Eastern skepticism fuels EU faultlines

Former‑communist publics carry a durable skepticism of mainstream media and official narratives born of living under propaganda; they rely more on local social networks for truth and are thus more prone to rapid resentment when elites push policies seen as disconnected (e.g., immigration). This cultural information gap produces persistent East–West political cleavages inside the EU and complicates pan‑European media and policy coordination. — If policymakers and journalists ignore this cultural‑epistemic divide, they will keep misreading electoral shifts, underestimating legitimacy challenges, and stoking polarization across Europe.