News

Today marks two years since EFA’s original call for the end of the isolation regime for Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan and the release of all political prisoners in Turkey. In January 2019, Kurdish MEP Leyla Güven was released from prison following an 80-day hunger strike.  However, in December 2020, Güven was sentenced to 22 years in prison on terror…

On 14 January 2021, the European Commission decided not to initiate legal acts for the protection of national and linguistic minorities under the Minority SafePack European Citizen’s Initiative. EFA is disappointed by the Commission’s decision to turn their back on the 1,123,422 signatories who demanded legal protection for the approximately 50 million citizens of the Union who…

For decades, we have enjoyed relative peace in the Western world. Since World War 2, no armed conflicts have occurred between members of the European Union, a feat internationally recognised with the awarding of the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize to the EU itself. The US, too, has benefitted from domestic stability. But the rise of…

On Wednesday, the European Free Alliance successfully launched its new Women’s Forum.  The group will act as a new space for reflection and discussion, and to organise new ways to move forward from words to deeds on the issue of gender equality.  The online launch was held on the International Day for the Elimination of…

Flemish activist and former EFA MEP Willy Kuijpers died last Tuesday at the age of 83. Kuijpers was born in Leuven on New Year’s Day in 1937, and became an EFA Member of the European Parliament for Volksunie from 1984 to 1989. As a committed and lifelong internationalist, he was a passionate advocate for self-determination…

The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh has worsened dramatically in recent days, with more attacks by Azerbaijan being reported. Worryingly, many of these attacks have been on civilians, as well as on civilian infrastructure. More artillery strikes against towns and cities in the Republic of Artsakh are being reported. So far 45 civilians have been killed and…

The European Free Alliance has been alerted that a number of threats and attacks have been carried out against members of the Liga Socijaldemokrata Vojvodine (LSV) over recent months.  Earlier this year, a member of the board of the LSV was stopped by an unmarked black car and ‘arrested’ by unknown assailants, and was physically…

Last Thursday, a joint resolution on the Rule of Law in Bulgaria was adopted by the European Parliament. Bulgaria has seen widespread anti-government protests in recent weeks, following a number of corruption scandals. The report expresses concern at the “significant deterioration of respect for the principles of rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights, including…

EFA MEPs call for immediate ceasefire, de-escalation and talks EFA MEPs have called for an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabakh. The European Parliament held a debate on the issue with the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. EFA MEPs Jordi Solé and François Alfonsi spoke in the…

EFA MEP Diana Riba: “Thinking globally and acting locally is more necessary than ever” EFA MEP Diana Riba has called for Europe’s regions to play a key role in the the EU’s forthcoming recovery plan, designed to help the EU’s economy and society recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Diana Riba was speaking in the…