In this conversation, journalist and author Thomas Fazi joins Carl Deconinck to discuss the arguments behind his new book, The EU Propaganda Machine: The Dark Side of NGOs, Media and Universities.
Fazi claims the European Commission has built a vast “soft power” ecosystem that extends far beyond politics and economics. According to his research, billions of euros have flowed into NGOs, universities, media projects, think tanks and “anti-disinformation” initiatives designed to promote deeper European integration and marginalize Eurosceptic voices.
The discussion dives into:
EU funding for NGOs and activist networks
Media organizations receiving European Commission grants
“Anti-disinformation” programs and censorship concerns
The role of Ursula von der Leyen and centralized power in Brussels
Election interference allegations in countries like Hungary and Romania
Whether the EU has become structurally undemocratic
The growing influence of supranational institutions over national governments
Why Fazi believes the EU project is “unreformable”
Fazi also argues that the Commission increasingly acts like a political actor rather than a neutral institution — using public money to reinforce its own agenda and ideological framework.
Whether you agree or disagree with his conclusions, this interview raises difficult questions about democracy, sovereignty, media independence and political power inside the European Union.
