Statement of Antonella Valmorbida,
Secretary General of ALDA – the European Association for Local Democracy Agency
Chair of the Board of Directors of the European Partnership for Democracy

“Ahead of 2019, with a new Parliament and Commission coming up, the EU should definitively take a stand and say loud and clear that democracy is part of our essence and raison d’être. Without this clear vision, many other aspects of the EU project could become irrelevant and be challenged by the many illiberal alternatives, which are mushrooming these days. This concerns the EU’s internal rules and the Member States’, and how we operate in external affairs. In a recent high-level meeting at the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organised by DEMO Finland, the challenges and opportunities where outlined, by looking at the future Finnish Presidency of the EU.” […]