European Democrats

At our Congress in Athens, our MEP and VP @Singer_Ch_ highlighted the importance of protecting Europe’s Common Agricultural Policy. Coming from a farming family herself, Christine reminded us that food security isn’t just a concern for farmers. It affects every European citizen and is essential to Europe’s security and resilience. Thank you, Christine, for bringing this crucial perspective to our Congress and for your daily commitment!

🇬🇧🇪🇺 Starting in November, applications will open for the UK’s return to #Erasmus+ on 1 January 2027. Over 100,000 people are expected to benefit, from university students to apprentices and young professionals. After years of opportunities lost to Brexit, Europe is reopening doors and rebuilding bridges. Nationalism builds barriers, Europe creates opportunities. And this is another concrete step towards bringing the UK and the EU closer together.

The images coming out of #Tirana are becoming more disturbing every day. The man in this video is Lulzim Gjini. For months, he’s been taking to the streets alongside hundreds of thousands of Albanians. Unarmed and fleeing from the police, he was brutally beaten with batons. He suffered fractured ribs, skull fractures and hematomas. @ediramaal must answer for the inhumane violence inflicted on peaceful protesters. Every act of repression, every attack on fundamental freedoms pushes #Albania further away from Europe.

Heartbreaking words from @JewherIlham , Uyghur human rights activist and daughter of Ilham Tohti, sentenced to life imprisonment in China for advocating peaceful dialogue between Uyghurs and Chinese communities. At our EDP Congress in Athens, Jewher shared her father’s story. Denied family visits since 2017, his fate remains unknown to his loved ones. Thank you, Jewher, for your courage and powerful testimony: we stand with you in calling for your father’s freedom.

The forced closure of @MadaMasr , one of #Egypt’s last independent media outlets, is a serious blow to press freedom. Its editor-in-chief @Linaattalah was detained for hours, while serious concerns have been raised over the proceedings: despite having her own lawyers present, the court appointed another lawyer over her objections. During her release procedures, she also discovered that she had been sentenced to one year in prison in a trial held in her absence. Europe must use its diplomatic weight to demand that press freedom, independent journalism and due process are fully respected in Egypt.

Reports from Belgrade point to renewed attempts to provoke violence and discredit Serbia’s student movement, amid growing tensions around peaceful democratic mobilisation in the country. “Attempts to provoke violence and discredit Serbia’s student movement are unacceptable. Peaceful democratic mobilisation must never be met with intimidation or manipulation. The European Democratic Party stands firmly with the students and all those peacefully defending democracy, accountability, media freedom and the rule of law. Violence and intimidation have no place in a democratic society. The Serbian authorities have a responsibility to prevent escalation, guarantee fundamental freedoms and respect the legitimate aspirations of their citizens. Serbia’s democratic future must be determined by its people, free from fear, manipulation and provocation. Europe must stand unequivocally on their side.” ✍️ @sandrogozi , Secretary General of the European Democratic Party

One of the most moving moments of our EDP Congress in Athens. We were deeply honoured to welcome Anna Victoria #Politkovskaya, granddaughter of Anna, the courageous Russian journalist murdered for refusing to remain silent in the face of abuses of power. Thank you, Anna Victoria, for your courage, your powerful testimony and for reminding us why our fight for freedom, truth and justice must never stop.

One of the most moving moments of our EDP Congress in Athens. We were deeply honoured to welcome Anna Victoria #Politkovskaya, granddaughter of Anna, the courageous Russian journalist murdered for refusing to remain silent in the face of abuses of power. Thank you, Anna Victoria, for your courage, your powerful testimony and for reminding us why our fight for freedom, truth and justice must never stop.

Today, at least 30 people have lost their lives in the grave railway accident in #Toledo. Our thoughts are with the victims, the injured and their families. As @Imanol_Pradales , President of the Basque Government from our member party @eajpnv , wrote: “In these difficult moments, we are with you.” Europe must make railway safety a shared priority: safer infrastructure, stronger prevention and constant investment to protect every passenger.

Live from Moscow

À Périgueux, dans le sud-ouest de la France, deux voisins ont exigé qu’une femme de 87 ans retire le drapeau européen de son balcon. Cette femme est la mère du journaliste @EJozsef. Sa réponse ? « Il n’en est pas question ! Qu’ils viennent me voir, ces lâches, s’ils en ont le courage ! ». Quelle magnifique leçon de courage et de dignité ! Face à l’intimidation, elle nous rappelle que l’Europe, ses valeurs et son drapeau méritent d’être défendus. Merci, Madame

Just as Hungary’s public media did after Orbán’s defeat, RTV Vojvodina has apologised for years of one-sided, uncritical reporting. #Serbia’s democratic renewal now depends on truly free and independent media — including safeguarding outlets such as N1, whose editorial independence has faced mounting pressure. We have stood with Serbian students, independent journalists and those defending democratic freedoms from day one, and we will keep standing with them on Serbia’s European path (video: Nexta)

From day one, we stood with #Serbia’s students and all those fighting for democracy, freedom and a European future. Under the leadership of our Secretary General @sandrogozi , we worked to bring together students, civil society and democratic voices, giving their struggle a platform in Europe. This is the commitment we’ll carry forward: uniting democrats across borders and building a Global Alliance of Democrats. Serbia showed us that when democratic forces stand together, change is possible. And this is only the beginning democrats.eu/news/from-belgr…

Wero’s ecommerce rollout reached the Netherlands. Europe now has a home-grown alternative to payment giants such as Visa, Mastercard and PayPal. By connecting directly to bank accounts through SEPA Instant, Wero can reduce reliance on non-European providers. For consumers and businesses, that means more choice, stronger competition and greater control over Europe’s payment infrastructure. Europe is building its own way to pay

Yesterday, 53 MPs and 38 senators announced a Constitutional Court challenge to a law removing President Petr #Pavel’s power to appoint and dismiss #Czech envoys to international organisations. The governing coalition passed it despite his veto. We stand with President Pavel against those seeking to undermine the Czech Constitution. Institutions cannot be reshaped to suit those in power. Defending constitutional safeguards means defending Czech democracy and the rule of law across Europe @prezidentpavel

“Fascism must be fought through democracy, not violence.” We fully stand with our member party @eajpnv in condemning both far-right provocations and the violence unleashed in #Bilbao under the banner of antifascism. Our full solidarity goes to the Basque authorities, police officers and emergency services. Democracy must never give way to hatred, intimidation or violence.

Let’s listen again to the powerful words of @skasselakis, leader of our member party @Dimokrates_PK, at our Congress in Athens. He’s absolutely right: the answer to a slow democracy is not a faster dictator or autocrat. It’s a faster, stronger democracy. That is precisely why we are determined to build a Global Alliance of Democrats: to make democracies more effective, more united and stronger than those who seek to undermine them.