Opening the first EU Parliamentary Democracy Forum, the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola said that democracies have the potential to keep up with the pace of change and to protect and deliver for people.
Dear Speakers, Dear colleagues, Welcome to the European Parliament. It is a pleasure to open this first edition of the EU Parliamentary Democracy Forum. We launched this Forum as a shared space for reconnecting, reassessing, and strengthening our democracies: a mission that has never been more urgent. Looking around this room, and seeing such an impressive turnout, I know I am not alone in that belief. Today, we have 600 participants from 22 countries — including many representatives of national parliaments sitting alongside our colleagues, Members of the European Parliament. Thank you for being here, and for your commitment to addressing our common issues. Every morning, we wake up to headlines that remind us just how fragile democracy really is: war on our continent rages on, geopolitical pressures continue to grow, and freedoms that we thought were permanent are increasingly tested. Meanwhile, disinformation continues to twist our shared reality. And most worryingly, more and more people across our continent are questioning whether democracy still works, whether to vote, whether democracy is worth the effort. Our answer to those questions must be, can only be, a strong, emphatic ‘Yes’. As elected representatives, it is up to us collectively to prove that our European democratic way can still deliver for people. It is true, we need to strengthen the integrity of our processes and systems — I will speak more about that later — but that does not replace the responsibility we all share to meet people’s expectations. That is ultimately what we need more of, and that is what the European Parliament’s simplification agenda is about. We also need to increase both formal and informal links between this European Parliament and your national parliaments on legislation, on best practices, and on our shared support for Ukraine. I am particularly proud that this House has brought together 160 parliaments in support of the Verkhovna Rada. So thank you all, for supporting our colleagues, our brothers and sisters who are fighting for their freedom. But too often, the conversation tends to slip into a pattern where Brussels and Strasbourg is blamed for what goes wrong. But the reality, we know, is far more complex than that. It is true, there have been moments when we have moved too far, too fast — and perhaps elsewhere, too slow or not at all. But this is a new legislature. We have new drive and focus. We have listened, we have consulted those people affected, and we have adjusted accordingly. The vote here last week on cutting back on certain corporate reporting requirements is a clear example of that. Now we know this will only work if we pull in the same direction. As Europe’s representatives at a national level, you are democracy’s first line of defence. You understand better than anyone what’s happening on the ground. But more than that — you know how best to react. Your institutions have so much expertise and knowledge we can all learn from. And your experiences, your perspectives, your ideas are crucial to building those shared solutions Europe needs. As President of this House, together with my fellow Members of this European Parliament, we have made it our mission to burst through the so-called Brussels and Strasbourg bubbles and bring Europe closer to the people that we represent. And we need more people not just to get involved and to vote, but to run for office and to help shape our Union. We are working hard to make that path to participation easier for everyone. I am proud that last week, our Members voted by an overwhelming majority in favour of voluntary proxy voting for pregnant Members of the European Parliament and those who have just given birth. First, we will ask the Danish Presidency to help us get it through Council, but then, we will turn to you. We will ask your national parliaments for ratification of this reform of the Electoral Act. And I hope I can rely on your support on this very important matter that will revolutionise the way we work in this Parliament because we are doing something that has not been possible for 46 years. Rebuilding public belief in democracy means not just raising participation levels but also effectively countering foreign interference and disinformation. The kind that fuels anger in our populations, divides our democracies and weakens public trust in elections, institutions — even in each other. The European Parliament is already playing its part in this effort. At the start of our legislative term, we established a Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield to strengthen our collective resilience. And we welcome the Commission’s recent proposals to protect independent media, support civil society and shore up our institutions. And this House stands very ready to take these initiatives forward. Defending democracy also means planning for tomorrow. The technological revolution and the rise of artificial intelligence are already shaping our democracies. We must face facts: social media platforms are now where younger generations and first-time voters, not only but primarily take part in politics. This means we must be better at reaching them where they are, wherever they are on those platforms, supporting positive political engagement while combating polarisation. I had the occasion to discuss this with Speaker of the Portuguese Parliament, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, who said: “Parliaments are not the cause, they are the consequence.” And this Parliament shows that as well. And we need to navigate that. I have many colleagues here who are going through a big realisation that we need to do more to combat polarisation, to fight populism, to counter narratives that seek to destroy. Now, I have outlined a lot of challenges, and I am sure we will be discussing many more throughout the day. But I would not be speaking to you today if I did not think us capable of addressing those threats. Our democracies have the potential to keep up with the pace of change and to protect and deliver for our citizens. We have done it before, and we can do it again. But to get there we need more connection, we need more action, we need more ambition at every level. This is how we restore trust in Europe, how we rebuild the promise of democracy and how we establish a stronger, safer and more resilient future. Thank you once again for being here in such big numbers and thank you for all the work that you are doing, today and every day. Now let’s work hard. Thank you.