Launched on 20 March with the support of the Human Rights and Democracy Network, the “Free and Fair Europe” campaign on Tuesday 23 April enumerated 158 signatures from candidates for the European elections from 21 countries who are committed to defending the founding values of the European Union, such as freedom, equality and the rule of law.
The signatories thus affirm their commitment to a more transparent and accountable Europe, a more equal and inclusive Europe and, above all, a Europe that places people at the centre of its decisions.
Among the incumbent candidates who signed the commitment are Sirpa Pietikäinen (EPP, Finland), Paul Tang (S&D, Netherlands), Evelyn Regner (S&D, Austria), Frédérique Ries (ALDE, Belgium), Philippe Lamberts (Greens/EFA, Belgium), Bas Eickhout (Greens/EFA, Netherlands), Ska Keller (Greens/EFA, Germany) and Cornelia Ernst (GUE/NGL, Germany).
The campaign also aims to “provide citizens with the opportunity to make an informed choice regarding candidates who have publicly committed to a Free and Fair Europe”.
An interactive map provides an overview by country: 31 signatories in France; 28 in Belgium; 22 in Poland; 19 in the Netherlands; 17 in Germany; 5 in Finland; 4 in Spain, Italy, Sweden and Ireland; 3 in Luxembourg, Austria and Slovakia; 2 in Portugal, Denmark and Greece; 1 in Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Malta.
It should be noted that apparently no Hungarian, Romanian, Czech, Latvian, Estonian or Cypriot candidates have signed to date.
The map can be viewed at the following address: https://bit.ly/2IciY4o. (Original version in French by Marion Fontana)