Young Meijers Committee – Safeguarding the Rule of Law in the European Union

The New Roaring Twenties: Empowering future rule of law defenders in Europe

The Meijers Committee is concerned about the EU’s insufficient response to threats against the rule of law within its Member States. The erosion of legal safeguards through processes such as ‘constitutional capture’ presents serious risks across the Union, creating a slippery slope that gradually deprives European citizens of legal protection and undermines fundamental rights. These concerns are compounded by other pressing rule of law issues, including attacks on journalists and decline of media freedom and pluralism, as well as threats of new technologies to electoral integrity and the repression of civil society to counter such issues. To counter these developments, the Meijers Committee seeks to mobilize current and future (legal) professionals to actively defend and uphold the rule of law across all its dimensions.

The Meijers Committee founded the ‘Young Meijers Committee’ as a response to the growing threats to democracy and the rule of law in the European Union. This initiative aims to equip motivated students and young professionals, with essential skills, knowledge and practical experience, empowering them to challenge the current trajectory of the EU and develop solutions for pressing rule of law challenges.

Each year, the Meijers Committee selects 15 motivated students and/or young professionals committed to advancing the rule of law within the EU. The YMC members collaborate on a shared final product, focused on developing practical solutions for pressing rule of law challenges in the EU.
The Meijers Committee empowers the Young Meijers Committee through expert-led workshops that feed into their collective final product. The workshops will enable the YMC members to expand their understanding of rule of law challenges across the EU, while equipping them with a toolbox to address these challenges. Doing so, the workshops seek to debunk common rule of law myths in furtherance of efforts to protect the rule of law.
Furthermore, YMC members will become an integral part of the Meijers Committee by actively participating in and contributing to the subcommittee meetings and plenary sessions, acquiring practical skills and experience in defending democratic values, while expanding their professional network. Hence, the YMC members will be assigned to members of the Meijers Committee who will provide guidance throughout the Young Meijers Committee program.

Interested?

Please find the call for the Young Meijers Committee cohort of 2026 here