European Union

During the Fireside Chat "Venezuela Hasta el Final" at ALDE Party – Liberals and Democrats for Europe Congress, moderated by Odilia Abreu, FNF Madrid brought together Karl-Heinz Paqué, Chairman of the Board of FNF, Rodrigo Saraiva, Member of Parliament for Portugal's Iniciativa Liberal, and Hakima El Haite, President of Liberal International, discussed the challenges in Venezuela and how European liberals can support the democracy movement there, and the opposition leader María Corina Machado, frontwoman of the liberal party Vente Venezuela and a member of Liberal International.

📢 EU Liberal Hour Berlin – Foreign Interference in Democratic Processes 🇪🇺 🇩🇪 Foreign interference, disinformation campaigns, and targeted attacks on our liberal democracy are becoming increasingly threatening for the EU and its member states. Besides Russia, China in particular poses a long-term threat. During the EU Liberal Hour in Berlin, organized by FNF European Dialogue, we had an in-depth discussion on these challenges. The event was opened by MP Katja Adler with a keynote on China's potential influence on German politics. This was followed by a lively discussion moderated by Katharina Osthoff, in which Dr. Matthias Hackler, Policy Advisor in the European Parliament, offered his insider perspective on the economic and political tensions between the EU and China. The insights from Prof. Dr. Shieh, Taiwan's representative in Germany, were especially valuable. The EU Liberal Hour regularly provides a space for exchange on current political issues between German and European politics. 💬 #LiberalHour #ForeignInterference #ChinaEUrelations #berlin

The latest edition of our FNF Human Rights Defenders publication offers a deep dive into the inspiring and courageous struggle of pro-democracy activists. One of this year’s featured voices is Ray Wong, a Hong Kong-born activist who has been on the frontlines of grassroots movements from a young age. In his story Ray describes his battle for #HumanRights in Hong Kong and Germany and explains China's "termite policy". In 2015, Ray founded the political group “Hong Kong Indigenous,” with the iconic slogan “Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of our Times” that became the rallying cry for the 2019 protests. He faced multiple arrests and serious charges, including "incitement to riot," before fleeing Hong Kong in 2017 and receiving asylum in Germany. Today, Ray continues his work in advocacy and awareness. He serves as an advisor to Hong Kong Watch 香港監察, co-founded the Hong Kong diaspora magazine, Flow HK, and in 2022, co-founded Freiheit für Hongkong playing a pivotal role in Germany’s efforts to raise awareness and engage with policymakers. Human rights defenders like Ray continue to face relentless oppression in our today's world. Yet, they risk everything – enduring persecution, imprisonment, and even death – to defend democracy, freedom, and human rights. Learn more about his journey from Hong Kong to Germany —link below!👇 https://buff.ly/3UaqGjm #HumanRights #ProDemocracy #HongKong #RayWong #GrassrootsActivism #Asylum #FreedomForHongKong Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit