The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Party has been labelled “undesirable” in Russia, the Russian Prosecutor General’s office announced on Monday.
The ALDE Party is led by German liberal Svenja Hahn and includes Belgium’s MR and Open VLD. In the European Parliament, its members are part of Renew Europe, chaired by Valérie Hayer.
According to the Russian Prosecutor’s office, the ALDE Party is "one of the most anti-Russian political forces in the European Union," and they accuse it of "consistently discrediting Russian domestic and foreign policies."
The statement also claims that since the start of the “special military operation” in Ukraine in February 2022, the party and its youth wing have called for Russia’s international isolation, increased sanctions, and military and financial aid to Kyiv.
The Russian Prosecutor General’s office has thus "decided to recognise the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party and its youth wing, European Liberal Youth (Belgium), as undesirable on Russian territory."
Russia first established a list of “undesirable” organisations in 2015, which now includes 206 entries. Recent additions include the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the independent newspaper Moscow Times, and the American cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.
Being "undesirable" requires the listed organisations to cease operations in Russia. Russian nationals working for, funding, or collaborating with them may also face prosecution.
Leaders of an "undesirable" organisation risk up to six years in prison, while participation can result in up to four years’ imprisonment.
