Democracy is ever changing; it is a promise that must constantly be fulfilled

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to celebrate with you the tenth anniversary of the Athens Democracy Forum. This week also marks another anniversary: 25 centuries ago, one of the most powerful fleets in human history appeared in the waters right in front of Athens. A foreign empire was attacking the free cities of Greece. But in the strait of Salamis, the Greek alliance achieved an unlikely victory against a much stronger enemy.

Historians and poets described that war in very clear terms: For the first time in history, autocracy attacked democracy. And autocracy failed, while democracy prevailed. In the words of Aeschylus, the Greeks ‘tore the yoke apart' because they were ‘slaves to no lord'. Unlike their foes, the Greeks were fighting not for the greed of a single man, but for their own freedom.

Today, once again, a democracy fights for its own survival against the aggression of a foreign autocrat.

Russia's attack against Ukraine is yet another battle in a war that has been raging for 25 centuries. The war of autocracy against democracy. And I am deeply convinced that democracy will prevail.

But it is also sobering to see that the tragedies of the past keep repeating themselves, and that too many, in Europe, have underestimated the threats both outside and inside our borders. Here in Europe, we saw democracy spread across the continent, decade after decade, wave after wave. When Greece, Spain and Portugal freed themselves from authoritarian rule. When the Iron Curtain was torn down and the wind of change blew all across Europe. And then in 2003, when in this very hall, our Union welcomed ten new members to the family.

For more than 70 years, our continent has marched incessantly towards democracy. And many of us started to believe that Europe and all humanity would keep advancing naturally towards freedom and peaceful cooperation. We started to take democracy for granted. Today, we realise that history does not always move in a straight line. There are setbacks and comebacks. And it is every generation's task to fight for democracy.

It is our generational task to help Ukrainians as they fight for their right to determine their own future. It is our task to protect our democracies from Russian blackmail and from the interference of autocracies. And it is our task to help strengthen all democracies in Europe.

The values that inspired the founders of Athenian democracy should still guide us today. The idea that power belongs to citizens. The idea that we are all equal before the law. The idea that free speech is a fundamental right. This is the immortal gift that Greece has given to the world.

Yet ancient democracy was far from perfect or complete. Only free men could walk the road that led from this place, the Agora, to the Pnyka, where the assemblies took place. Women like me were not allowed to speak their mind and cast their vote. The Pnyka is only one kilometre away from here. And yet it took thousands of years before women could finally reach it and vote. Obstacles still stand in women's way towards full equality.

Today, we know that democracy does not end at the ballot box. Democracy also means equal pay for equal work. It means equal responsibilities and equal rights when it comes to care or career. Democracy means equal access to power, be it in politics or in business.

Voting rights for women were not the finish line, but a new beginning towards a perfect democracy. This is the essence of democracy. It is always open for change. It always seeks new horizons. There is one concept from Aristotle that fits perfectly to democracy. It is the idea of dynamis, or potentiality.

Democracy is ever changing; it is a promise that must constantly be fulfilled. And this is what makes it stand out from autocracy. Democracy may not be perfect, but it is always perfectible.

Take Ukraine. When we granted Ukraine the status of candidate to joining our Union, some objected that Ukrainian democracy may still be too young. But since the Maidan protests of 2014, Ukraine's democracy has grown so much.

In a few years, it has reformed more than in the previous decades. It has set up anti-corruption institutions. It has adopted first laws to break the oligarchs' grip on Ukraine's economic, political and public life. Its civil society has conquered new space and holds the government to account. And the country's institutions are now passing the ultimate stress test of war. Most of this progress has been achieved because the people of Ukraine have Europe in their hearts and their minds. And the same is true for our friends in Albania, in North Macedonia and across the Western Balkans. It is true for Moldova and Georgia, who have also asked to join our Union.

Once again, the wind of change is blowing across our continent.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

All democracies are constant work in progress, including inside our Union. The European Union was built on the promise of ‘unity in diversity'. But this promise has yet to be achieved in full. The path towards full equality for all citizens is still long.

Racism and antisemitism have not disappeared. And in parts of our Union, minorities are not always respected. LGBTIQ rights continue to be violated. The rule of law and the independence of the judiciary are still challenged. We have seen judges stripped of their immunity, or driven out of office without justification. And serious concerns have been raised on corruption. These developments are against our values, against our Treaties and against our democracy. And as guardian of the Treaty, it is our obligation to act. It is up to us to continue the work of our founders. And we have come such a long way.

