Even Europe feels "cold" from afar.

The failed assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump on July 13th highlights the inherent danger to politicians . This event had repercussions not only in the US but also spread to Europe.

The failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on July 13th served as a wake-up call for politicians. (Source: Getty)

Politicians from all parties across Europe watched the assassination of former US President Donald Trump with apprehension. Many perceived a similar danger growing within their own countries.

It's no longer a rare occurrence.

Upon receiving the news that President Trump was near death, European leaders all commented: "If that can happen in America, it can happen here too."

According to far-right leader Marine Le Pen, the failed assassination attempt is symbolic of "violence that undermines democracy," and she warned on social media that France is not safe from this risk of violence either.

Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stressed: "Throughout the world , there are limits that must never be crossed. This is a warning to everyone, regardless of political party, to restore dignity and honor to politics."

For many European politicians, the attack on Trump was not only a warning about potential dangers, but also showed that political violence and assassination are no longer uncommon.

Recently, there have been a series of assassinations targeting politicians. In May, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was seriously injured after being shot multiple times in a politically motivated attack. Last month, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen suffered a neck injury after being attacked by a man while walking through central Copenhagen.

Germany has witnessed a series of violent attacks targeting politicians, including the attack on Matthias Ecke, the leading candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in the European Parliament elections in June. Matthias Ecke was hospitalized after being attacked while posting campaign posters.

In the UK, over the past eight years, two sitting Members of Parliament have been murdered. Labour MP Jo Cox was killed by a neo-Nazi in 2016 during the Brexit referendum campaign, and Conservative MP David Amess was assassinated by a supporter of the Islamic State (IS) while meeting with constituents in 2021.

Following the tense UK election in early July and the attacks on Trump, Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle revealed that the only thing keeping him awake at night was thinking about the possibility of another MP being murdered.

Mr. Hoyle said he wrote to the former US president to express solidarity, frankly stating: "We are in a fight against extremists who do not believe in democracy."

The security situation is alarming.

Recent events have demonstrated that far-right candidates are not the only targets of violence and intimidation.

The recent UK election saw a wave of threats against voters and candidates across the country. Notably, incumbent Labour MPs and potential new MPs complained about the behavior of some supporters of independent candidates.

Labour candidates said the wave of anger and threats related to the party's stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, some of which had crossed a line that they found unacceptable.

Currently, police are investigating the victory of Shockat Adam, an independent candidate who supports Gaza and defeated Jonathan Ashworth, a key member of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's prospective cabinet, to become the new Member of Parliament for Leicester South.

Throughout the campaign, leaflets distributed widely in this constituency called Ashworth a "ceasefire breaker" and a "genocide supporter," and included a photograph of him superimposed on images of crying children and rubble. These leaflets were not part of any campaign and constituted a potential violation of election law. Adam's side has denied any responsibility.

That wasn't the only incident of verbal abuse. Speaking to The Sunday Times, Ashworth said that when he took his 10-year-old daughter to a campaign rally, he confronted a voter who said, "Everyone despises him."

Police are investigating further incidents across the UK. An anonymous Labour candidate told Politico that during the campaign, they were concerned about bringing their children to polling stations due to the risk of abuse or intimidation. The candidate was advised not to go anywhere alone.

Other candidates revealed that public campaign rallies were particularly problematic due to a lack of security, causing some to withdraw from the race. Others reported that voters had been harassed outside polling stations.

One of the main targets of the violence in Britain was Nigel Farage, a former Brexit supporter and leader of the Reform Party, and a close friend of Trump.

Mr. Farage has been repeatedly pelted with drinks and other objects while campaigning in public and has been protected 24/7.

A day after the incident involving his close friend, Farage quickly pointed out the similarities between how he was treated and the attacks targeting Trump.

"We've seen that in British politics. What we've seen through the mainstream media and social networks is millions of people becoming hateful. I have to tell you, I'm afraid we're not far from the possibility of similar events happening," Farage told GB News .

Mr. Farage also said he was attacked in public last week: "The last time someone threw a drink at me was on July 10th. I don't usually go public with these things."

Nigel Farage was pelted with drinks while campaigning in public. (Source: X)

Searching for solutions

The European Political Community (EPC) summit, held on July 18th at Blenheim Palace in southern England, provided an opportunity for European leaders to speak out against political violence following the assassination of Trump. One of the three roundtables within the summit was dedicated to discussing "protecting and guaranteeing democracy."

The government of new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is hoping to set an example for other European nations in this area after the Home Office conducted a rapid assessment of the recent election campaign in the UK to understand the nature of the threats faced by candidates and the level of protection they received.

UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated: "The shameful scenes we saw in some areas during the recent election campaign must not be repeated."

Meanwhile, several European countries have enacted new laws to protect politicians from increasing threats. In Slovakia, lawmakers passed a new law last month following the assassination attempt on Prime Minister Fico, which prohibits gatherings near politicians' homes or government headquarters.

Earlier this year, the British government announced it would spend an additional £31 million to ensure the security of Members of Parliament.

Nevertheless, for many leading politicians, the threat remains all too clear. Geert Wilders, leader of the far-right Dutch Freedom Party (PVV), who has been under 24/7 protection for years due to death threats, posted on the X platform: "What happened in America could happen in the Netherlands. Don't underestimate that possibility."

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/vu-am-sat-hut-cuu-tong-thong-donald-trump-chau-au-tu-xa-cung-thay-lanh-279168.html