Join us in defending democracy and join in the 2025 edition of Democracy under Pressure!

Brussels, 18.03.2025

Key points:

• For the 19th consecutive year, JEF Europe is launching its “Democracy under Pressure” campaign that will run between 18 – 25 March 2025 to raise awareness of the threats our democracies face.
• More democracies are in decline than in 2024. The state of democracy has continued to decline and new worrying attacks against democratic forces, politicians, activists and those dreaming of a peaceful future: foreign agents acts in several countries aiming to silence democratic activists, politicians at the EU level pushing to cut funding from civil society, and the so-called leader of the free world turning away from the values of freedom to make deals with dictators.
• Despite setbacks, Europe must continue defending democracy and supporting  Ukraine at all costs, as well as democratic voices in Belarus, Russia and beyond to ensure long-term peace.

As Europe exits a tumultuous election year and the new Commission passes the 100 day mark, our continent finds itself in a new and precarious environment of geopolitical turmoil on both sides of the Atlantic. While Europeans continue to push back against autocrats in our countries, the second term of US president Donald J. Trump has put the entire western alliance at odds and raised stark questions about Europe’s future as an independent power.

To combat the mounting existential threats to European values, JEF Europe, its sections and partners are once again uniting to advocate for our democracy and the rule of law to be preserved through these testing times. 

JEF Europe will always stand with those fighting for democracy. Every year, the Democracy under Pressure campaign raises awareness of the threats facing the rule of law on our continent, including within the European Union, and shows solidarity with those defending it, be they in Russia, Belarus and Serbia, or Hungary, Slovakia and Georgia. This year, Europe is facing a broad range of threats which our campaign will touch upon, from election interference to foreign agents’ acts targeting civil society.

“Democracy and respect for the rule of law are the very basis of our way of life, they are what guarantee our freedoms and our security. We as Europeans have now found ourselves in a position where we can either stand united as a vanguard of these values or be forcefully divided by those who respect them the least.” says Martin B. Penov, Vice President of JEF Europe.

The student protests across Serbia, the perseverance of Georgians taking to the streets for their European future and the resilient bravery of Ukrainians’ ongoing fight for freedom give us hope that a better future is possible. Civic space continues to face pressure however, as we see activists being persecuted in Georgia and Serbia, countries like Hungary, Georgia, Slovakia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina introducing “foreign agents” legislation, and now, on European Union level, some political forces trying to cut funding for civil society organisations whose opinions they disagree with. The recent illegitimate elections in Belarus show the very real consequences such actions may have in the future. We have to unite to defend our democratic freedoms.

In a new reality, we strongly believe Europe must remain the beacon of freedom, justice, rule of law and human rights in a world where these values are questioned even by those who have claimed to hold them to heart. We have hope in a better future. A future without dictatorships, repression and war, but democracy, freedom and peace. This is why we demand from the European Union, its leaders, and national governments a true commitment to protecting our democracy. We look forward to seeing what the Democracy Shield included in the Commission Work Plan will present as measures and demand that this truly aims to reverse the concerning developments we see within the EU, and that Europe stands up for its values in our neighbourhood, and across the world.

JEF Europe has been raising awareness of the dictatorship in Belarus since 2006. In 2014, we rebranded our campaign to “Democracy under Pressure” and will not stop as long as the rule of law is under threat. Join our street and online actions in Europe’s cities between 18-25 March, amplify the voices of those who have been silenced and raise awareness on social media by using the hashtag #DemocracyUnderPressure. Only united can Europe’s voice be heard!

About JEF Europe

The Young European Federalists (JEF) Europe is a non-partisan youth NGO with 10,000 members active in over 35 countries. The organisation strives towards a federal Europe based on the principles of democracy and subsidiarity as well as respect for human rights. JEF promotes true European Citizenship, and works towards more active participation of young people in democratic life. While the umbrella organisation JEF Europe was founded in 1972, its sections have been operating continuously since the end of the Second World War, making it the oldest pro-European and only federalist youth organisation.

Since 2006, JEF Europe has organised an annual “Free Belarus” action to draw attention across Europe to the authoritarian regime of Aleksander Lukashenka, commonly referred to as Europe’s last dictator. There has been democratic backsliding across the continent since then, and so JEF’s Free Belarus action broadened into the campaign ‘Democracy under Pressure’ in which JEF Europe calls out abuses of human rights and the rule of law.

Read more

07/03/2025 – European Civil Society stands in solidarity with the people of Serbia

24/02/2025 – Joint Statement | 3 Years of Brave Resistance: It is time for Europe to step up!

26/01/2025 – Statement l Dictatorship will never be legitimate: JEF Europe demands free and fair elections in Belarus

07/01/2025 – Joint Statement l Inaction is complicity. Silence is not an option.

05/12/2024 – Joint Statement l Stop the nightmare, restore Georgia’s European dream

19/11/2024 – 1000 days of full scale war against Ukraine, 1000 days of heroism, 1000 days which changed the face of Europe

18/03/2024 – “Democracy under Pressure” 2024: JEF Europe stands in solidarity with democracy defenders

24/02/2024 – Joint Statement: We cannot let war become the new normal

16/02/2024 – Statement | Europe cannot let Navalny’s death be in vain

Contact

Martin B. Penov
Vice President
Young European Federalists (JEF Europe)
martin.penov@jef.eu

Kati Systä
Executive Board Member
Young European Federalists (JEF Europe)
kati.systa@jef.eu