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The EU has (so far) escaped what could have been the most serious and immediate threat to its existence to date. We can all count ourselves lucky that the extreme right hasn't been smart enough to capitalise on the current crisis.
A thread ...
A thread ...
This pandemic could have been a gift from God to right-wing authoritarians everywhere in the west, whether they are in power or not.
The ones in power (Trump, Bolsonaro, Orbán, ...) could have adopted #zerocovid, profiting from low disease numbers and a rally around the flag.
The ones in power (Trump, Bolsonaro, Orbán, ...) could have adopted #zerocovid, profiting from low disease numbers and a rally around the flag.
This would have legitimised their rule in much the same way some Asian countries see harsh policies justified by very low COVID incidence.
They could have stolen with abandon, blamed economic downturn on the virus, suppressed demos and accused opponents of being soft on COVID.
They could have stolen with abandon, blamed economic downturn on the virus, suppressed demos and accused opponents of being soft on COVID.
As we know they opted for crazy policies and denial of the pandemic instead, which in the case of Trump contributed to losing him the election.
But now think of the right-wing authoritarians not in power: AfD in Germany, PVV and FvD in the Netherlands, FN in France, etc, etc.
But now think of the right-wing authoritarians not in power: AfD in Germany, PVV and FvD in the Netherlands, FN in France, etc, etc.
If they had only worn their masks and said "The government is weak, screwed up the logistics and has not properly protected the people. What we need is strong leadership!", they would have actually had a point.
Instead, the extreme right is now firmly allied with those that want even worse policy when it comes to COVID: deniers and crazy people.
A eurosceptic like Thierry Baudet (FvD, NL) could now have been in a position to seriously attack the Dutch government and the EU.
A eurosceptic like Thierry Baudet (FvD, NL) could now have been in a position to seriously attack the Dutch government and the EU.
To him, the EU is "a cultural marxist project with the aim of destroying European civilisation". He could have said: "Told you the EU is useless. They insisted they had to buy vaccines for everyone and messed it up."
Instead, he became a QAnon-believer and split up his party.
Instead, he became a QAnon-believer and split up his party.
The picture is similar in other countries: the extreme right is in no position to criticise anyone on anything relating to COVID, just when governments are screwing up so massively that they could have benefited from some real and justified anger here.
We just dodged a bullet.
We just dodged a bullet.
So now we must (rather quickly):
- Replace failing leaders, nationally and at EU level
- Fix vaccine rollout BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY
- Generally get Brussels in forward gear
Because:
- This was way too close
- The crisis is not over
- Continued luck is not a strategy
- Replace failing leaders, nationally and at EU level
- Fix vaccine rollout BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY
- Generally get Brussels in forward gear
Because:
- This was way too close
- The crisis is not over
- Continued luck is not a strategy
Alternatively, member states will (have to) go around EU to fix vaccination.
Easy to envision such a fundamental and visible failure triggering the already ailing European project to shrivel up against a backdrop of nationalism and decay of democracy in the years that follow.
Easy to envision such a fundamental and visible failure triggering the already ailing European project to shrivel up against a backdrop of nationalism and decay of democracy in the years that follow.
Viewed this way, the struggle to get out of this mess quickly and collectively should be treated as equivalent to war.
Keywords: military mindset, mobilisation, money is no object, wartime production
Not: intellectual property, corporate decisions, fitting existing structures
Keywords: military mindset, mobilisation, money is no object, wartime production
Not: intellectual property, corporate decisions, fitting existing structures
Much time has been lost, but there is no alternative to going big.
The enemy is a moving target. There are already doubts about some vaccines and we act like the British and Brazilian variants are the last and worst things nature will throw at us.
The enemy is a moving target. There are already doubts about some vaccines and we act like the British and Brazilian variants are the last and worst things nature will throw at us.
And even _if_ we were to have "surplus" vaccine production capability in the pipeline when we're done vaccinating: there is a large and increasingly problem-ridden world out there and nothing says friendly soft power quite like cheap vaccines in a pandemic.
Let's get to it.
(And thank you for reading the entire thread...)
(And thank you for reading the entire thread...)
