The Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) Party in the European Parliament has adopted the Berlin Declaration, a joint statement reaffirming its commitment to democracy, freedom, and the rule of law.
The declaration was approved by the party’s General Assembly in Berlin on Friday, June 26 and presented publicly the same evening at ESN’s first Sovereign Nations Summit.
The event brought together around 200 guests, including politicians and journalists from more than eleven European countries.
ESN Party President Stanislav Stoyanov MEP described the document as more than a political statement.
“The Berlin Declaration is not merely another political statement; it is a document that reflects the principles that unite us and our shared vision for the future of Europe,” he said.
“Europe needs a new direction — a Europe of free and sovereign nations, where decisions are taken as closely as possible to the citizens.”
Dr Alexander Sell MEP, President of the Sovereignty Foundation, added: “Millions of Europeans voted for member parties of ESN because they hope for a better future for our continent. Anyone who wants to ban our party is not a democrat and has no right to claim respect for European values.”
The Berlin Declaration emphasises Europe’s “rich diversity of nations, regions, peoples, languages, faiths and traditions” and warns that this diversity is threatened by “ideological conformity”.
It commits ESN members to democracy (the will of the people as the source of authority), freedom (including freedom of expression that may “offend, shock or disturb”), equality before the law, the rule of law, and economic prosperity.
The party, formed after the 2024 European elections and officially registered in September 2024, positions itself as defending national sovereignty and democratic self-determination.
The timing of the declaration is notable. The ESN Party and its affiliated group in the European Parliament have been under scrutiny by the Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations (APPF).
The watchdog has raised concerns about compliance with EU values, with reports indicating a possible risk to the party’s official status and EU funding (reportedly over €2 million annually).
ESN representatives have rejected these moves as politically motivated attempts to silence dissenting voices.
By adopting the Berlin Declaration, the party appears to be making a public case that it upholds core European principles while criticising what it sees as over-centralisation and ideological enforcement from Brussels.
Brussels Signal reached out to the APPF, asking if the declaration would change anything in it’s assessment of the ESN, but did not receive a reply at the time of publication.
