Only a few member states, such as Denmark or the Czech Republic, weighed the importance of the right to protest against introducing bans on public events and gatherings - while more than half of EU governments failed to safeguard the right to protest (Photo: Ivan Shishiev / Sketches of Sofia)

EU 'failed' to safeguard civic freedoms during pandemic

EU Political

Health & Society

by Elena Sánchez Nicolás, Brussels,

EU member states put forward "disproportionate" restrictions on civic freedoms from the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, hindering activism and democratic participation, according to a new report published on Thursday (24 September) by NGOs Liberties and Greenpeace.

"EU countries with stronger democratic traditions have shown some worrying signs, while others with more aut...

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EU Political Health & Society

Author Bio

Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief. She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE.