🔍 How does Europe support democracy around the world? Where is funding going? How has it changed over time? Our interactive data tool tracks Europe's core democracy support funding. Check the data tool ⤵️ europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu/data-tool/?u...

🇭🇺 Hungary’s political breakthrough did not happen overnight. Throughout more than sixteen years of autocratisation, many institutions and people in #Hungary contributed to keeping open the possibility of a democratic reemergence. What are the lessons for international democracy aid? Latest ⤵️

Lessons for International Democracy Aid from Hungary’s Political Breakthrough - European Democracy Hub

europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu

The logic of the EU's Mediterranean policy is inherently unsustainable. By offering payouts to authoritarian governments in exchange for cooperation, the EU is turning itself into a bank that these governments can tap simply by raising their price. Hussein Baoumi's latest analysis ⤵️

EU Policy in the Middle East in the Midst of War - European Democracy Hub

EU policy in the Middle East prioritises security, migration and short-term stability over democracy commitments.

europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu

💬 The sudden withdrawal of donor support is not a new phenomenon. CSOs have faced abrupt funding losses before, and cases from around the world show that civil society is remarkably adaptive. Read the analysis by Ann Tsurtsumia-Zurabashvili on our website 🔗 ow.ly/SFS350Yl38m

📖 While the #GlobalGateway is built on democratic values, growing evidence suggests that these commitments risk becoming more rhetorical than operational. 💬 Civic space is not an obstacle to investment efficiency; it is the infrastructure that makes investment sustainable. Our latest ⤵️

The EU's Global Gateway Needs Democracy to Work - European Democracy Hub

EU Global Gateway needs to embed democracy and civic participation to ensure investments remain effective and sustainable.

europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu

Péter Magyar’s victory has triggered extensive analysis of how opposition movements can succeed in an extremely constrained political space. It also offers lessons about the role civil society played in keeping the possibility of democratic change alive during sixteen years of autocratisation 👇

Lessons for International Democracy Aid from Hungary’s Political Breakthrough - European Democracy Hub

europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu

💬 “In trying to buy stability, the EU is increasing both its cost and its scarcity.” In the midst of conflicts in the Middle East, the EU is shifting further towards a transactional security policy, prioritising short-term outcomes over values-based cooperation. ✍️ @husseinbaoumi.bsky.social

EU Policy in the Middle East in the Midst of War - European Democracy Hub

EU policy in the Middle East prioritises security, migration and short-term stability over democracy commitments.

europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu

📖 European rearmament is well underway. The need for European security autonomy is obvious, but military spending alone does not guarantee long-term security. European governments need to address the political ramifications of rearmament. Richard Youngs' latest for The Conversation ⤵️

Although #GenZ has dominated headlines, some of the protest movements drew support from people across generations. The few demonstrations that successfully overthrew autocratic governments achieved this by building broad-based coalitions, says @evelynmantoiu.bsky.social ⤵️ 🔗 ow.ly/pfac50Zj1g1

The 2025 Surge in Global Protests Is Continuing in 2026 - European Democracy Hub

europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu

💡 Since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration in 1995, women’s political empowerment has become a priority in international aid. In 2022, 74% of democratic governance aid identified gender equality as either a primary or a secondary goal, compared with 53% in 2009.

💬 Progress is not self-evident, nor a natural policy direction that would simply continue. — Stefan Löfven, former Prime Minister of Sweden, Member of Club de Madrid. Continue reading the interview ⤵️ europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu/interview-wi... 🤝 @clubdemadrid.bsky.social

📚 While western aid recedes, China continues to channel significant resources into development projects and expand its global influence. How can Europe best balance its competition with China? China's Development Playbook: A Test for European Democracy Support 👇 ow.ly/Uq0f50XZAgP

One year after the dismantling of the USAID funding, what does the democracy support landscape look like? Several new initiatives have emerged in some regions, but whether these will evolve into concrete forms of “post-US” democracy support remains unclear. A must-read on @carnegieendowment.org ⤵️

Post-U.S. International Democracy Support: Aspiration in Search of Substance

The reinvention of democracy support needs to be carried forward without the clear leadership of one dominant player.

carnegieendowment.org

President of EPD, Anu Juvonen wraps up #EPDAC2026 with Camilla Banda and Pablo Callizo of the Club de Madrid Young Decision Makers Network. Thank you all who joined and made this another successful and inspiring edition! clubdemadrid.bsky.social @anujuvonen.bsky.social @demofinland.bsky.social

