Club de Madrid has sent a formal letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urging the immediate activation of the European Union’s Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI) in response to escalating economic pressure and coercive threats directed at European countries.
Signed by democratic former Heads of State and Government from across regions, the letter warns that external attempts to influence the enforcement of EU laws — particularly those protecting democracy, digital sovereignty, and the rule of law — represent a direct challenge to Europe’s democratic self-governance.
Members of Club de Madrid stress that defending Europe’s legal order is not only a matter of trade, but a fundamental issue of democratic integrity, sovereignty, and citizens’ rights. They call on the European Commission to act decisively to prevent further interference and reaffirm Europe’s leadership in upholding democratic values.
Full Letter
Signed by:
Kjell Magne Bondevik, Prime Minister of Norway (1997-2000; 2001-2005)
Jan Peter Balkenende, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (2002-2010)
Valdis Birkavs, Prime Minister of Latvia (1993-1994)
Joaquim Chissano, President of Mozambique (1986-2005)
Dominique de Villepin, Prime Minister of France (2005-2007)
Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of Lithuania (2009-2019)
Alfred Gusenbauer, Chancellor of Austria (2007-2008)
Ivo Josipović, President of Croatia (2010-2015)
Milan Kučan, President of Slovenia (1991-2002)
Aleksander Kwaśniewski, President of Poland (1995-2005)
Cristina Manzano, Member of the Board of Club de Madrid, Representative of Founding Constituent
Member FRIDE
Rexhep Meidani, President of Albania (1997-2002)
James Michel, President of the Seychelles (2004-2016)
Olusegun Obasanjo, President of Nigeria (1976-1979; 1999-2007)
George Papandreou, Prime Minister of Greece (2009 – 2011)
Iveta Radičová, Prime Minister of Slovakia (2010-2012)
Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Prime Minister of France (2002-2005)
Petre Roman, Prime Minister of Romania (1989-1991)
Juan Somavía, Ninth Director of the International Labour Organization (1999-2012)
Hanna Suchocka, Prime Minister of Poland (1992-1993)
Jigmi Yoser Thinley, Prime Minister of Bhutan (2008-2013)
Danilo Türk, President of Slovenia (2007-2012)
Valdis Zatlers, President of Latvia (2007-2011)
* The Financial Times reports that a group of democratic former prime ministers and presidents, including members of the Club de Madrid, has urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to trigger the European Union’s Anti-Coercion Instrument in response to mounting external economic pressure and threats to EU law and regulatory autonomy.