No democracy without equality

The liberal international rule-based order is undergoing a profound transformation. Longstanding alliances are shifting, multilateral institutions are under pressure, cuts in development and humanitarian aid are having devastating effects on peace, security and stability. Geopolitical competition is intensifying, and we see a record number of conflicts — from Eastern Europe to the Indo-Pacific, from the Sahel to the Middle East. In this adversarial landscape, the universality of human rights especially equality is increasingly contested, and civic spaces are shrinking. 

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has brought war back to Europe in clear violation of international law, and conflicts and wars in the Middle East continue to expose civilians to severe human rights violations. 

The scale and speed of recent damage to human rights and international law are becoming increasingly evident, not least in light of the United States stepping back from international frameworks, shifting towards more transactional foreign policy, propelling anti-right policies, and contributing to growing pressure on civil society and multilateral institutions worldwide.

At the same time, democracies face internal pressures, including attacks on judicial independence, media freedom, and electoral integrity, shrinking civic space, often fueled by disinformation and foreign interference.

In these turbulent times, the EU must remain a principled actor, firmly anchored in its core values: human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and human rights.