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A monthly round-up of Liberties' work: Google & Meta’s decision to back out of political ads delivers a blow to European democracy, von der Leyen’s SOTEU address rousing tone fails to hit its target, GFF reaches a critical milestone, while our Maltese member celebrates a win for children’s access to education.

This week, Liberties’ 23 member organisations descended on Berlin for Liberties’ annual General Assembly. While the weather is chilly, we gave them a warm welcome and discussed our priorities for the year ahead.

Meanwhile, in Brussels, Von der Leyen launched the EU political year with her State of the Union Address. Liberties welcomed her commitment to bolster the rule of law reporting cycle, but her call for “clear milestones & contributions from all institutions” left us perplexed. Civil society has already mapped them out in Liberties Rule of Law Gap Analysis - the latest of which you can see for yourself in the coming weeks. Disappointingly, she also failed to mention the Civil Society Strategy or boost the critical work of NGOs during this period of precarity.

Her speech was filled with rousing enjoinments and fighting talk as she laid the groundwork for boosting the EU’s military, stepping up protection against Russia and - a departure from her previous stance - punishing Israel.

Her change of tune signals a subtle shift within the EU bubble and was followed two weeks later by an announcement at the United Nations from António Costa, president of the European Council, that the majority of EU members now recognise the state of Palestine. But while Israel still has allies on its side within the Council, the sanctions are unlikely to see the light of day.

In a nutshell

• Liberties at Re:constitution: Our Balazs discussed the future of the rule of law reporting with fellow democracy experts.
• Justice served for Krassimir: Strasbourg court says Bulgarian authorities failed to investigate online death threats posted in 2015 about three Bulgarian human rights activists, including Liberties own president of the Board. More
  

In Focus

Meta and Google, Don't Throw European Voters Under The Bus: Why Self-Imposed Political Advertising Bans Threaten Free and Fair Elections in Europe

Civil society organisations warn Big Tech companies that stepping away from the political advertising market does not absolve them of their responsibility; their platforms must still ensure free and fair elections in Europe. Read it here.

Stand with Civil Society to Protect Human Rights

Civil society is a cornerstone of open, vibrant democracies, yet with the pace and depth of democratic backsliding, this crucial role is under threat. Recognising the rapidly evolving challenges, the European Commission has taken a critical step to launch a dedicated civil society strategy. In our latest strategy paper, Liberties sets out 5 key pillars needed to bolster civil society: Stand With Civil Society to Protect Human Rights

Rights Groups to Von Der Leyen: Defend Digital Sovereignty Against U.S.

Liberties, together with 40+ digital rights organisations and experts, has called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to stand firm against renewed U.S. pressure that threatens Europe’s sovereignty, democracy, and citizens’ freedoms. Read the letter here.

In the news

• Don’t quit political ads, NGOs tell big tech: In letters to both companies [Google, Meta] shared with POLITICO, more than a dozen civil society groups warn the move will leave voters less informed — while leaving extreme content to flourish through the algorithms’ recommendations. Instead, the NGOs — led by the Civil Liberties Union for Europe — ask the platforms to sell political ads without tracking and profiling, as well as disclose how their algorithms affect political content. (Source: Politico’s Brussels Playbook)

Meet our Members

Society for Civil Rights (GFF), Happy Birthday!

We at Liberties wish GFF, our most local member, happy birthday as they celebrate their 10th anniversary! From challenging state surveillance, protecting the privacy of refugees and standing up for the right to protest, their fearless work over the past ten-years is a critical shield for fundamental rights in Germany. We can’t wait to see what the next decade brings!

The Daphne Foundation: Maltese Court Orders Government to Allow Syrian Children Access to Public Schools

In a case filed by the Public Interest Litigation Network (PILN), which was set up by the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, Malta’s Constitutional Court has ordered that two school-aged children, born to Syrian parents, be allowed to access state education from the start of this scholastic year. The children’s mother has been fighting for several years for her children’s right to attend school, with education authorities repeatedly refusing enrolment based on the family’s lack of documentation. 

Read/Listen

Is Germany joining the trend of politics shaping media freedom? (EUObserver - Podcast)

The 17 European Parliament lawmakers you should watch this season (Politico)

AI agents are coming for your privacy, warns Meredith Whittaker (The Economist)

Besieged von der Leyen calls on Europe to ‘fight’ (Politico)

Trump delivers dumbest climate speech of all time (Heated)

Resources:

• Tactical Tech: The RePlaybook: A Field Guide to the Climate and Information Crisis
• Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) and the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF): European Anti-SLAPP Monitor

Coming up:

The wait is over - our Rule of Law gap analysis will be released in the coming weeks. Stay tuned! Here's what we said last year. 

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