Ramos-Horta among figures alarmed by ‘anti-democratic actors’ in EU
More than 250 political and civil society figures, including East Timorese President José Ramos-Horta, have signed an open letter to European leaders warning of the “rise of anti-democratic actors” ahead of European Parliament elections in June.
![Ramos-Horta among figures alarmed by ‘anti-democratic actors’ in EU](https://media-manager.noticiasaominuto.com/960/naom_62628c7b4e233.jpg)
© Getty Images
![Notícias ao Minuto](https://cdn.noticiasaominuto.com/img/equipa/pessoa/lusa.png)
Mundo UE
The document, entitled "A Call to Defend Democracy: 10 Priorities for the EU", was launched by the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) and signed by Nobel Peace laureates José Ramos Horta, Oscar Arias Sanchez and Muhammad Yunus, former European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, European Economic and Social Committee President Oliver Röpke and former presidents and prime ministers Gordon Brown, George Papandreou, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Viktor Yushchenko, Michelle Bachelet, among others.
The initiative comes amid concerns about growing dissatisfaction with democratic institutions in many EU countries "in an increasingly authoritarian world", the text reads.
The "widening socio-economic inequalities, corruption, polarisation, disinformation and the profound uncertainties created by the climate crisis and disruptive digital technologies" are compounded by "heightened global conflicts, which have intensified migration flows, energy scarcity and trade disruptions".
"These converging challenges have created a real risk that, in this year of global elections, EU Member States, as well as some of its key partners, could see the rise of anti-democratic political actors", they warn.
The letter proposes ten priorities to put democracy at the top of the domestic and external policy agenda, including strengthening powers to defend the rule of law in the EU, ensuring that new digital technologies safeguard human rights and putting democracy at the heart of the EU's agendas on security, migration, energy and trade.
Read Also: There are more and more powers that want to "influence" elections in the US (Portuguese version)
Descarregue a nossa App gratuita.
Oitavo ano consecutivo Escolha do Consumidor para Imprensa Online e eleito o produto do ano 2024.
* Estudo da e Netsonda, nov. e dez. 2023 produtodoano- pt.com