Part 3/10:
However, it was Vance’s subsequent comments that captured widespread attention. He asserted that the most pressing threat to Europe was not external forces like Russia or China but rather an internal retreat from fundamental democratic values. He criticized European leaders for their apparent willingness to annul elections and silence dissent, saying that the true test of democracy lies in its resilience against criticism and alternative viewpoints.
This perspective, particularly when referencing Romania's annulment of an election due to alleged foreign interference, raised eyebrows. Vance contended that if the integrity of a democracy can be jeopardized by foreign social media campaigns, then that democracy was never robust to begin with.