Democracy in Europe is under heavy attack today due to Putin’s illegal war against Ukraine, and more covertly, due to some EU governments’ ongoing attacks on the rule of law. For the European peace project to survive in this dramatically changing world, it is paramount to empower the people to become architects of our common future.
The Conference on the Future of Europe, set to conclude on May 9th, will mark an important step towards more citizen participation. But it risks falling short of making the dearly needed changes for a strong European democracy which will work for everyone. If the European Union wants to play a relevant role in shaping the future of our continent, fundamental reforms are required.
Will EU leaders respond to the European citizens’ demands to build a Europe that delivers more than economic profit?
And how do Europeans want to protect their values of freedom, rule of law and democracy across Europe?
Clearly, the protection of democracy abroad needs to start at home. The EU needs to empower citizens’ rights that include everyone. The Conference on the Future of Europe has only been the beginning. With our high-level guests we want to speak about what lies ahead