Yanis Varoufakis: After 2025, Europe Is Changed Forever

AI Summary

Yanis Varoufakis, speaking on behalf of DiEM25, delivers an end-of-year message for 2026, reflecting on 2025 as a pivotal year during which Europe's political, economic, and moral order fractured. He asserts that DiEM25 was founded a decade ago with the foresight that Europe, if not democratized, would descend into xenophobia, economic stagnation, rampant inequality, neofascism, state repression, and warmongering. Varoufakis contends that Europe's rulers, through policies of austerity for the many and massive money printing for big finance, have driven the continent into a postmodern version of the 1930s, marked by extensive warmongering, as evidenced by statements from figures like Germany's defense minister Boris Pistorius and NATO Secretary General Marula. He highlights three "almighty blows" that shattered illusions in 2025: Russia's victory in the Ukraine war, China's triumph in the trade and tech war against the United States, and Donald Trump's easy win in his tariff war against the European Union. Varoufakis argues that Europe's leadership pursued a self-deceiving strategy in Ukraine, prolonged the conflict for "military Keynesianism," and accelerated de-industrialization by acting as a US subcontractor against China. He also criticizes the EU's "colonial-style capital extraction treaty" with the US, which saw tariffs imposed on European exports and a commitment of $700 billion in European investment to the US. Varoufakis concludes that Europe's oligarchs are destroying its social fabric, engaging in warmongering, demonizing foreigners, and embracing authoritarianism, making Europe a "losing side pawn" in a G2 world. He calls for organized, transnational resistance against war, austerity, and the erosion of democracy, advocating for DiEM25's Green New Deal for Europe as the path not taken.

Claims Extracted (10)