History tells us that great pandemics, which start continental go worldwide quickly, upset entire civilisations. For us Europeans, the COVID-19 outbreak and its consequences have resulted in unprecedented changes to our everyday lives that we have not experienced since 1945.

Jean-Marie Cavada is a former Liberal & French MEP, who was a shadow rapporteur of the copyright directive. He is now CEO of the Institute for Digital Fundamental Rights.

Few can imagine the effort, the self-denial and what it is like to give up comfortable pleasures. In less than 3 months, a simple unknown virus has already undermined almost all doctrines that have ruled Europe for almost 40 years: As it was the case in 1918, 1929 and 1945. We must now assess the systemic and qualitative extent of the ruins created by the virus.

But if it is a war, we should now take a step back and take a more measured look at the crisis, greatness and self-sacrifice, including political agendas, in order to prepare the future. The most frightening is yet to come: the virus is a vector, a Trojan horse launched against our democratic values. Those who shamelessly ride it may enable the acceleration of profound social and political destabilisation.

Listen to them: they sound like trainee dictators. Full speed ahead, Party justice here, shutting down media there, regression of freedom: the fear that grips us and our need for security gives short-term ideas, tried and tested in history