18th February 2025

The most recent episode of unrest in an increasingly contentious election campaign comes in the form of apparent cyberattacks on European Union political parties.

Following months of both non-violent protest and, on occasion, violent outbursts, hundreds of millions of people will cast ballots in one of the largest democratic elections in history on June 6–9.

Pro-Kremlin cybercriminals have taken credit for a string of assaults on Dutch websites on Thursday, June 6, the day Dutch voters cast their ballots to choose their 31 MEPs for the ensuing five years.

On election day, several websites were down, including the Christian-democratic CDA and Geert Wilders’ PVV. The European Court of Auditors was also attacked.

Attacks do not always accompany protests.

However, prominent figures, such as Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission who is currently seeking reelection, have reacted angrily to even non-violent protests.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators approached von der Leyen in Porto, and she remarked, “In Moscow they would be in jail in two minutes,” as the Observatory newspaper reported.

An inquiry for comment was not immediately answered by a representative for von der Leyen’s campaign.

However, protests have occasionally taken a far darker turn.

Raphael Glucksmann’s election posters in France have been vandalized with Swastikas and the phrases “Israel” and “dirty Zionist,” which the socialist leader claims is an instance of anti-Semitism.

In an Instagram post on Thursday, June 6, Glucksmann questioned, “What explains that I’m the only politician whose posters are tagged?” He also stated that he is in favour of a Palestinian state. “My name is a Jewish name; the answer is as obvious as it is depressing.”

 

 

About The Author

Discover more from Nkyeremu News

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading