The European Movement International congratulates Ursula von der Leyen on her election as next President of the European Commission. As the first ever woman to hold this position, here election sends a positive message to women across Europe.

As an organisation seeking to encourage and improve the active participation of citizens in the development of European solutions to our common challenges, the European Movement International believes there is a need for more innovative and effective formats to engage Europeans in the decisions that affect them.

Ahead of the European Parliament elections, the European Movement International together with a group of researchers led by Matthew MacWilliams, and with the support of the Open Society Initiative for Europe, conducted a poll (fielded by YouGov) on the drivers of behaviours and attitudes of citizens in 13 European Union member states (representing 75% of the membership of the European Parliament) towards democracy and authoritarianism.

The Women of Europe Awards are jointly organised by the European Movement International and the European Women’s Lobby, building upon the national awards of several National European Movement Councils.

This fourth annual edition of Women of Europe Awards, which was held at BELvue Museum on Wednesday, 4 December, continued to honour women striving to advance the European project in their professional or private capacity. While the role of women in the European project remains at times unrecognised, the awards highlight the contribution of women in promoting and advancing European issues, and to increase the presence and involvement of women in debates about Europe and its future.