The most recent episode of unrest in an increasingly contentious election campaign comes in the form of apparent cyberattacks on European Union political parties.<\/p>\n
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\u20139.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
On election day, several websites were down, including the Christian-democratic CDA and Geert Wilders’ PVV. The European Court of Auditors was also attacked.<\/p>\n
Attacks do not always accompany protests.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
An inquiry for comment was not immediately answered by a representative for von der Leyen’s campaign.<\/p>\n
However, protests have occasionally taken a far darker turn.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.”<\/p>\n
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