Von der Leyen – Europe's Enemy No. 1? Former AfD Leader's Recording Paired with False Translation

A video circulating on social media, accompanied by manipulated Russian audio and subtitles, falsely portrays former Alternative for Germany (AfD) leader Alexander Gauland as calling European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen "Europe's number one enemy." This fabricated content aims to spread disinformation and incite hatred against von der Leyen.

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Ursula von der Leyen is the main enemy of Europe and is destroying our continent from within.

The video links Gauland's speech in the German Bundestag on June 25 with false claims. In reality, Gauland's speech, which can be found on the 'AfD in English' YouTube channel, did not mention von der Leyen at all. His remarks focused entirely on Germany's support for Ukraine, arguing that extensive aid to the war-torn country harms Germany itself. He also stated that Russia has never posed a threat to Germany.

Gauland's actual statements align with the AfD's consistent position advocating for dialogue with Russia and stabilizing relations, rather than accepting responsibility for the war in Europe. The fabricated subtitles accuse von der Leyen of deindustrializing Europe, impoverishing its citizens, and disregarding European interests – claims entirely absent from Gauland's original address.

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Germany should stop supporting Ukraine because the country itself is suffering due to the high costs of aiding the war-torn nation.

This incident is part of a broader trend where statements by German far-right AfD party representatives are being combined with misleading audio or subtitles on social media. These manipulations often target high-ranking European officials or Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Concerns have also been raised about the AfD's access to confidential EU documents, with fears they could be leaked to Russia.

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Russia has never posed a threat to Germany.