Europäischer Austausch - European Exchange

27/05/2026

Only one week left to register for EPD's Annual Conference "Designing Democratic Resilience" on 9 June in Brussels!

Hosted by the European Partnership for Democracy, of which we’re a proud member, this is a great forum for democracy practitioners, election experts, and human rights defenders to discuss policies that build trust and protect our democracies.

⏳ Registration closes 3 June 2026

👉 Find out more: https://epd.eu/annual-conference-2026/

European Partnership for Democracy is delighted to invite you to our Annual Conference on 9 June in Brussels. Democracy is the only political system that, ...

26/05/2026

Werde Wahlbeobachter:in in Sachsen-Anhalt!

Am 6. September 2026 wählt Sachsen-Anhalt einen neuen Landtag von Sachsen-Anhalt. Mit unserer Initiative Plattform Wahlen sind wir als Wahltagsbeobachter vor Ort. Und du kannst mitmachen!

Wir suchen engagierte Bürger:innen für eine landesweite Wahltagsbeobachtung, die

✅ Verfügbar sind am Wahltag (7:00–20:00 Uhr)
✅ Zeit haben für 2 Online-Fortbildungen Ende August
✅ (bestenfalls) einen Wohnsitz in Sachsen-Anhalt haben

Wir haben dein Interesse geweckt? Dann melde dich zu unserer Infoveranstaltung mit OSZE Wahlbeobachter Thomas Leszke an:
📅 Mittwoch, 10. Juni 2026, 18:00–20:00 Uhr
📍 Hörsaal 3, Steintor Campus, The Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg
👉 Mehr Infos zur Anmeldung: https://www.plattform-wahlen.org/news/werde-wahlbeobachter-in-in-sachsen-anhalt

05/05/2026

The European Exchange stands with the global digital rights community.

In response to Chinese pressure, the Zambian government has de facto cancelled just days before it was set to begin, the world's largest gathering of digital rights defenders.

This decision contradicts Zambia's own constitution and international human rights commitments. It silences civil society at a moment when it is already under pressure from shrinking civic space worldwide and funding cuts.

We support our partners’ call to the EU to speak up and to the delegates at UNESCO's World Press Freedom Day in Lusaka today to call this out publicly. We stand in full solidarity with Access Now and Bloggers for Zambia.

Democracy must thrive offline and online.

🚨 EPD strongly condemns the Zambian government's decision to cancel RightsCon 2026 de facto, just days before the conference was set to begin. The news that this decision was made under Chinese pressure is even more alarming.

RightsCon is the largest annual gathering of the global digital rights community. Its cancellation contradicts international human rights standards related to freedom of expression and assembly.

This decision harms Zambia's standing in the global democracy community, its economy, and further weakens an already embattled civil society sector.

EPD supports the call of our partners across the European digital rights and democracy community to:

🔵 Call on the EU and Member States to make clear to Zambia that this decision is deeply alarming.
🔵 Urge delegates at UNESCO's World Press Freedom Day in Lusaka to publicly call out this repressive move.
🔵 Call on all governments to fully respect the rights of activists to gather, organise themselves and express themselves in their country or abroad.

We stand in full solidarity with Access Now and Bloggers Of Zambia, who worked tirelessly to make this event a reality.

Democracy offline and online must prevail. 💙



Full statement 🖇️ https://epd.eu/news-publications/statement-the-zambian-governments-cancellation-of-rightscon-2026-is-a-blow-to-digital-rights-and-democracy/