Barry believes that a society is only as strong as the quality of its democracy – he is committed to the democratic reform of the EU. The actions of President von der Leyen and Commissioner Varhélyi in response to the Israel-Hamas war were proof of the need for greater checks and balances in EU decision-making. The European Parliament's powers must be strengthened to ensure that those making the decisions that affect our citizens are directly elected. Barry's work on tackling disinformation online and promoting media freedom at the EU level serve the same purpose – we must protect Irish citizens' right to privacy, free speech and free media so our democracy can thrive. Barry was honoured to be selected as Chief Observer for the European Union to Nigeria's presidential and general elections throughout 2023.