Foro La Toja–Vínculo Atlántico was founded in 2019 under the leadership of Josep Piqué and the drive of Amancio López Seijas and Grupo Hotusa, with the purpose of creating a space for reflection and public debate on the challenges facing our societies, grounded in respectful dialogue between differing positions. Our principles are based on the values that define open societies: the defence of freedoms and representative democracy, strong and respected institutions, checks and balances on power, and political pluralism. In the economic sphere, a market economy based on private initiative yet committed to social welfare and shared prosperity. In the international arena, global governance defined by international law, the defence of human rights, and a cooperative multilateral order.

Over these years, we have sought to honour that declaration of intent and to focus all our debates around those founding premises. Dozens of speakers from across the ideological spectrum have expressed their views on the most diverse issues, with respect for others as the sole limit. Our sponsors throughout these years have contributed to consolidating this commitment to dialogue, while the media has given visibility to our work through their attention.

The principles and values that inspired the creation of Foro La Toja remain valid, and we believe that today, as we face new and radical challenges, their defence is more imperative than ever. The historic transatlantic cooperation between Europe and the United States is being questioned, international law is gravely disregarded in Ukraine and Gaza, and free trade is under threat from a wave of tariffs. National populism increasingly occupies positions of power, while the cohesion of our societies suffers from growing polarisation and the weakening of a social model that is losing legitimacy.

None of these challenges discredits liberal democracies or their values, yet each represents an almost existential test. This is why we find it necessary to reiterate our founding commitment to the principles that define the model of an open society and to an international order based on rules.

Looking at Spain, the country’s extraordinary political and economic success over the last 50 years has been built on openness to the world, a strong institutional foundation established through the Constitution, and the broad consensus that reflected the centrality of Spanish society. The Monarchy, embodied today by Felipe VI, has been the driving force of this historic transformation and the guarantor of its permanence; today, in times of profound political and social fragmentation, the Crown remains the symbol that best represents the determination of Spaniards to live together in democracy.

It is clear that Spain, like the rest of Western societies, suffers the effects of populism and polarisation, which erode the political climate and governability. We must not resign ourselves to this and must reaffirm that effective and responsible governance requires broad, cross-party agreements under the moderating power of neutral institutions respected by all.

There can be no democracy without democrats; this is why we believe that public representatives must recover the ethics of exemplary conduct, accountability, and democratic restraint both in government and in opposition. We reaffirm our conviction that the Atlantic Link continues to be a decisive factor in maintaining the model of open societies and representative democracies that we share. The historical, cultural, strategic, and commercial ties between Europe and the Americas must endure beyond temporary circumstances and should be strengthened in the face of the new international order shaped by the hegemonic struggle between the United States and China. We do not believe that the future of global governance can be defined by spheres of influence, but rather by shared values.

This renewed Atlantic Link will require a new balance between its members, in which Europe must show determination to assume greater political and strategic capacity. The foundations of a new Europe must be built on greater internal cohesion and a strong, autonomous foreign and defence policy, seeking new ties with countries that share our values, making Europe, beyond its geography, a reliable geopolitical actor and a competitive economy.

Europe must not renounce its economic model, based on openness and the defence of global free trade, nor should it renounce its social model, which must remain a source of pride. However, we must acknowledge that the maintenance of the European welfare state must be based on the work and effort of its citizens, on innovation, productivity, and excellence in education. Europe needs to rebuild a new work ethic in line with the challenges of the 21st century.

Immigration is an essential element for maintaining the vitality and dynamism of our increasingly ageing societies, and migration policies must be pragmatic and intelligent, ensuring integration and adaptation of incoming migrants to the real needs of our companies.

Security must also remain an essential component of our model of society, and we must address the new challenges of cybersecurity while keeping in mind the broader task of ensuring a safe and protected society.

At Foro La Toja, we strongly believe that Europe’s economic development and social welfare will depend on how effectively we complete the digital and energy transitions, which cannot be reversed. Europe must have the ambition and pragmatism needed to turn these processes into factors of competitiveness for our economy, without neglecting the social consequences they may bring.

Spain, as an exporting country, and Europe, as one of the world’s major markets, must continue to promote trade as a fundamental driver of growth and development worldwide, while protecting our social state model, aware of the fiscal efforts it entails and the need to optimise all competitiveness factors in our economies to guarantee their sustainability.

Just as a new world order seems to be emerging, so too should a new social contract arise, akin to that which enabled the great economic and democratic expansion of the second half of the last century. This new contract should consider the social costs of all ongoing processes as well as the concerns of our citizens: security, job insecurity, migration management, and demographic imbalances.

We also remain convinced that Latin America must be the third cornerstone of this Atlantic space. Europe and the United States must recover the ground ceded to China in the region and build a new relationship based on respect and cooperation, as demonstrated by the recent Mercosur agreement. Spain and Portugal must not renounce their privileged dialogue with this vital region of the world. The progress made there in the fight against poverty, crime, and drug-trafficking networks, as well as its global influence, would be greater if its regional integration process advanced further.

In this situation of great global uncertainty, Foro La Toja maintains some certainties. We continue to trust in the principles and values of liberal democracy and open societies; we are also convinced that the best solutions to society’s problems are those that emerge from dialogue and public debate.

At this difficult crossroads, Foro La Toja, born of civil society, neither wants nor can remain neutral. It actively and repeatedly expresses its defence of the principles and values that inspire it, in the pursuit of truth and in the future of Democracy and the Open Society, the foundation of the greatest political and social prosperity we have ever known.