DISINFO: Less social benefits and more military spending lead to dictatorship and fascism in the West
SUMMARY
Chaos is on the rise in the West. Social benefits will be cut, which will lead to dictatorship because it will be impossible to curb protests otherwise. The situation will resemble the 1930s. There are all preconditions for this. This is how fascism is being revived in Europe.
RESPONSE
Recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets about an allegedly dictatorial Europe gradually sliding into Nazism/fascism. This claim was made in the context of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's speech in Brussels on 12 December 2024 about potential reductions in welfare spending in order to increase military expenditure.
This manipulative claim is based on Mark Rutte’s call for citizens of NATO member states to “accept to make sacrifices,” including potential reductions in pensions, healthcare, and security systems, to increase defense spending for long-term security. Mark Rutte’s words were taken out of the broader context of his speech, which emphasised that any potential cuts to social spending would be insignificant.
"On average, European countries easily spend up to a quarter of their national income on pensions, health and social security systems, we need a small fraction of that money to make our defence much stronger and to preserve our way of life. Prioritising defence requires political leadership. It can be tough and risky in the short term but it is absolutely essential in the long term."
Rises in military expenditure are necessitated by Russia’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric about the possible use of force and especially weapons of mass destruction against Ukraine and its partners in the EU and the US for their role in supplying Kyiv with modern, sophisticated weaponry.
Protests are a natural part of democratic societies, where citizens have the right to express their grievances. EU democracies have long histories of handling protests without resorting to authoritarian measures. Western democracies typically work within their legal frameworks to address such issues.
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