Unlike the changing seasons, Brussels seems to remain the same, particularly when it comes to freedom of speech and silencing political views that diverge from the left-wing mainstream. Recently, the latest book by Professor Frank Füredi, Director of MCC Brussels, was scheduled to be launched in the European capital. The event was set for Wednesday at the Piola Libri bookshop, but the management decided at the last minute to cancel it. Their reasoning was that the book launch would have been ‘too political’ for a venue that strives to maintain political neutrality.
‘The decision by Piola Libri to cancel the event, after initially agreeing to host it, speaks volumes about the state of freedom of expression in Brussels,’ said Frank Füredi. He noted the irony of a bookstore located near the European Commission’s headquarters, frequented by EU leaders, labelling certain books as dangerous while professing a commitment to ‘inclusion.’ ‘This incident underscores the deeply censorious nature of the EU bubble and the hypocrisy that persists and thrives in Brussels and Belgium,’ Füredi added in a statement sent to Hungarian Conservative.
‘This incident underscores the deeply censorious nature of the EU bubble’
The situation bears a striking resemblance to the controversy surrounding the National Conservatism Conference (NatCon) in April. As repeatedly reported by Hungarian Conservative, the event, which was set to feature prominent right-wing figures such as Nigel Farage and Viktor Orbán, faced cancellations from several venues that had initially agreed to host it, due to pressure from international media and left-leaning Brussels district mayors. The conference was eventually held at a third venue, but Emir Kir, the mayor of the Saint-Josse district in Brussels, dispatched police to the site in an attempt to forcibly prevent the event from proceeding—a move that was ultimately thwarted by a court ruling.
‘Politicians here do not favour freedom of expression. Whenever a right-wing politician or conservative voice speaks, there is an immediate effort to disrupt or cancel the conference or event. I believe the same mindset is at work behind the scenes now,’ Frank Füredi stated in response to an inquiry from our publication. The events in April garnered significant international media and political attention. Hungarian governing party Fidesz MEPs penned an open letter to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, urging her to condemn the actions. Among the letter’s signatories were Ryszard Legutko, the Polish co-chair of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, and Tom Vandendriessche of Identity and Democracy (ID).
‘Whenever a right-wing politician or conservative voice speaks in Brussels there is an immediate effort to disrupt or cancel the conference or event’
However, just as efforts to silence right-wing voices in April failed, they will not succeed now, Frank Füredi assured us. ‘We’ve learned that we always need a plan B, and this time is no different,’ explained the MCC Brussels director. He confirmed that the book launch will go ahead next Monday at a new venue, where the public is welcome to attend.
In his book The War Against the Past, Frank Füredi explores the cultural crusade against history, where the past is increasingly being labelled as ‘toxic.’ The author delves into the growing trend of portraying history in a negative light, from the demolition of statues to the removal of historical terms from dictionaries. Published by the highly respected Polity Press, the book has garnered widespread praise from leading intellectuals in Europe and the United States, including Jonathan Haidt, Nigel Biggar, Jonathan Sumption, and Robert Tombs. It has also become a cornerstone of the broader debate on the legacy of Western civilisation.
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