“We need to give democracy once more a human face” 🎙️ Iveta Radičová, Former Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic (2010-2012) and Club de Madrid Member #EPDAC2026 @clubdemadrid.bsky.social

📌 Final panel on the European Democracy Shield: "Civil society is the last line of defence when public institutions weaken. They’re not complementing democracy, but rather keeping it alive" 🎙️Tjaša Feher, EU Advocacy Manager, EUCrta #EPDAC2026 @tjasafeher.bsky.social @eucrta.bsky.social

📌 Session 6 on designing public-interest digital infrastructures: ''We think a European Google would be good, but EU companies do not always uphold EU values. We can’t borrow the business models of failed states.'' 🎙️ Belén Luna Sanz, @whattofix.tech #EPDAC2026

📌 Session 4 on Democracy in Crisis: “Young people vote roughly the same as other generations, but they have the far right in their voting set (...) Older people vote for mainstream parties, younger people vote for new parties" 🎙️Cas Mudde, University of Georgia, United States @casmudde.bsky.social

📌 Session 1 on EU enlargement: ‘’We chose Europe as a guarantee of our democratic futures. This is not only a slogan. We cement our countries as democracies, not as something that can be used in geopolitical games.’’ 🎙️ Cristina Cerevate, State Secretary, Government of the Republic of Moldova

🎙️ Gladys Mokhawa, on behalf of Former President of Botswana Masisi: ‘‘President Masisi lost the last elections and congratulated the newly elected president because democratic resilience depends on civil ownership and when citizens recognise themselves in it.’’ #EPDAC2026 @clubdemadrid.bsky.social

The stage is set for the event of the year, #EPDAC2026! 💫 How healthy are our democracies and how can we design them to be more resilient? 📲 Stay tuned for key insights from experts, practitioners, and democracy advocates.

🌍 Young people are not disengaged from democracy, they are pushing back against political systems that fail to represent them. Case studies from the Young Researchers Network explore how young people are navigating political exclusion. Full report👇 europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu/how-young-pe...

The need for European security autonomy is obvious, but military spending alone does not guarantee long-term security. The current debate risks crowding out Europe's focus on non-military security. Richard Youngs' latest for @theconversation.com 👇

Europe Is Rearming Itself Without Addressing the Political Consequences - European Democracy Hub

Europe's security turn remains strikingly ad hoc, despite its massive increase in defence spending.

europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu

💬 It is time to move away from the longstanding framing of civil society and democracy support as largely apolitical. Donors need to be more upfront about the political nature of civil society support. – Anna Khakee Continue reading on our website 👇 europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu/wp-content/u...

On 9 June, join: 🔵 Ann Tsurtsumia-Zurabashvili, e-Governance Academy 🔵 Wajdi Balloumi, I WATCH 🔵 Rostislav Valvoda, Prague Civil Society Centre Moderated by Richard Youngs, from @carnegieeurope.bsky.social & the @europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu Register now 🖇️

Annual Conference 2026 | European Partnership for Democracy

European Partnership for Democracy is delighted to invite you to our Annual Conference on 9 June in Brussels.  Democracy is the only political system that, ...

epd.eu

Transparency requirements for CSOs are increasingly weaponised by authoritarian states, framed as protecting sovereignty. Wajdi Balloumi argues that civic actors should be more proactive and reframe transparency from a punitive obligation into a marker of legitimacy. Read more 👇 ow.ly/ysLl50YmmBh

New Approaches to Defending Global Civil Society - European Democracy Hub

ow.ly

🚀 Youth are changing politics. Together with the Youth Democracy Cohort, we launch new case studies from young researchers across the globe. More than research, it’s a call to rethink how we understand participation, power, and representation. Explore 👉 europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu/how-young-pe...

💬 Gender equality leads to better decision-making - Esko Aho, former Prime Minister of Finland and Member of Club de Madrid (@clubdemadrid.bsky.social) Read our interview with him 👇 europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu/interview-wi...

🇭🇺 After Hungary voted out Orbán, many are asking: can this mark the beginning of democratic recovery? Poland faced a similar moment in 2023. How did the EU respond to that window of opportunity? What lessons does it hold? 👇 europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu/the-eus-role...

💬 "Defending civic space now depends on strengthening the information ecosystems that underpins it," says Rostislav Valvoda (Prague Civil Society Centre). How are independent media finding ways to survive under authoritarian conditions? How can Europe do more to support them? 👉 ow.ly/SFS350Yl38m