'We Must Not Feed Our Inner Putin'

As the war in Ukraine and the results of the Hungarian elections make clear, the need to protect media freedom and the rule of law is at a critical juncture in Europe. Far from waning, authoritarian tendencies are becoming even stronger.

And, at the EU’s doorstep, we see with horror the consequences of unchecked authoritarianism.

German MEP Sergey Lagodinsky joins the Speechbag podcast to discuss concrete steps for protecting civil society and rule of law in Europe. And he speaks of the need for the EU to “de-Putinize” itself and stand united not only on sanctions but on the importance of strong democracies and free and plural societies.

“We should not forget that we have our own Putin, and we should not be feeding our own Putin in ourselves,” he tells Speechbag.