As Secretary General of the European Democratic Party (EDP), I travelled to Montreal (Canada) to take part in the “2023 Global Progress Action Summit: Progress and Democracy” organised by the think tanks Canada 2020 and CAP Action (Centre for American Progress Action Fund).
We have established good contacts, particularly with CAP, as part of the PDE’s international strategy. CAP is the foundation set up by Bill Clinton. Canada 2020 is linked to Trudeau’s party. These two think tanks joined forces to organise the summit we attended, which was attended by the main Democratic and Reform leaders and representatives. The summit took place over two days. The first day was devoted to working groups on three themes: “Building an economy for all by investing in quality jobs”, “The climate crisis and the transition to clean energy” and “Restoring social trust in democracy in the digital age”. I took part in the third working group, where we discussed how to reconcile democracy, public confidence, and digital technology. I was then able to present the work carried out within the European Parliament, and more specifically, the DSA (Digital Service Act) and political advertising. I focused my presentation on the attention we pay to public trust and that we have legislated with this in mind: by taking measures to combat fake news, to protect the use of data, to moderate platforms, and so on. I repeated that our aim is to achieve greater transparency, that we want better protection against disinformation and foreign interference, and that we want a genuine single market in political advertising. It was interesting to be able to compare what has been done in the European Union with the rules in force in the United States and Canada, particularly as regards digital.
In the evening, I went to a dinner with Canadian journalists specialising in European politics. Once again, I was able to tell them about our progress and plans to strengthen democracy in the European Union and our strategy for the European elections in 2024. The second day was devoted to a series of panels with representatives from over fifteen countries, including Jacinda Arden (former Prime Minister of New Zealand), Sanna Marin (former Prime Minister of Finland), Jonas Gahr Store (Prime Minister of Norway), Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister of Canada), Keir Starmer (Leader of the British Labour Party), and Frans Timmermans (candidate to become Prime Minister of the Netherlands). The leaders took part in a panel discussion entitled “Progressive Leadership for a Decisive Decade”. Also present was Tony Blair, who spoke about the future of government: connecting modern politics to the age of innovation. The fight to protect the environment was also at the heart of the debate, with a panel entitled “Investing in quality jobs to tackle climate change” and another entitled “New pathways to prosperity and sustainability: The role of the state and strong communities in a rapidly changing economic paradigm”.
I then met Tony Blair, with whom I was able to discuss our visions for the future of Europe, particularly with a view to the European elections and the many challenges we still have to face on key issues such as democracy, migration, digital technology, and the fight against global warming. In conclusion, these two days have been very enriching and have enabled us to set out the ideas that we defend every day as the European Democratic Party to achieve the Europe that we want, which cannot function without being open to allies such as the United States and Europe.
Related member(s)
Sandro
Gozi
Secretary General
France
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Sandro Gozi to Vučić: “Serbia cannot join Europe with repression and lies”
The Secretary General of the European Democratic Party and Member of the European Parliament with Renew Europe, Sandro Gozi, has published an open letter to the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, with a copy to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The 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.
EDP Hosts Transatlantic Dialogue on the Future of Centrist Politics
As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen international cooperation between democratic forces, the EDP recently hosted a transatlantic dinner discussion in Paris, bringing together key figures from European and American centrist politics.
Joint statement on the 30th Anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide
Thirty years ago, in Srebrenica, more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were murdered by the Bosnian Serb army. In 2007, the International Court of Justice ruled that the atrocities constituted genocide. The wider Bosnian War saw over 100,000 killed, thousands of women raped, and more than two million people forced from their homes between 1992 and 1995. On this solemn occasion remembering one of the darkest chapters in Europe’s recent history, the ALDE Party, LIBSEEN members in the region, ALDE in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, European Democratic Party, Liberal International, LYMEC, Renew Europe in the Committee of the Regions, Renew Europe in the European Parliament, and the Young Democrats for Europe are united in honouring their memory and issue the following statement:
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