Varoufakis claims there is no freedom of speech in Europe
Yanis Varoufakis, leader of the Mera25 party and former finance minister of Greece, has strongly criticized the state of freedom of speech in Europe, stating that it no longer exists. In an interview with Anadolu Agency in London, Varoufakis highlighted the treatment faced by those in European countries who oppose Israel's actions in Gaza, calling attention to the increasing lack of democratic freedoms.
VAROUFAKIS ON ISRAEL AND GAZA
Varoufakis pointed to Germany’s deportation orders against pro-Palestinian activists, including his own ban from entering the country, as an example of how Europe is suppressing free speech. He recalled how in 1938, it was everyone’s duty to defend the Jews, and today, it is the same responsibility to defend Palestinians against Israel's apartheid regime and genocide. He emphasized that wherever one may be in Europe—whether in Berlin, Athens, or London—protesting this genocide is a moral obligation.
EUROPE'S HYPOCRISY AND COMPLICITY
He condemned Europe’s continued collaboration with Israel, highlighting that Germany’s support of the Zionist apartheid regime, which denies Palestinians their right to live, contradicts European democratic values. Varoufakis stated that Europe has transformed democracy into a farce, and as democrats, Europeans must protest for Palestine to reclaim their democratic rights. He noted that the occupation of Palestine by Israel has fueled similar actions in other regions, feeding genocidal ideologies within Western history.
The leader of Mera25 traced the origins of these policies to the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which promised land for a people without a country. Varoufakis also drew parallels between the Palestinian occupation and similar colonial and genocidal actions in other parts of the world, such as the genocide of Aboriginal people in Australia and the apartheid regime in South Africa. He argued that Europe’s long history of white settler colonialism has made it complicit in such actions, and this dark past must be acknowledged and rejected.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANTISEMITISM AND THE HOLOCAUST
Varoufakis also discussed Europe’s role in antisemitism and the Holocaust. He stated that Europe, including not only Nazi Germany but also Greek, Italian, Bulgarian, and Croatian fascists, was responsible for the atrocities committed against Jews. However, he pointed out that following the Holocaust, the enemy in Europe shifted. "After the Holocaust, the enemy is no longer the Jews, but the Palestinians and Muslims," he said, stressing that Europe must now free itself from this tragic history.
Varoufakis concluded by pointing out that while the majority of European citizens support the Palestinian cause, their governments have failed to recognize the global demand to end the genocide in Gaza.
