Il 13 ottobre 2023, nella storica città di Magonza, in Germania, il Partito Democratico Europeo ha tenuto un importante Congresso. Non solo delegazioni provenienti da Germania, Italia, Francia, Spagna, Austria, Polonia, Repubblica Ceca, Bulgaria e molti altri Paesi si sono riunite per partecipare a questo importante evento, ma è stato anche un terreno fertile per dibattiti fondamentali e proposte innovative che affrontano le questioni urgenti della nostra epoca.
Magonza, con la sua rinomata MEWA Arena, è stata la cornice perfetta per questo grande evento. Questa location si è dimostrata perfettamente in linea con quanto affermato da Matteo Renzi, Presidente di Italia Viva: "L'Europa ha un ruolo adesso o scompare e diventa spettatrice: invece di giocare sul campo dello stadio, è probabile che l'Europa vada in tribuna d'onore a guardare la partita tra Cina e Stati Uniti".
Al centro del Congresso c'è stata la riunione statutaria.
Questa sessione si è occupata di questioni interne di vitale importanza, come le preoccupazioni dei membri, le questioni finanziarie, la nomina della nuova presidenza composta da Francois Bayrou (Presidente), Sandro Gozi (Segretario generale) e il belga Gérard Deprez (Delegato generale), mentre Antoni Ortuzar dei Paesi Baschi e Ulrike Müller della Germania sono stati rieletti come due Vicepresidenti esecutivi. Sono stati invece eletti vicepresidenti Nicola Danti dall'Italia, Karl Erjavec dalla Slovenia, Marios Georgiadis dalla Grecia, Marian Harkin dall'Irlanda e Gerrit-Jan van Otterloo dai Paesi Bassi.
Il Manifesto è stato discusso e approvato dai delegati, che hanno posto domande e migliorato la bozza finale del Manifesto con diversi commenti e approfondimenti.
Dopo la riunione statutaria, l'evento principale è stato il dibattito dei leader, dove Francois Bayrou, Sandro Gozi, Ulrike Muller e l'ex primo ministro italiano Matteo Renzi sono saliti sul palco per condividere le loro visioni sul futuro dell'Europa. Si è trattato di una discussione avvincente, diversa per argomenti ma unita dall'impegno comune di promuovere una comunità europea più integrata, prospera e sostenibile. Questa piattaforma ha permesso ai leader di scambiare nuove prospettive, sfide e potenziali soluzioni che potrebbero guidare il corso dell'evoluzione dell'Europa.
In linea con la missione dell'EDP di affrontare le questioni critiche contemporanee, il Congresso è stato caratterizzato anche da discussioni illuminanti durante il Vertice dei sindaci presieduto da Sandro Gozi e François Decoster, presidente di Renew Europe nel Comitato delle Regioni.
I sindaci di varie città sono intervenuti per condividere le loro esperienze, i loro risultati e i loro progetti futuri. Le loro intuizioni sulla leadership locale si sono rivelate preziose e sono servite a ricordare lo spirito di resilienza insito nelle comunità locali europee.
Il Congresso si è concluso con due panel specializzati incentrati rispettivamente sulla migrazione e sull'intelligenza artificiale. Joachim Streit, Giulia Pigoni e Matteo Flora sono stati i nostri esperti su questi temi e hanno fornito al pubblico dati e approfondimenti significativi, stimolati anche da un'intensa sessione di domande e risposte.
Il forum sulla migrazione ha cercato di promuovere una politica migratoria più umana ed efficace, tenendo conto delle mutevoli dinamiche globali. D'altro canto, il dibattito sull'intelligenza artificiale mirava a delineare l'equilibrio tra progresso tecnologico e considerazioni etiche, come ha ricordato il nostro Segretario generale nel suo discorso: "L'intelligenza artificiale è uno strumento per l'umanità e non dovrebbe essere proibita. Piuttosto, dovrebbe essere regolamentata attraverso sforzi collettivi".
Infine, il Congresso EDP di Magonza è stato più di un'assemblea. È stata una clamorosa dichiarazione di impegno verso i principi democratici, i valori condivisi e l'audace visione che lega le diverse nazioni europee in una comunità condivisa. Questo incontro ha segnato un'altra importante pietra miliare nel cammino verso un futuro ben attrezzato per affrontare le sfide e le opportunità in evoluzione del XXI secolo.
Notizie correlate
The EDP in Belgrade for a European Serbia: legality, free media, fair elections
Mission of PDE Secretary General Sandro Gozi to Belgrade (18–19 September 2025): public debate with hundreds of young people, meetings with opposition parties and civil society, focus on the rule of law, political repression and delays in EU integrationGozi 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.
Lettera aperta
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.
L’Ora Europea della Serbia – Tempo perso o nuova opportunità?
Public debate in Belgrade with Sandro Gozi and representatives of civil society Serbia’s European Hour – Lost time or a new opportunity?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.
Lettera aperta
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.
Gli eurodeputati PDE a Parigi con Gozi, Bayrou e Barrot: priorità per Strasburgo, riforma della governance, caro-vita, transizione ecologica e ruolo globale dell’Europa
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.
Lettera aperta
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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