From democratic resilience to democratic security

Date: Wednesday 30 October 2024, 12:30-14:00 CET (light lunch as of 12:00)
Venue: Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union, Rue du Luxembourg 47-51, 1050 Brussels

Democracy in Europe faces unprecedented domestic and external threats, ranging from emboldened far-right parties and the erosion of the rule of law in some EU Member States, to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as disinformation and foreign interference. Sophie Pornschlegel, Deputy Director at Europe Jacques Delors in Brussels, will present key findings from her latest study: “From democratic resilience to democratic security: A post-2024 democracy agenda for the EU".
Join us on Wednesday 30 October 2024 to engage in a critical discussion on the future of democracy in Europe with:

• Sophie Pornschlegel, Deputy Director, Europe Jacques Delors in Brussels
• Claire Pershan, EU Advocacy Lead, Mozilla Foundation
• Alice Stollmeyer, Founder and Executive Director, Defend Democracy

Moderation: Zora Siebert, Head of Programme - EU Democracy & Digital Policy, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union

The findings and discussion of this study will provide valuable guidance for shaping a robust, future-proof democracy agenda for the next five years. A notable theme is the tension in Ursula von der Leyen’s framing of democracy as closely tied to security. This is exemplified by the proposal for a 'European Democracy Shield' to protect against foreign interference and disinformation, and the risk that this focus on external threats may overshadow the need for internal reflection on the state of democracy within the EU. Can external defences alone truly safeguard democracy, or is a broader internal strategy required?

We will explore key themes such as:

• The shift from democratic resilience to democratic security in EU policy-making
• The role of democracy in the next five years, considering the European Commissioners-designates
• The democratic resilience of EU institutions

Your presence and input would be invaluable to this conversation. To attend the event, please register here.

For any questions, please contact Zora Siebert.

For press and media requests, please contact Joan Lanfranco.