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Articles, opinion pieces and interviews highlighting ideas shared by elected policymakers.

PDE seminar in Paris: reforms, global challenges, and support for François Bayrou

EDP MEPs in Paris with Gozi, Bayrou and Barrot: priorities for Strasbourg, governance reform, the cost of living, ecological transition and Europe’s global roleThe initiative follows Vučić’s letter sent to Brussels on 21 August, in which he accused Serbian students and demonstrators of violence, reversing the truth and blaming the victims of repression.
In his statement, Gozi denounces the hundreds of arrests of students and peaceful citizens, the use of a sonic cannon (LRAD) during the March protest in Novi Sad, the shocking video of students forced to their knees and filmed by police, the violent arrests of women and even minors, and the attack on press freedom with intimidation against N1, documented by OCCRP/KRIK.
Gozi stresses that it is not citizens who endanger Serbia’s European path, but President Vučić and his government. By resorting to repression, false narratives and attacks on fundamental freedoms, they are undermining the credibility and the European future of the country.

Open Letter

To the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić
with a copy to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen

President Vučić,
Your letter of 21 August addressed to President von der Leyen is a masterpiece of hypocrisy. But facts, numbers and images tell another story.
In recent months, hundreds of people have been arrested in Serbia, including students and peaceful citizens. Many of them remain in prison today, facing charges that are essentially political. In practice, this undermines their freedom of expression and discourages democratic participation. It is not the citizens who are destabilising the country: it is your government, repressing the right to protest.
In March, during a commemoration in Novi Sad, a sonic cannon (LRAD) was used against demonstrators, A weapon, capable of provoking harsh pain, panic and permanent hearing damage. A practice that has nothing to do with the european standards you claim to embrace.
On 15 August, a video showed fifteen young people forced to their knees against a wall, filmed by police officers. An act of public humiliation, in total contempt for human dignity and contrary to every democratic standard.
And this was not an isolated case: in those same days, other footage and testimonies clearly showed worrying heavy-handed arrests, with students dragged to the ground, women and even minors treated without regard for their rights.
While students are beaten and arrested, citizens have witnessed violent groups apparently close to your party moving about undisturbed.
This selective tolerance raises serious concerns of rule of law.
Equally serious is the attack on freedom of information. N1, a news channel belonging to United Media (United Group), has been the target of a campaign of intimidation and pressure documented in recordings published by OCCRP/KRIK. You know perfectly well that silencing the last independent broadcaster means suffocating truth and pluralism.
President Vučić, it is not the youth, it is not the citizens, it is not the demonstrators who are jeopardising the European path of Serbia: Serbia belongs to Europe. But it is you — with your policies, your denyal your statements — which are undermining the credibility and the european path of your country.
Your accusations against Nikolina Sindjelić are embarrassing . The evidence shows that threats, unlawful arrests and violence have indeed taken place: personal attacks do not erase reality.
Your letter must therefore be sent back to the sender.
Serbian citizens deserve much better and Europe is something else: freedom, dignity, democracy.

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EDP in Guidel 2024

This year, Mouvement Démocrate’s activists, together with members of the European Democratic Party, had the pleasure of visiting Guidel again, where the Europe’s days were held from 27 to 29 September as a fringe event of the ‘Université de rentrée’ (‘back to school university’) event organised by the French party.

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EDP between two congresses: Bitburg and Blois

The Federal Party Congress in Bitburg began with a musical welcome, setting the tone for a day of enlightening discussions and important topic on the party itself and Europe. Instead, the Movement Democrate’s Congress in Blois last month served as a pivotal gathering, uniting like-minded people committed to progressive ideals and innovative solutions. The two events were a testament to the movement’s unwavering commitment to fostering unity, shaping the future of politics and promoting inclusive governance.

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Centrist Convention in Guidel: Setting the Agenda for Political Action and Citizen Involvement

Hundreds of activists and political leaders congregated at Guidel over the course of the event. In the same way, as François Bayrou put it: “We believe that the goal of political action is to create a society in which the humanity in each of us flourishes.”, the high attendance of people not only signaled the party’s active role in national affairs but also the society’s interested in being involved in such context.

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Jean-Noël Barrot

Jean-Noël Barrot

Jean-Noël Barrot Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) – Council of the EU ● Deputy Minister for Europe, since February 2024 ● Deputy Minister for Digital Transition and Telecommunications from July 2022 to July 2023 and then for Digital Transition from July

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The European Democratic Party guarantees the highest level of transparency in the pursuit of its exclusive purpose as well as in its organization and financing.

EDP partner organizations are: the Young Democrats for Europe (YDE) and the Institute of European Democrats (IED).

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