritual Crusade for moral values
will never retreat but March forward
under the standard of tradition family
and property
new data's team estimate they spend as
much as 113 million dollars over a
10-year period
the tfp movement itself is a great
initiative Catholic initiative of
laypeople from all over the world
privately founded by as I believe tens
of thousands of families
but data and his team believe they've
tracked the source of an even larger
amount of money the 188 million dollars
they say was raised in the Russian
Federation spent there and in Western
Europe on initiatives with a
conservative moral agenda I had 188
million dollars is linked to the
entities legal entities such as
foundations think tanks media Outlets
Etc that belong to two Russian oligarchs
Vladimir yakunin and constantinema
Lafayette both oligarchs were at one
point very close to the Kremlin those
men were sanctioned over Russia's
invasion of Crimea yakunin has been
sanctioned again this year and malofiev
indicted by a U.S port
a spokesperson for yakunin confirmed
representatives from one of his
foundations attended some WCF
conferences but denied this Foundation
or yakunin personally have funded
pro-life proof family activities in
Europe
a Russian who played a key role in the
story is this man Alexi kongoff seen
here at the conference of the right-wing
Italian party leganore
typical Russian doll and as we know God
has created man first and then woman out
of a man
Mr cromof told me how he'd sought to
create a link between Europe's moral
Crusaders and the pro-kremlin oligarchs
we were hearing back then 12 years ago
so many alarming news from the West
about those gay parades being imposed in
all those things and we thought no no no
there must be some Christians and
pro-family people and we need to find
them you were saying that you managed to
get
um the influence and financial support
of leaders in Russia like Mr yakunan and
Mr Malibu how how important were they in
terms of your vision and your project
well I I had this Vision that we should
actually make Russia uh the defender and
protector of those values and we should
declare it internationally and this was
my idea and uh I was speaking to any
people whom I could reach including some
of influential people whom you mentioned
so Mr komov looked for a forum where his
vision could find fertile ground we came
across World Congress of families which
is probably the largest platform that
unites uh uh you know pro-family
pro-life people from over 80 countries
of the world we in Russia share those
Traditional Values with you and you
share them with us so let's be friends
and do something
the Russian involvement quickly became
clear an opening speech at the 2012
World Congress was delivered by Natalia
Nina then president of the Russian
sanctity of motherhood program and wife
of oligop Vladimir yakunin
[Music]
the next World Congress was scheduled to
take place in 2014 in the Kremlin in
Moscow which came off helped plan
the Russian invasion of Crimea saw the
Congress drop its official affiliation
but a conference still went ahead with
many of the same players we have
organized a large and wonderful Congress
in Kremlin within Kremlin walls in the
main number one whole Kremlin Hall where
parties of the Communist Party of Soviet
Union used to be held and now we had in
2014
our Congress and people were amazed and
try to explain at the World Congress in
Georgia in 2016 Alexi komov himself was
a key speaker
if we are strong together we will be
victorious thank you and goodbye
recently in Russia president of Vladimir
Putin has been ramping up his socially
conservative credentials contrasting
them with Western degeneration
is
[Applause]
and Vladimir Putin's speech on September
30th was a very powerful one it should
be heard by people in America Europe
Africa Asia because he he had addressed
all those audiences on the very day that
Putin made that speech Spanish lawyer
Ignacio was addressed the Congress of
families in Mexico
sisters
is the founder of a high-profile social
media platform with a cheerful public
face called citizen go if you're
watching this video it's because you're
committed to defending life family and
Liberty with branches across Europe and
the world citizen go promotes hundreds
of petitions via its online platform
when any of our shared values comes
under attack we generate a petition
aimed at the citizen go says its Revenue
nearly 5 million dollars in 2021 is
raised wholly from small online
donations but let us uncovered by
Wikileaks reveal that when our Swagger
was originally setting up citizen go in
2013 an agreement was drafted with a
foundation established by Russian
oligarch Constantine malofiev
under that agreement malofia's
Foundation would pay 100 000 Euros to
Citizen go
and as part of the deal a representative
of malopia's foundation would be
appointed to the board of Citizen go
at the time Alexi komov was involved
with melofier's foundation so I asked
him about the proposed deal tell us
about that what happened then
uh there there were no financing
by Russians of citizengo zero never
there's an agreement drawn up in June
2013. are you saying that those nothing
happened yes so comorov insists
unequivocally that the financial aspect
of the proposed deal came to nothing
citizen gay also stated that it has
never received money from any Russian
oligarch or anyone connected to Putin's
regime but one of the ideas did
materialize
ended up on the board didn't you so how
did that come about the way it works
that uh if we share the same values and
we do various pro-family projects so we
trust each other then people invite
invite you on the board it doesn't
necessarily mean any Financial uh
transaction or anything like this
Putin's war in Ukraine may have
interrupted the growing cooperation
between Western Europe's Conservative
Christian activists and their Russian
counterparts indeed citizen go has
recently condemned Russia's invasion of
Ukraine and says it ceased its
activities in Russia in March 2022 but
komov remains optimistic that friendly
relations between Russian and Western
European conservative fellow thinkers
can continue sanctions they they create
the atmosphere of fear and persecution
for pro-family people who previously had
been developing contexts with
internationally including with Russia so
we have to keep this in mind so our
friendships stayed and in the meantime
Mr oswagen and his fellow Travelers in
Western Europe's new moral Crusade show
no signs of giving up on their fight
the freedom will not defense itself we
are the ones that need to protect our
values if we will stand for them we'll
protect them it will not stand for them
the battle is already lost we need to
take these organizations seriously the
truth on women's rights is now broken
and that the ones who have opposed the
right to abortion are now taking up arms
in the way that they have not done since
the 1970s
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