Many of us are deeply shocked to witness a European political debate and reality dominated by a small but loud minority of far-right populists and their anti-EU, anti-democratic and anti-civil rights agendas carried forward and legitimised by racist slogans demonising migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. Yet they have intimidated their way from the political periphery to the centre of EU and member state policies and sparked a political crisis with real and severe impacts on our people, societies and unity.
No one has paid a higher price than the men, women and children drowning in our waters or being pushed- back to torture and exploitation, detained at our borders under inhumane conditions or deported from our soil to war and persecution. Neither they nor many new Europeans will be able to vote in the upcoming EP elections.
It is time to oppose the far-right populists and fight for a Europe respecting human dignity and fundamental rights – the European Parliament elections provide this opportunity and every vote counts!
