Given his attacks on journalists and activists, the claim by Slovenia's PM that he will champion free speech while holding the EU Presidency is laughable. If he were serious, here are things things we'd expect to see.

A new Liberties report finds that authoritarian governments in the EU upped their attacks against critical journalists and citizens' groups using COVID-19 as cover. But governments in traditionally stronger democracies have also done damage.

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

With our new member from Slovakia, the Liberties network is now active in 18 countries across Europe.

As previously reported on the CIVICUS Monitor, on 22nd October 2020, the Polish Constitutional Tribunal ruled that abortion due to foetal abnormality is unconstitutional.

Germany’s legislation regulating the work of civil society organizations is outdated and vague, leaving them vulnerable to attacks by some politicians and commercial lobbyists, Liberties' new report finds.

Belgium has been without a fully functioning government since December 2018. In May 2019 a general election was held but as the political landscape is very fragmented the parties were not able to form a coalition (see previous update).