For 14 consecutive years, the Young European Federalists (JEF Europe) are launching their  “Democracy under pressure” campaign that will run between the 16- 22 March, 2020. This action calls on citizens to speak up for those who have been silenced in Europe. In other words, to defend and advocate for the rule of law and democracy, two core principles of the European Union that have been infringed upon these past years.

The campaign started in  2006 as the “Free Belarus” action that was organised to raise awareness about the Lukashenko regime, often called “the last dictatorship in Europe”. However, in the last decade, European values have been increasingly compromised by illiberalism, populism and xenophobia across governments and societies in Europe. As we believe an attack on the Rule of Law in one country is an attack on our own, the action that focused initially on Belarus was rebranded in 2014 as the campaign that we are promoting today. 

“Over recent years, from Slovakia to Malta, from Hungary to Italy, we have witnessed how national populism and authoritarian politics have led to a grave erosion of EU founding democratic principles. I will never tire of saying this, especially in the times that we are living in: democracy and rule of law in Europe are not a given, but a constant daily fight. We citizens have to care for them and protect them”. states Leonie Martin, President of JEF Europe.

“JEF Europe cannot remain silent when everything we believe in is threatened by representatives who rail against human rights and European values. That is why we campaign every year and fight relentlessly for a European democracy”, continues Martin. 

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