Freedom of expression is faltering in Europe, and this threat is greater than any external aggression, including that from Russia. This was the warning issued by US Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference in Germany. Essentially, what’s worrying him is the decline of some of Europe’s most fundamental values, particularly the freedom of expression, which he believes is “in decline” in Great Britain and across the continent.

Values in Decline

Vance expressed his concerns in a speech that was notably conservative and anti-migration. He lamented the loss of values that Europe shares with the US, especially the defense of freedom of expression, which he thinks is “in recoil” in Europe. According to him, European countries are suppressing “alternative” political visions and chasing down dissenting messages. This internal threat, he believes, represents a withdrawal from the values that Europe shares with the US.

For instance, Vance pointed to Brussels’ regulations on social networks as an attack on freedom of expression, under the guise of combating “hate speech.” He also criticized the German police for persecuting individuals for expressing “anti-feminist” views. Another case in point is the European Court of Human Rights’ decision to reject the demands of a pro-Russia candidate in Romania’s presidential election, which Vance sees as a case of anti-democratic expression. “When European courts cancel elections,” he said, “we have to ask ourselves if we need to do more than just talk about values to start acting according to them.”

External Interference

Vance also touched on the European Union’s complaints about Russian interference on social networks. In his view, expressing opinions doesn’t constitute electoral interference, even if people express opinions outside their own country or if those people are very influential. He brought up the recent appearance of Elon Musk at a rally of the ultra-rightist party Alternative for Germany. “Believe me, and I say it with humor: if American democracy has been able to survive ten years of Greta Thunberg’s reprimands, you can survive a few months of Elon Musk,” he quipped. Vance added that if a democracy is destroyed by messages paid for by a foreign power, it’s not a very strong democracy to start with.

Restricting Alternative Policies

However, Vance warned that in its effort to restrict “alternative” policies, Europe has “been building a crisis” generated by the discrepancy between Brussels and such opinions. “If you try to flee from your own voters, there’s nothing that America can do for you,” he cautioned. The American vice president declared that “no voter on this continent went to the polls to open the doors to millions of unauthorized immigrants,” emphasizing that mass migration is “the most important challenge that Europe is facing.”

The American vice president used the recent attack in Munich, perpetrated by an Afghan migrant, as an example of a story seen many times: a young asylum seeker, known to the police, who drove his car into a crowd and destroyed a community. “How many times do we have to suffer these horrible attacks before changing the course?” Vance wondered. He believes that people are voting more and more for European political leaders who want to put an end to uncontrolled migration, and he agrees with these positions.

Reactions to Vance’s Speech

In response to Vance’s statements, Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius lamented the “unacceptable” speech, where the US vice president questioned European democratic health and claimed that freedom of expression on the continent is “in recoil.” Pistorius took umbrage with the comparison of Europe to authoritarian regimes, saying, “That is not acceptable. This is not the Europe in which I live.” He emphasized that democracy doesn’t mean a vociferous minority can decide what truth is; rather, democracy must defend against extremists.

Pistorius explicitly opposed Vance’s suggestion that European democracy oppresses and silences minorities. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had previously criticized Vance’s statements, in which he urged cooperation with the ultra-rightist party Alternative for Germany, interpreting it as interference in national politics. Baerbock said, “The only ones who decide German parliamentary elections, as in any democracy, are and will be the German voters.” American Democratic Senator Andy Kim also criticized Vance’s words, noting that he didn’t talk about Russia, Ukraine, or China but only criticized US allies, which Kim believes will embolden US adversaries.