Von der Leyen is harnessing the power of public gullibility

It’s time Europeans realised that their leaders are using Russia merely as a ruse whilst increasing their own wealth and expanding their power

Ursula von der Leyen stood before the European Parliament last week and did what she does best: delivering a speech with an assortment of vague buzzwords like ‘defiance’ and ‘solidarity’ for Ukraine, deflecting all responsibility for the looming energy crisis onto the latest boogeyman.

Draped in the colours of the Ukrainian flag, as if to hypnotise her subjects to look no further for the real reasons behind the dire situation, the 2022 State of the Union Address was pure theatre in a bid to hoodwink Europeans. And it seems to be working.

It’s time Europeans realised that their leaders are using Russia merely as a ruse to serve the interests of the ruling class – convincing people to believe that their impoverishment serves a greater cause.

The war on the people of EU

“This is a war on our energy, a war on our economy, a war on our values and a war on our future,” the president of the European Commission stated. “This is about autocracy against democracy.”

She is right, if she is referring to the EU’s practices. As much as Von der Leyen wants Europeans to blindly believe, the enemy isn’t Russia alone.

While the narrative roles on that ‘evil Russia’ is the sole reason for soaring energy prices, it might be worth looking at the actions taken by the EU that makes it clear that its war is not on Russia but its own people.

“Putin is using energy as a weapon,” she claimed on September 5, “by cutting supply and manipulating our energy markets”.

Yet it was the same Von der Leyen who, over half a year ago, boasted that we could live without Russian gas and imposed sanctions.

As early as February 25 this year, Von der Leyen was flexing about how the EU would “target the energy sector” of Russia and, on March 22, how the bloc would be “getting rid of our dependency on Russian fossil fuels”.

‘Well, well, well… if it isn’t the consequences of my own actions.’ Who would’ve thought that sanctioning your biggest source of gas – and bragging about it – could have negative repercussions on your cost and supply of gas?

Much like with the whole Ukraine crisis itself dating back to 2014, the EU conveniently likes to ignore any of its own actions that preceded those of Russia, relying heavily on public ignorance to continue to make ridiculous claims.

Sanctions are hurting the EU, not Russia

The line being echoed as the justification for a looming energy crisis and rising prices across the board is that sanctions will “weaken Putin”. But as much as Von der Leyen would like to make you believe that the sanctions are crippling Russia, they are not – in fact it’s the opposite.

In the first 100 days of the war in Ukraine, Russia made 93 billion euros from fossil fuel exports, more than half of which (61) was imported by the EU. As a result of Europe’s stance on Russia, the likes of India, China, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have gone on to expand imports.

Chart: Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA)

Flattening the curve for a faux green agenda

Thanks to these failed policies, Europeans are now facing forced energy cut-offs this winter. With no hint of irony, like a programmed regurgitation, Von der Leyen spoke of Europe’s need to “flatten the curve” in regards to energy consumption. Essentially, Europeans have to freeze this winter to deal with the mess she and her cronies have created.

Coming from the same people who told you that it would take just two weeks to “flatten the curve” of COVID-19, these words should cause serious alarm.

This was no slip of the tongue. The choice of words was deliberate, as some of the deeper agendas regarding both COVID-19 and the energy crisis are intertwined.

Much how COVID-19 was used as a pretext to normalise the restrictions of liberties at the mercy of a government app, the energy crisis too will be exploited to normalise centralised control of the energy supply, eventually restricted and rationed through Digital IDs in line with so-called ‘green’ targets, Chinese social credit style.

And instead of Europeans marching through the streets to fight against this tyranny, they are being duped into feeling like their own enslavement is a noble protest, that this is all worth it to fight the latest external enemy. It’s Season 2 of ‘We’re all in this together’.

Yet it won’t be elites like Von der Leyen who will freeze this winter, nor Putin, but everyday Europeans who continue to be anaesthetised by the neuroticism of the ruling oligarchy.


Azerbaijan hypocrisy

To add a cherry on top of the hypocrisy cake, Von der Leyen has decided to replace Europe’s gas dependency from Russia – due to its actions in Ukraine – with gas from Azerbaijan, which is currently in the middle of a brutal campaign against Armenia.

“The EU is turning to trustworthy energy suppliers. Azerbaijan is one of them,” Von der Leyen announced on July 18.

“With today’s agreement, we commit to expanding the Southern Gas Corridor, to double gas supplies from Azerbaijan to the EU. This is good news for our supplies of gas this winter and beyond.”

Two months later, Azerbaijan launched attacks on Armenia in which more than 100 people were killed. When can we expect to see this deal scrapped and sanctions imposed on Azerbaijan? Will Von der Leyen turn up to EU events in the colours of the Armenian flag in solidarity? And will Armenian’s be given visa free EU status, and free rail and air trips around Europe?

It’s almost as if this was never about principles, but political interests.

Do you want to be informed of DiEM25's actions? Sign up here

Unite for Earth Day: Rally against war’s assault on our planet

Join us in the rebellion for peace and the planet

Read more

MERA25 condemns Germany’s authoritarian turn: German government caught lying about ban on Yanis Varoufakis

The German Ministry of the Interior has grossly overstepped its authority by imposing an undemocratic ban on Yanis Varoufakis

Read more

Declaration of the Palestine Congress

Let us join forces with the Palestinians fighting for their freedom and with the international movement against genocide

Read more

Yanis Varoufakis ban: Will the authoritarianism of the German government prevail?

The decision to ban Yanis from all political activity in Germany shows the drastic lengths it will go to in order to silence anybody who speaks ...

Read more