- Europe
European Freedom Forum
The European Forum for Freedom in Brno marks the launch of a series of conferences organized by the Patriots for Europe Foundation on a fundamental issue of our civilization: freedom. Through a series of debates, expert contributions, political testimony, and intellectual exchanges, this forum aims to examine the true state of freedoms in Europe today and to propose concrete ways to defend and promote them.
Why focus our reflection on freedom?
Because it lies at the heart of the European project—and more broadly, of the legacy of Western civilization. From freedom of expression to freedom of enterprise, from freedom of movement to the right to determine one’s cultural and economic choices, Europeans aspire to live freely, to create, to debate, and to prosper. But these freedoms must not be taken for granted. They are increasingly under pressure—both from within and from outside.
In recent years, legislative, political, and technological developments have imposed new constraints on fundamental liberties. Accusations of disinformation or hate speech are sometimes misused to limit public discourse; excessive regulation hampers innovation and undermines economic initiative; lack of border control and rising insecurity call into question the very foundations of social life. Moreover, the misuse of certain legal norms—particularly in the area of human rights—has led to political imbalances, where the rights of citizens are sometimes overshadowed by interests that lie beyond democratic accountability.
These challenges call for a rigorous and clear-sighted debate. The Forum will be structured around three major themes, chosen for their relevance and their cross-cutting significance in today’s European context, and explored through a series of round tables.
Freedom and Security
The first round table, « Freedom and Security », will examine the growing tensions between individual protection and the preservation of fundamental rights. It will consider the balance between the legitimate needs of public security and the safeguarding of individual liberties in a context marked by multiple threats—terrorism, geopolitical instability, and digital interference.
Competitiveness and Overregulation
The second round table, « Competitiveness and Overregulation », will address the impact of regulatory overload on economic activity, innovation, and the freedom to undertake. It will explore the conditions for a fair balance between necessary regulation and excessive constraints, particularly in sectors where rules may appear disconnected from real-world conditions.
Freedom and National Sovereignty
Finally, the third round table, « Freedom and National Sovereignty », will explore the possible relationships between the principles of political freedom, democratic self-determination, and the sovereignty of member states within the framework of the European Union. This theme will open a reflection on the foundations of political legitimacy and the limits—or requirements—of a European integration that respects national identities.
The European Forum for Freedom is a space for open dialogue, respectful of diverse viewpoints, and committed to a central imperative: placing freedom back at the core of European political and institutional reflection. For to defend freedom today is to defend our societies’ ability to project themselves into the future, to choose their own path, and to remain faithful to their values.
Under the patronage of András László, President of the Patriots for Europe Foundation, this inaugural conference seeks to lay the foundations for a deep intellectual inquiry into the contemporary conditions of freedom in Europe.
