Manifesto

We don’t want a Europe that is isolated or uninterested in the rest of the world. On the contrary, we believe the EU can be a strong, independent and influential actor on the world stage. The world of tomorrow will be determined by large power blocs like the USA and the enlarged BRICS economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and potentially more). Only a united and self-confident EU will be able to stand up for its own interests against these old and new great powers.

Solidarity, peace and democracy should be the guiding principles of all EU action in the world. EFA wants to see the EU take a particular role in standing up for the rights of minorities worldwide, and helping other countries to build governance structures that allow their people to decide their future freely. We want to see the remaining non-self-governing territories of the world take up their right to self-determination. We call for a greater EU role in supporting the people of Palestine, Kurdistan and Western Sahara among others.

Even within the continent Europe itself, there are self-determination conflicts that have not been resolved. The EU has taken up the responsibility to mediate in the dispute between Kosovo and Serbia. It should do the same between Armenia and Azerbaijan regarding Nagorno-Karabakh, especially now that Azerbaijan is forcibly integrating the territory, creating a new humanitarian disaster. And within its own borders, the EU must not forget that there are still democratic questions to answer. In EU territories where the people are demanding their right to autonomy or independence (including the overseas territories), the EU should be able to negotiate with stubborn or unwilling member states.

In its immediate neighbourhood, the EU has been shaken by the brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, which we fully condemn. We must continue to provide as much solidarity with Ukraine as we can, including by providing shelter and support for the millions of people who have been driven from their homes by the war. But the EU must also take a stronger role in the diplomatic response, given that this conflict will not be resolved exclusively on military grounds.

But we must maintain that our dispute is with the government of the Russian Federation and their political allies, not the people of Russia themselves, many of whom are also suffering under Putin’s dictatorship. When he personally stands trial for war crimes, it will be a victory for the oppressed peoples of Russia as well for Ukraine, Europe and the world.

Ultimately we seek a full withdrawal of Russian Federation troops from the whole territory of Ukraine. EFA believes that borders in Europe can be changed, but never under any circumstances through coercion or force. We categorically reject the Russian State’s claim to be acting on behalf of Russian-speaking peoples: their invasion has caused immense suffering to all of Ukraine’s peoples, and their actions have been in clear violation of international law. The so-called ‘referendums’ held by gunpoint in Russian-occupied territories are in no way a genuine exercise of the right to self-determination.

We support Ukraine’s path towards EU accession, as well as that of the Western Balkans and Moldova. There are many reasons – historical, economic, and strategic – why these territories belong in the EU, and meaningful progress should be made towards their accession. But that process will also require genuine commitment to reform and meeting European standards among the new members: there can be no compromises on EU values and democracy, not least regarding minority rights. Current stateless nations in the EU  which become independent in a democratic manner will also automatically become members of the European Union.

The EU must also be sure to never close the door on the peoples of the UK. EFA supports the right for Scotland and Wales to choose their own future: only through independence will Scotland, Wales, and England itself (and its regions) be able to pursue their own diverging interests and meet the aspirations of their people.