Armin Rabitsch
Chairperson
Biography
Armin Rabitsch is the chairperson and co-founder of Election-Watch.EU(wahlbeobachtung.org), a non-partisan civil society organisation advocating for participatory electoral reforms and young voter education at the EU level. In 2019, the Election-Watch.EU network conducted the first comprehensive Election Assessment Mission to the European Parliament elections. Building on its recommendations to the Constitutional Committee of the European Parliament, and the European Cooperation Network on Elections, Election-Watch.EU is leading the SEEEDS Project focusing on Enhancing the Integrity of the 2024 European Parliament Elections.
He worked 25 years as an election and democracy expert across the five continents, including for international organisations (EU, UN, OSCE/ODHIR, IFES). He gained expertise in in human rights and governance, including in conflict transformation and electoral violence risk assessment. He is guest lecturer at the Global Campus of Human Rights.
Armin holds a Doctorate of Philosophy (University of Innsbruck/ Austria) and an LL.M. in international Human Rights Law (University of Prague/ Czechia) and co-author of the SEEEDS Policy Paper on European Parliament Elections, the UNESCO Practitioners Handbook on Elections in Digital Times, and the OSCE RFoM policy paper on AI's impact on freedom of expression in political competition and elections.
Organisation
Election-Watch.EU
Speaker session
Opening session - Vote for the Future of Europe: free, fair and resilient elections to the European Parliament 2024
- Public web-streamed session
- Public web-streamed session
Topic: As the cornerstone of any democracy, free, fair and resilient elections are essential to preserve the confidence of citizens in the Union and its institutions, and in ensuring representation and accountability.
The European parliamentary elections in 2024 will enable citizens to shape, in the most direct way, the future of the Union for the next 5 years. They are organised by the 27 EU Member States and the European institutions working together, to include over 400 million voters and elect future MEPs from tens of thousands of candidates.
The opening session of the high-level event will discuss the importance of supporting democracy, including high turnout and inclusive participation in the elections to the European Parliament. The session will also address key challenges around the next elections to the European Parliament, addressing topics such as elections’ integrity, disinformation, interference including by third countries and how technology has transformed the conduct of democratic processes.
Opening address by Věra Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency
SPEAKERS:
- Věra Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency
- María Lledó, Secretary General for the European Union, Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation
- Charles Goerens, Member of the European Parliament
- Vasco Alves Cordeiro, President of the European Committee of the Regions (remotely)
- Federica Mogherini, Rector of the College of Europe
- Franziska Schweitzer, Young European voter
MODERATOR: Florence Ranson
Session 6 : Informed choices for democratic decisions: supporting a fair democratic debate
- Closed session
- Closed session
TOPIC: Democracy relies on a free and plural media. Free and fair elections imply the possibility for voters to engage in public debate and have adequate information about parties, policies, candidates and the election process itself in order to make informed choices. Media acts as a crucial watchdog for democratic elections, safeguarding the transparency of the process. Exchanges will focus on initiatives to secure an open and pluralistic public debate supported by an independent media on which free and fair elections are based. Issues linked to parity of treatment and balanced media coverage during elections will be discussed.
SPEAKERS:
- Koen Lemmens, Professor of European and International Human Rights Law, Constitutional Law and Media Law at the University of KU Leuven
- Carlos Aguilar Paredes, Member of the Board of the Spanish National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC)
- Teresa Ribeiro, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
MODERATOR: Florence Ranson
Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections
Session 11 : Addressing the resilience and cyber-security risks of election-related infrastructure
- Closed session
- Closed session
TOPIC: This session will review key challenges and measures to be taken to address the resilience of entities critical for the organisation and conduct of elections, including cyber-security risks including in the perspective of a tabletop exercise to be organised in late 2023 in the framework of the European Cooperation Network on Elections. It will also discuss the Election Resilience Mechanism. This session will look into practices in the identification, mitigation and management of risks to the electoral process including from cyber-attacks at EU and national level.
SPEAKERS:
- Evangelos Ouzounis, Head of Policy Development and Implementation Unit, European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA)
- Patrick Penninckx, Head of the Information Society Department at the Council of Europe
MODERATOR: Florence Ranson
Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections
Florence Ranson
Director
Brussels
Biography
Florence Ranson is a professional event presenter/moderator, specialised in EU policies. She has a long experience of communications in European affairs.
Organisation
REDComms
Speaker session
Opening session - Vote for the Future of Europe: free, fair and resilient elections to the European Parliament 2024
- Public web-streamed session
- Public web-streamed session
Topic: As the cornerstone of any democracy, free, fair and resilient elections are essential to preserve the confidence of citizens in the Union and its institutions, and in ensuring representation and accountability.
The European parliamentary elections in 2024 will enable citizens to shape, in the most direct way, the future of the Union for the next 5 years. They are organised by the 27 EU Member States and the European institutions working together, to include over 400 million voters and elect future MEPs from tens of thousands of candidates.
The opening session of the high-level event will discuss the importance of supporting democracy, including high turnout and inclusive participation in the elections to the European Parliament. The session will also address key challenges around the next elections to the European Parliament, addressing topics such as elections’ integrity, disinformation, interference including by third countries and how technology has transformed the conduct of democratic processes.
