The ghouls of European dictators are rising again in Europe's leaders

With European leaders introducing severe restrictions on those who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19, Steven Woolfe argues that this is dictatorial behaviour plain and simple, far removed from the liberal democracy the EU claims to represent.

The façade of tolerance and decency that self-professed progressive leaders of the Western world vacuously stand for slipped this week, when Emmanuel Macron, the President of France said:

"The unvaccinated, I really want to piss them off. And so we going to continue to do so until the end. That's the strategy."

So, the strategy of the leader of one of the most powerful countries in Europe, a member of the security council and a man with a finger on a nuclear button to combat the concerns of those who do not wish to take a vaccine is, to "piss off" those unvaccinated people by making their lives so complicated they would end up getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

When I heard this statement it was hard not to treat it as fake news, given how immeasurably wrong, utterly juvenile, and callous it was. It was like listening to the whining of spoilt, rich teenagers drunk on cheap plonk in a Parisian park complain about the geek who doesn't bow down to their superior class breeding.

Instead, it was the elitist leader of a nation state advocating the same type of teenage abuse to his fellow citizens. In his interview with Le Parisien newspaper, he used the expression "emmerder". It is slangy, informal language and is said to mean "to get on their nerves". Originating from the French word "merde" meaning "sh*t", I am in no doubt that is what Macron really meant.

He went onto say that the unvaccinated were irresponsible and unworthy of being considered citizens:

"I won't send the unvaccinated to prison, I won't vaccinate by force. So we need to tell them from Jan 15th, you won't be able to go to the restaurant anymore, you won't be able to have a coffee, go to the theatre, the cinema."

His comments inevitably, and rightly, received heavy criticism. Christian Jacob, the chair of the conservative Les Republicains told Parliament during a bill on requiring proof of vaccination to enter public spaces that "a President cannot say such things." Marine Le Pen also said that "a President shouldn't say that… he is unworthy of his office."

What is noteworthy about the outrage is that political leaders and commentators have only criticised Macron about his language. Few have actually challenged him on the policy to exclude a section of society. It's perfectly acceptable to deny people the right to go to a public space or a restaurant and be free, but not to label them with profanities.

This hypocrisy, worthy of the character and torturer, O'Brien, head of the Ministry of Love, in Orwell's 1984, is symptomatic of the disdain of European leaders to the principles of freedom and those who desire it.

For though Macron has said he won't send unvaccinated people to prison; his counterpart in Austria, Chancellor Karl Nehammer will. He has introduced legislation that will fine unvaccinated people 2000 euros if caught outside in a public space. A fine that can be made multiple times on the same day. Non-payment will lead the offender to go to prison. This sleight of hand is so that no-one is said to be sent to prison for being unvaccinated but petty non fine offenders. Again, 1984's O'Brien would be proud.

In Italy, the government has gone further than Macron and approved a decree making vaccinations compulsory for residents older than 50. Vaccine passports will also be necessary to enter shops, banks, hairdressers. Those without a Green pass will only be allowed to buy food or go to the pharmacy. A Super Green Pass, those who have three jabs, is now required to enter restaurants or use transport.

When those of us said that EU structure breeds a class of intolerant dictatorial leaders, we were jeered at. Yet Italy imposes mandatory vaccines on people, Austria prepares prison and huge fines for the unvaccinated and The Netherlands sets its dogs on its own people.

This language is the same across all the left and liberals and shows not only their intolerance and disdain of opposition views but also an absolute dictatorial willingness to use abusive methods to control them.

Upon arrival in the European Parliament, I was told that the EU loves a good crisis to implement more Europe, meaning great control of nation states and people's freedoms. I saw this visibly when the financial crisis destroyed the economic independence of Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Ireland. I saw it in the migration crisis. The same is now being applied in the great Virus crisis.

The desire to control and determine how people lives is at the core of a dictator whether that one is in a uniform or a suit or dress. It is also instructive about the mindset of the left and leaders of our nations. When liberty lovers say they don't care about democracy or its principles their words and actions today exemplify it. For democracy at its core is the ability for tolerance over alternative views and a desire to debate not dictate.

At the end of 1984 O'Brien said that he wasn't content that Winston Smith had given up on freedom. He wanted him so defeated that he loved Big Brother. Today's leaders don't just want us to turn on the unvaccinated. They want us to love the injections, love Big Pharma and love them for denying people freedom which they look unlikely to return any time soon.