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The European Free Alliance (EFA), as part of its statutory activities and objectives, aims at serving its member parties in line with their political positions and needs and with the end goal of fostering European public policy issues. Within this context, EFA wishes to launch a Call for Proposals 2022 to support its member parties’…

EFA offers our heartfelt congratulations to our member party SSW for their historical success in the German Bundestag elections.  EFA member the Südschleswigsche Voters’ Association (SSW) gained a seat in the Bundestag for the first time in 70 years. Stefan Seidler will now represent SSW in the Bundestag. They gained 3.2% of the vote in…

From 20-23 September, the European Free Alliance gathered our European representatives in Bastia, Corsica. Our official mission provided the chance to plan our activities and priorities for our future work.  Through a series of internal and external debates, our leaders gathered to reflect on the role that stateless nations and regions should play in the…

Carles Puigdemont, Catalan MEP and former President of Catalonia, was arrested last night (23 September) in Sardinia, following a scheduled visit to the island. Puigdemont was arrested on arrival and a judge in Sardinia will decide whether he should be released or surrendered to Spain.  While the immunity from prosecution for Catalan leaders was waived in March,…

This week, the European Free Alliance met the President Bertel Haarder and Secretary General Kristina Háfoss of the Nordic Council. Members of the EFA Bureau and EFA parliamentary group discussed issues such as Citizens’ Assemblies, reform of the EU and the Conference on the Future of Europe, rights of minorities and stateless nations, and Vision…

PRESS RELEASE FROM EFA MEP JORDI SOLÉ The European Parliament has debated the situation in Afghanistan, discussing what the European Union’s response should be following the Taliban takeover. MEPs discussed the EU’s humanitarian response and the need for a strong EU role in helping resettle refugees. EFA Group President Jordi Solé spoke in the debate, calling for…

In this op-ed, DEB Partisi write on how Greece has refused to officially recognise NGOs and organisations belonging to Turkish minorities, regardless of ECHR rulings.  In Greece, NGOs of Turkish minorities are struggling to get official recognition.  As the European Court of Human Rights has underlined on so many occasions, the most important aspect of…

Following the regional elections within the French state, our parties provide the latest updates. Check back for regular updates.  A record low turnout of less than 35% was a severe blow for all parties, making it hard to draw clear lessons or predictions for next year’s presidential elections.  In Brittany, the UDB had a successful…

EFA is deeply concerned by a recent spate of anti-LGBTQI+ action across EU Member States.  The fundamental values of the European Union are clear: human dignity, equality, and fundamental human rights. The recent anti-LGBTQI+ bill in Hungary, banning the ‘display and promotion of homosexuality’ among under-18s clearly violates European Union values. Every European citizen has…

EFA welcomes the needed pardons given to Catalan political prisoners, but insists there is still much more work to be done to fully ensure the will of the Catalan people is respected.  The Spanish authorities approved the pardons of 12 Catalan independence leaders today, who were convicted over their roles in the Catalan independence referendum.…