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.

On 27th January 2021, Lithuania’s government extended its lockdown until 28th February 2021.

Biometric mass surveillance means authorities, companies, unknown third parties know who you are, where you go, what you do, even how you feel. You can now have a say to ban this.

While the EU continues to stay silent about digital vaccine passports, widespread debate around the topic gathers pace.

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.

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.

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.

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