Namely, Pierre-Édouard Sterin, co-founder and main shareholder of the Smartbox group and founder of Otium Capital.

"The investigators have been looking into the role of the billionaire, a staunch supporter of a free-market, reactionary and xenophobic agenda, in an alleged system of illegal funding of RN election campaigns in 2020 and 2021, mainly in southeastern France. "

wiki His fortune is estimated at around 1.3 billion euros (1.5 billion dollars)

These Fascist “clubs” are spreading worldwide. reminds me of the Tate YT channel crap, but this is another level.

"According to the GPAHE research, there are now chapters in 27 countries, with new youth wings – akin to Hitler Youth-styled clubs – are surging stateside and abroad, “metastasizing” across western countries and recruiting young men into toxic, far-right ideologies encouraging race war.

Recent research published by the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) has shown that since 2023, these clubs are newly sprouting in Sweden, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, the UK, Finland and for the first time, in Latin America with two chapters in Chile and Colombia appearing."

infringing on the independence of the institution.

Well for sure yes. But afaik, it’s even worse then infringing their independece. For they apprehended 15 (?) Nabu officials and today the Parliament passed a bill, with a great majority, to revoke/cancel the agency’s status.

So it’s like they abolished the whole thing. Unless I’m missing something, it’s very concerning.

I don’t know how to evaluate this info, tbh. The SBU raided the NABU, becasue allegedly there were foreign (Russian) agents involved.
Also, Ukriane has been actively cleaning the house, to curb corruption. This was seen as a necessary step by the EU for it’s membership. Allegations of Zelensky being authoritarian and a centralist, have existed ever since Russian disinformation campaigns and the Russian invasion.

Now, the FT and also The Guardian claim that observers see this move as a concerning development .

I know, it it was a joke and jab. And if you did too, you have to admit you should’ve used better example in this context. No humor?

Yeah, feels like 100 years ago.

It would be kind of weird if the ACLU ( American Civil Rights Union) would lobby the European Parliament. But hell, who knows, maybe in 2076? (Unfortunately, The MAGA American Heritage Foundation does seem to lobby in the EU)

Though I’d prefer if the US would stand up for it’s own civil rights tbh. In the early 18/19th century USA stood as a great example for civil rights in the world, back when Europe was ruled by Kings & Queens.

add:
A Frenchie, Alexis de Tocqueville wrote “Democracy in America”, published in 1835, of the New World and its burgeoning democratic order.

remove lobbying in its entirety, because private money.

Lobbying is not necessarily private money. It’s all kind of groups. Interest groups, like safe the bird, frog or either Lhbt +, workersrights groups etc etc

Maybe it’s a question of definition but interest groups do lobby in fact. But not all lobbyist are ofc interest groups.

Though, in theory, German carmakers could be both at the same time imo. It’s not always clear how and when to draw the line

definition by Enc Brittanica

Add; In cases like Amazon & Huawei, and the toxic influencing of some extreme ( foreign and/or domestic) organisations, there is however NO DOUBT, that they don’t want to abide to EU law. So fuck them!

Nostalgia for a world in which you had less freedom of choice and everything was decided for you. Do Romanians have a similar concept like “Pravda & Istina”?

I’d rather they temporarily revoke lobbying access to all "questionable " groups, unless they prove beyond doubt they are trustworthy and abide to EU law.

wish I was exaggerating

Sounds pretty bad. your description sounds as if you were somehow trapped in a situation you never wanted.

Those guys have lost their way completely, and now they are making it everyone’s problem too.

Thanks for explaining this gringo statement. Afaik DW are considered center/ conservative.

Let’s just say that our political spectrum starts way more the left. And the US spectrum starts way to the right.

duplicate. was earlier posted.https://lemmy.world/post/33226302

According to the article it’s when people haven’t updated their medical file that they could be drafted, iirc. Having psychological problems are often used as an excuse by enlisted people. But if you provide documents and or update your medical files, you draft notice gets revoked.

Some context ap link

Deaths of ethnic Azerbaijanis rounded up by police for decades-old murders in a Russian city. The crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet that Baku blamed on Moscow. Growing ties between Azerbaijan and Turkey, along with waning Russian influence in the troubled South Caucasus region.

These are among the factors that have led to the escalating tensions between Russia and Azerbaijan, the oil-rich Caspian Sea country where President Ilhan Aliyev has been in power since 2003 – almost as long as the 25-year rule of Vladimir Putin in Russia.

I get what you’re saying and I agree. But it’s not compaign contributions in this case, it’s just illegal corruption, bribery, foreign policy influence ( * of security sensitive ciritical infrastructure) that makes it so wrong. Usually Parliament officials have a really good salary and (tax?) benefits. That’s why people probably get extra upset.

(*) add.

(**) A MEP’s monthly salaries are around € 11 K gross and € 8,5 K net, after deduction, expenses are royally covered, and a very good pension.

Do you see China and Russia’s ranking on the statista graph?

Duh, ofcourse you dont. It’s a disinformation chart in free democratic countries. Also if you check the comments it was used as an argument concerning an European research.

When we talk about disinformation we commonly refer to Ruzz disinformation, and we mean their psyops hybrid disinformation campaigns in ** democratic** countries.

If you want to see a chart that might answer your question here is one

China and Russia’s absence makes this meaningless.

What do you mean, you aren’t talking about the graph, right?

“fight for your country” has been coopted

Maybe, but surveys like this have been held in several countries and most show a higher percentage of willingness…Seemingly, most respondents there didn’t have this association.

Idk about Italy specifically, or the difference in phrasing per study though.

Add. another factor could be the disinformation landscape. statista