Freedom of expression and freedom of speech are amongst the fundamental rights we enjoy in the EU and other liberal democracies.
What we take for granted is not available to millions of people around the globe. Even in Europe the freedom of the press is no longer fully guaranteed in some places.
Nearby in Turkey being a free-thinking journalist comes today with a high risk of imprisonment. In times when a sitting US president can call the press and journalists ‘the enemies of the people’, we need strong defenders of fundamental human rights, something the European Union hasn’t given up on.
The EU is under mounting pressure from within and outside to drop being a community and promoter of liberal values and to become just an economic trading block.
In the last five years the European parliament has been a vocal defender of both, consumer rights (think lower phone charges, being the most tangible achievement in tackling big business) and human rights.
I encourage you to vote for parties who want the EU to continue it's important advocacy work.'
- Wolfgang Tillmans
