“Political freedoms are not a luxury in a democratic state; they are a necessity. A democratic society cannot be built or preserved if freedom of assembly and freedom of association are not guaranteed, encouraged and respected. These political freedoms are an indispensable check on any democratic power. Freedom of assembly and freedom of association are key building blocks of democratic security.”*

*State of Democracy, Human Rights and the Rule of Law, Role of Institutions, Threats to Institutions, Report by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe 2018. 

   INTRODUCTION            

  "Impact on youth of shrinking civic space" - video message from Matjaž Gruden, the Council of Europe’s Director of Democratic Participation