We are a Union of half a billion people, 27 countries, more than 24 languages, countless ethnicities and culture, and one European soul.

On policies, there might be disagreements, at times even severe disagreements, but the overwhelming majority of us believes that Europe is our destiny. Today, I would like to speak about four priorities we must focus on.

First of all, the new threats. Warships and soldiers are no longer the only weapons in the hands of foreign autocrats. They craft disinformation. They finance fake research institutes to poison our public debates with their lies. They meddle in our elections with cash and cyberattacks. This is also part of their war against democracy. And we must protect ourselves. This is why I have announced a new Defence of Democracy Package. We introduced legislation to screen foreign direct investment in our companies for security concerns.

If we do that for our economy, should we not do the same for our values? We need to better shield ourselves from malign interference.

Second, the multiple crises. Our citizens demand something very simple from us: That we make our democracies deliver on the great crises of our times. The pandemic was such a crisis. I still remember those who were saying that autocracies are better equipped to deliver results. And those who were asking to purchase Russian and Chinese vaccines. This was just some months ago. Today these voices have become quiet. We bought vaccines together, so that all EU countries – big or small, deep pockets or high debts –, all would receive their doses at the same time, at the same price. And it is no coincidence that this new generation of life-saving vaccines was developed in democracies, where freedom of science and freedom to excel count.

We reacted at the speed of light to Russia's attack against Ukraine, with the largest sanctions package in history. With EUR 19 billion of financial support, military equipment, hosting more than eight million refugees. Democracies can deliver if we act united. We are able to find answers that are more powerful than just the sum of 27 Member States.

Third, on new frontiers. Putin's attack against Ukraine is an attempt to reverse the course of history, and to stop the long journey of democracy. But this is not only about Russia's war. The number of democracies in the world reached an all-time high in 2012, but it has fallen since then. Military coups have struck from Mali to Myanmar. In Afghanistan, democracy has lost after decades of war.

Millions of people across the world are now fighting for their freedom. We see it in Iran, where brave women rise up and demand equality and respect for their rights. We see it in Hong Kong, where journalists and labour rights advocates take to the streets – even though they are threatened with prison.

The democratic values that were born here in Greece have spread across continents and oceans. Because all people aspire to freedom. Even – and especially – in countries where democracy has not flourished yet. There can be no doubt: the desire to determine the course of our life, and be the masters of our own future, burns in every human soul.

I want our Union to stand at the side of every country that longs for freedom, and every young democracy that strives for more – in Europe and beyond.

This means first and foremost to support Ukraine with economic, political and military means. But there is more. Autocracies are using more subtle means to curtail the sovereignty of other nations. Chinese investment, for instance, are pushing several low-income countries on the brink of default. And Russian gas and oil always come at the expense of national sovereignty and independence.

This is where Global Gateway comes into play. Global Gateway is our new programme to address the global investment gap for infrastructure – from energy systems to digitalisation. Global Gateway is driven by democratic values. We offer investments that are sustainable for a country's finances and respect its sovereignty. We offer digital investments that protect individual rights in the digital world. Investments that advance the rights of workers and local communities. It is a new way of promoting our democratic values at all corners of the world.

Finally, let us never forget that our democracies belong to future generations. For too long, humanity has behaved like there was no tomorrow. Instead of preserving and nurturing the world around us, we devoured it, one piece at a time – at the expense of future generations.

Climate change is the colossal burden we are slamming on our children's future. If we want young people to have faith in our democracies, we must finally put young people at the heart of everything we do.

This is why I have proposed to enshrine solidarity between generations in the fundamental Treaties of the European Union. Every action that our Union takes should be inspired by a simple principle: That we should do no harm to our children's future. And we should leave the world a better place for the next generations. This is the essence in the long journey of democracy. It is about restoring confidence in our future. And not only announcing with words to new generations that tomorrow will be better than today but proving it by deeds.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Democracy is a promise. It is the promise that people can be masters of their own future, that we can determine the course of our countries, and change course when necessary.

This is the greatest strength of democracy, what makes it more just and more successful than any other form of government. Autocracies always look backwards. They are systems built so that the powerful can cling on to power, and so that people are stuck in a never-ending past. When I look at the challenges today – Russia's war in Ukraine, the blackmail through energy, the pressure on our way of life – then I know that we are all being tested. Whether we defend democracy. Whether we are steadfast, united and determined. Each and every one is part of our resilience. It is up to us to protect our future, it is up to us to make democracy prevail, it is up to us to stand in unity.

Thank you, and long live Europe.