DISINFO: Italy, Spain, Portugal, and possibly even France are in line to exit the EU
DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS
  • Outlet: Sonar2050 (archived)*
  • Date of publication: September 09, 2019
  • Outlet language(s): Russian
  • Reported in: Issue 164
  • Countries / regions discussed: Portugal, Italy, UK, Spain, France
Tags:
Brexit EU disintegration European Union Conspiracy theory

DISINFO: Italy, Spain, Portugal, and possibly even France are in line to exit the EU

SUMMARY

UK’s Brexit is not a special case as Brussels would like to think. Italy, Spain, Portugal, and possibly even France are in line to exit the EU. The UK is just a first, extreme manifestation of the trend which tears the EU apart from within. The UK is first to break apart because it was less attached to the EU integration mechanisms than the other EU countries. The key EU problem is that it has never been integrated. Instead of equal cooperation between the EU countries, it had a hierarchy, the dominance of some countries and the subordination of others. Economic entities have never had equal conditions either. Instead, protectionism has been the case covered under the openness of economies. Shameless curtail of economic freedoms accompanied by shouting about freedom of sexual and other minorities could be constrained with some generally accepted rules. However, the EU rules are imposed by a few grand countries, because the EU is a system of quotas and privileges. This dangerous mix could only lead to the present situation. The migrants issue became just a detonator to express general discontent.

RESPONSE

This message is a conspiracy which is consistent with a common pro-Kremlin narrative about the EU's imminent collapse. Support for the EU, as shown in the latest Eurobarometer poll, remains at historically high levels. Asked if a referendum was held tomorrow regarding the country's membership of the EU, 21% of French people, 19% of Italians, 10% of Spaniards, and 7% of Portugal population would vote to leave the EU. See earlier disinformation cases alleging that a number of EU countries teeter on the brink of default, the current socio-economic situation of Poland is worse than in the communist times and that the EU countries face 'total unemployment'.

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Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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