Opening address by Věra Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency
SPEAKERS:
- Věra Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency
- María Lledó, Secretary General for the European Union, Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation
- Charles Goerens, Member of the European Parliament
- Vasco Alves Cordeiro, President of the European Committee of the Regions (remotely)
- Federica Mogherini, Rector of the College of Europe
- Franziska Schweitzer, Young European voter
MODERATOR: Florence Ranson
Session 6 : Informed choices for democratic decisions: supporting a fair democratic debate
- Closed session
- Closed session
TOPIC: Democracy relies on a free and plural media. Free and fair elections imply the possibility for voters to engage in public debate and have adequate information about parties, policies, candidates and the election process itself in order to make informed choices. Media acts as a crucial watchdog for democratic elections, safeguarding the transparency of the process. Exchanges will focus on initiatives to secure an open and pluralistic public debate supported by an independent media on which free and fair elections are based. Issues linked to parity of treatment and balanced media coverage during elections will be discussed.
SPEAKERS:
- Koen Lemmens, Professor of European and International Human Rights Law, Constitutional Law and Media Law at the University of KU Leuven
- Carlos Aguilar Paredes, Member of the Board of the Spanish National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC)
- Teresa Ribeiro, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
MODERATOR: Florence Ranson
Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections
Session 11 : Addressing the resilience and cyber-security risks of election-related infrastructure
- Closed session
- Closed session
TOPIC: This session will review key challenges and measures to be taken to address the resilience of entities critical for the organisation and conduct of elections, including cyber-security risks including in the perspective of a tabletop exercise to be organised in late 2023 in the framework of the European Cooperation Network on Elections. It will also discuss the Election Resilience Mechanism. This session will look into practices in the identification, mitigation and management of risks to the electoral process including from cyber-attacks at EU and national level.
SPEAKERS:
- Evangelos Ouzounis, Head of Policy Development and Implementation Unit, European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA)
- Patrick Penninckx, Head of the Information Society Department at the Council of Europe
MODERATOR: Florence Ranson
Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections
Didier Reynders
European Commissioner for justice responsible for rule of law, data protection and other fundamental rights
Biography
Didier Reynders is European Commissioner for justice responsible for rule of law, data protection and other fundamental rights, as well as consumer protection, a position he has held since December 2019. Since 05 September 2023, he is also European Commissioner for competition. Previously, he held several high-level political positions in Belgium including minister of defense, minister of foreign affairs, foreign trade and European affairs, minister of finance and deputy prime minister. From 2004 to 2011, he served as chairman of the Mouvement Réformateur (liberal party alliance). He was elected member of the Belgian Parliament in 1992. Prior to this, he was president of the National Railway Company of Belgium and the National Society of Airways. Reynders has been a guest lecturer at the universities of Liège, Brussels and Louvain until he became European Commissioner. He holds a degree in law from the University of Liège.
Speaker session
Opening session - Vote for the Future of Europe: free, fair and resilient elections to the European Parliament 2024
- Public web-streamed session
- Public web-streamed session
Topic: As the cornerstone of any democracy, free, fair and resilient elections are essential to preserve the confidence of citizens in the Union and its institutions, and in ensuring representation and accountability.
The European parliamentary elections in 2024 will enable citizens to shape, in the most direct way, the future of the Union for the next 5 years. They are organised by the 27 EU Member States and the European institutions working together, to include over 400 million voters and elect future MEPs from tens of thousands of candidates.
The opening session of the high-level event will discuss the importance of supporting democracy, including high turnout and inclusive participation in the elections to the European Parliament. The session will also address key challenges around the next elections to the European Parliament, addressing topics such as elections’ integrity, disinformation, interference including by third countries and how technology has transformed the conduct of democratic processes.
Opening address by Věra Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency
SPEAKERS:
- Věra Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency
- María Lledó, Secretary General for the European Union, Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation
- Charles Goerens, Member of the European Parliament
- Vasco Alves Cordeiro, President of the European Committee of the Regions (remotely)
- Federica Mogherini, Rector of the College of Europe
- Franziska Schweitzer, Young European voter
MODERATOR: Florence Ranson
Session 6 : Informed choices for democratic decisions: supporting a fair democratic debate
- Closed session
- Closed session
TOPIC: Democracy relies on a free and plural media. Free and fair elections imply the possibility for voters to engage in public debate and have adequate information about parties, policies, candidates and the election process itself in order to make informed choices. Media acts as a crucial watchdog for democratic elections, safeguarding the transparency of the process. Exchanges will focus on initiatives to secure an open and pluralistic public debate supported by an independent media on which free and fair elections are based. Issues linked to parity of treatment and balanced media coverage during elections will be discussed.
SPEAKERS:
- Koen Lemmens, Professor of European and International Human Rights Law, Constitutional Law and Media Law at the University of KU Leuven
- Carlos Aguilar Paredes, Member of the Board of the Spanish National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC)
- Teresa Ribeiro, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
MODERATOR: Florence Ranson
Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections
Session 11 : Addressing the resilience and cyber-security risks of election-related infrastructure
- Closed session
- Closed session
TOPIC: This session will review key challenges and measures to be taken to address the resilience of entities critical for the organisation and conduct of elections, including cyber-security risks including in the perspective of a tabletop exercise to be organised in late 2023 in the framework of the European Cooperation Network on Elections. It will also discuss the Election Resilience Mechanism. This session will look into practices in the identification, mitigation and management of risks to the electoral process including from cyber-attacks at EU and national level.
SPEAKERS:
- Evangelos Ouzounis, Head of Policy Development and Implementation Unit, European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA)
- Patrick Penninckx, Head of the Information Society Department at the Council of Europe
MODERATOR: Florence Ranson
Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections