Europe and democracy

We work to enhance European democracy and tackle the fascist, extreme nationalist and authoritarian backlash we see in the continent and overseas. 

The European Union is a community of values. Respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and for human rights, including the rights of those belonging to minorities, constitute the foundation of the European Union. 

Today, we are witnessing an obvious struggle between democratic and authoritarian forces. Autocrats, oligarchs and the far-right are seeking to undermine the pillars of democracy, the rule of law and the freedoms we cherish. This is not just a battle visible in Ukraine, but also a battle that is taking place within other countries. We will always stand against authoritarianism and for democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and civil liberties. That’s why we push for the European Union to have binding and effective mechanisms that guarantee the rule of law. 

We are fiercely opposed to the backsliding of democracy and continue to defend our democracy and rule of law. In recent years, the EU has experienced a crisis in the rule of law whereby the values of political integrity have been seriously undermined in several member states. If the rule of law is undermined in one country, it undermines the whole Union. For too long EU funds have also been syphoned off to the benefit of those close to power. That’s why we fight against fraud, corruption and any misuse of EU funds. 

Since our inception, we have worked to strengthen the European project and foster the values of freedom, solidarity and democracy. The European Green Party was the first European party to be established in 2004 and the first to introduce a primary process to select its leading candidates for a European election. We campaign to allow citizens to vote for transnational lists by creating a joint European constituency for the European elections. We also push to lower the voting age to 16 and have gender-balanced lists.