
The Rise of Illiberal Europe: The Enemy Inside the Gates
Investigative journalist Tim Sebastian tracks the far-right's advance across Europe ahead of EU elections, opening with a secret November 2023 meeting near Potsdam where Austrian activist Martin Sellner outlined plans for mass deportations, exposed by Correctiv journalists. Interviews follow with German Bundestag intelligence committee member Konstantin von Notz, EU Commission Vice President Vera Jourova on an MEP bribery scandal, and Manfred Weber on the political fallout. The film covers an attack on a Greens politician in Dresden, a Reichsburger coup trial in Stuttgart, and AfD lead candidate Maximilian Krah defending himself against investigations while discussing ties to Marine Le Pen. It travels to Hungary, where Viktor Orban's self-described 'illiberal democracy' is challenged by opposition figure Peter Magyar's account of state capture, and closes on the assassination attempt against Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and the stakes for Ukraine. Sebastian moves between archival footage, campaign events, and courtroom scenes to map how these separate incidents connect into one continental trend.