On Tuesday, the European Parliament’s political groups will present their nominees for the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The event marks the beginning of the selection process for this annual award.
The presentation will take place during a joint meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Development committees and the Subcommittee on Human Rights. The session is scheduled from 14:30 to 15:30 in Room 3C050 of the Paul-Henri Spaak Building in Brussels. The proceedings will be broadcast live on the European Parliament’s webstreaming platform and will also be available as a recording.
After Tuesday’s presentations, responsible committees are set to vote on a shortlist of three candidates on October 16. The final decision on the laureate will be made by the Conference of Presidents, which includes President Roberta Metsola and leaders of political groups, at the end of October.
The award ceremony is planned for December during Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg.
Since its establishment in 1988, the Sakharov Prize has been recognized as the highest European honor for dedication to human rights work. Each September, Members of European Parliament (MEPs) and political groups nominate candidates who must have backing from at least 40 MEPs; each MEP can support only one candidate.
“The laureate will be chosen by the Conference of Presidents, composed of the President of Parliament, Roberta Metsola and the political groups leaders, at the end of October.”
The Sakharov Prize highlights significant contributions to freedom of thought and human rights advocacy across Europe and beyond.
