On 23rd December 2020, the Czech Republic extended its state of emergency until 22nd January 2021.

Cheap tests might be just as safe and more inclusive than an 'immune certificate'. See our policy brief on the Digital Green Pass.

Authoritarians in Hungary, Poland and Slovenia abused the pandemic to continue eroding democratic standards, but traditionally strong democracies also disappoint.

On 6th December 2020, legislative elections were held in Romania. The centre-left Social Democratic Party (PSD) won with 30 percent of the votes, followed by the National Liberal Party (PNL), centre-right, which obtained 25 percent.

Liberties has been awarded a grant that enables examination of the threats posed by the contact tracing apps and their efficacy, allowing governments to respond to future public health challenges in a more transparent and privacy-respecting manner.

The Belgian League of Human Rights, a Liberties member, is challenging a ministerial order that allows the large-scale collection and processing of the health data of workers, breaching their fundamental rights.

Belgian government adopted new decree in secrecy giving social security services access to sensitive health data of citizens. The Belgian League of Human Rights filed an appeal.

Covid restrictions have created a dangerous climate of arbitrariness and mistrust, resulting in a sick society. Authorities must implement measures that help fight the pandemic without taking away basic freedoms.

On 27th January 2021 the Constitutional Tribunal’s ruling, which outlaws abortion in cases of foetal abnormalities, was published in the Polish Journal of Laws, and came into effect.

On 29th October 2020, Spain’s government extended the state of alarm until May 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The situation in the country remains critical, with the daily number of newly reported cases rising since mid-December 2020.