Vingt ans après l’élargissement de 2004. L’état des libertés en Europe centrale et orientale

The collapse of the People's Democracies in 1989 profoundly transformed Central and Eastern Europe. Liberal democracies backed by independent states governed by the rule of law supplanted autocratic regimes under scientific domination, bringing an unprecedented wind of freedom to artistic, intellectual and scientific creation in the "other Europe". The accession of these countries to the European Union in two separate waves (2004 and 2005) has strengthened and institutionalised the region's attachment to Western values of promoting individual freedoms and human rights.

However, this process of extending and entrenching freedoms, which has never been linear, has for the last fifteen years or so come up against obstacles, and even challenges, from conservative political tendencies which, as in Hungary, Poland and more recently Slovakia, have sometimes come to power. Attacks on abortion rights, judicial independence and media pluralism, attacks on university autonomy, gender studies and critical research - there are many causes for concern.

Julie Gacon (moderator) is a journalist and producer of the "Cultures Monde" programme on France Culture.

Georges Mink is a sociologist and Professor of European Civilisation at the College of Europe in Natolin.

Jérôme Heurtaux is a political scientist and lecturer at Paris-Dauphine University.

Clara Royer is Professor of Slavonic Studies at Sorbonne University.