Zapatero judicial case renews debate on European exposure to foreign influence operations (decode39.com)

• Zapatero case triggers European debate on foreign influence and elite capture.
• China and Russia target Western elites as part of hybrid warfare, per expert Irdi.
• Systemic risk requires stronger democratic resilience and institutional integrity.

"The controversy surrounding former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has reignited debate across Europe about vulnerability to foreign influence operations. Beniamino Irdi, senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, said both China and Russia have openly identified influence-building among Western elites as a key component of hybrid warfare. He argued the real concern is systemic: Russia and China seek to acquire influence and strategic leverage inside Europe through gradual, long-term efforts. The case, regardless of outcome, is likely to intensify discussions about democratic resilience and institutional integrity."