How European Libertarians Differ From American Ones

On April 24-26, I attended LibertyCon Europe 2026, the major annual gathering of European libertarian students and academics (held this year in Madrid). I was invited to give two talks, and therefore came to this event for the first time since 2014. I spoke to numerous students, academics, and activists who attended the conference and got a better sense of where European libertarians (or "classical liberals," as some prefer to call themselves) stand at this crucial moment in history. It was interesting to observe similarities and differences with their American counterparts. Not surprisingly, there is a large overlap between the two groups' views and priorities. A high proportion of what I saw and heard at LibertyCon Europe differed little from what I would expect to see at a comparable US event. For example, libertarians on both sides of the Atlantic are deeply concerned about excessive government spending and regulation, growing efforts to impose restrictions on access to various websites (often under the pretext of protecting children), protectionist restrictions on international trade, and more. American libertarians have greatly influenced their European counterparts, and vice versa. As the great Austrian libertarian economist F.A. Hayek put it, "[t]he growth of ideas is an