Epstein Scandal: Davos Forum Chief Resigns and New Allegations Against Elites

The disclosure of new documents from the so-called "Epstein files" has led to a sudden destabilization of prestigious international institutions. The most significant personnel consequence is the resignation of Børge Brende, who for years led the World Economic Forum in Davos. This decision was made following an internal audit that confirmed Brende's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, which, in light of the organization's upcoming summits, was deemed an unbearable burden. The organization, a symbol of global elite cooperation, is facing the most serious image crisis in its history, and commentators point to an urgent need for transparency reform in leadership selection. Founded in 1971 by Klaus Schwab, the World Economic Forum has become the main platform for dialogue between business and politics, but has long been criticized for its lack of democratic legitimacy and insularity.Simultaneously, dramatic events unfolded in Scandinavia involving former Norwegian Prime Minister and former Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland. The politician was hospitalized due to severe stress caused by the investigation, which coincided with searches of his properties and him being designated as a suspect in the case concerning links to the Epstein network. Local media speculate about a suicide attempt, which has caused shock in Norwegian public opinion. This case, alongside Brende's resignation, reveals the depth of infiltration of the highest echelons of power in Nordic countries by the network of the financier who died in 2019. 5 — individuals from Norwegian elites directly linked to the scandalIn the United States, public attention is focused on Bill Gates, who publicly admitted that maintaining contacts with Epstein was a "huge mistake." New reports suggest Epstein possessed knowledge about the billionaire's affairs, including a relationship with Russian bridge player Mila Antonova, which could have been used for blackmail attempts. The scandal is also hitting the British monarchy, where the arrest of Prince Andrew prompted the government to declare an analysis of legal steps aimed at removing him from the line of succession. Although formally the prince remains in the line of succession, his political and social isolation is now complete, and the Crown is striving at all costs to avoid further reputational damage. The British line of succession is regulated by the Act of Settlement 1701 and subsequent amendments; changing these provisions requires the consent of not only the British Parliament but also Commonwealth countries.The recent days show that the investigation is entering an institutional phase – from resignations at Harvard University, through changes in Davos, to hearings of politicians in the US Congress and the EU's anti-corruption agency OLAF. The scale of the phenomenon suggests we are not dealing with incidental meetings, but with a systemic problem of susceptibility of high-ranking officials and opinion leaders to manipulation and blackmail by criminal circles.

Perspektywy mediów: Liberal media emphasize the necessity for systemic changes in Davos and elite transparency, while avoiding excessive stigmatization of individuals. Conservative media highlight the moral decay of globalist power structures and target figures like Bill Gates and Bill Clinton.