MCC Brussels Hosts Event: Why the Cordon Sanitaire Cannot Hold?

Füredi set the tone by arguing that cancel culture was institutionalized long before the CS was formally introduced. He described the CS as a mechanism used by the EU’s ideological mainstream to silence and stigmatize opposition parties and movements, branding them as toxic or anti-democratic. According to Füredi, this approach represents a direct attack on parliamentary democracy itself.

Jacob Reynolds highlighted the current political turbulence in Germany, arguing that power becomes most dangerous when it feels cornered. He suggested that the real struggle is not just political but systemic, as the establishment refuses to allow real opposition. He also pointed out that the traditional centre-right is no longer a genuine counterforce to the left-liberal mainstream but rather clings to power alongside them. However, he noted that recent elections in France and Germany have shown that the CS is no longer sustainable. He referenced the cancellation of elections in Romania and former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton’s threats to abolish the AfD, calling these the last desperate moves of a crumbling system. In his view, populists, nationalists, and patriots must actively dismantle the CS.

Elisabeth Dieringer drew a thought-provoking parallel between today’s political landscape and George Orwell’s 1984, questioning which side of the “firewall” democracy is truly on. She challenged Ursula von der Leyen’s claim that democracy is about protecting minorities from the majority, arguing that this principle is now being used to silence legitimate political opposition.

Dieringer pointed to the exclusion of the Patriots for Europe group from the European Parliament Vice-President elections, despite being the third-largest political family in the EP. She also referenced Austria, where the FPÖ won the 2023 parliamentary elections with 29% of the vote but has been unable to form a coalition due to the CS. She warned that language manipulation and the introduction of misleading political terms are being used to control political discourse.

Tom Vandendriessche illustrated the impact of the CS through the example of Vlaams Belang (VB), the Flemish nationalist party that has faced political isolation for over three decades. He recalled that the CS against VB was formally established in 1989, when the party won 17.7% of the vote in Antwerp, yet was completely excluded from political negotiations and coalitions. This was a deliberate strategy to make voting for VB seem pointless—a textbook case of how to "sanitize" a party without defeating it politically or electorally.

Despite these obstacles, VB made a strong comeback in the 2018 municipal elections and became the second-largest party in Flanders in 2019. Vandendriessche highlighted the role of the media in enforcing the CS, noting that VB representatives were given minimal airtime (often just 1.5 minutes on TV) and were systematically excluded from interviews and advertising. He also described how trade unions actively stigmatized and penalized VB supporters, further demonstrating the breadth of the CS's influence. However, he argued that VB has ultimately set the political agenda in Belgium, even from the margins, proving that exclusion does not eliminate a party’s influence.

During the Q&A session, Jacob Reynolds emphasized that winning elections is not enough—conservatives must actively build networks, create their own media platforms, and engage with the public in a compelling way. Being "cool and interesting" is essential to countering mainstream narratives.

Elisabeth Dieringer added that merely having a social media presence is insufficient. Instead, politicians must focus on direct, personal engagement with voters in everyday life.

Tom Vandendriessche stressed that media outreach is central to success, suggesting closer cooperation between Flemish and Dutch media to amplify alternative voices. He warned that the centre-right’s ongoing alliance with liberals and social democrats will ultimately come at a high price, and they are already beginning to feel the consequences.