Towards a European Shield for Democracy: the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies study presented to the European Parliament

What measures should be taken to strengthen democratic resilience in the European Union? This question is answered by the study ‘Strengthening resilience - Towards the European Democracy Shield’, presented by Prof. Edoardo Bressanelli, professor of Political Science at the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, to the Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield (EUDS). Commissioned by the European Parliament, the study was written in collaboration with Samuele Bernardi, a former student of Political Science at the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies.

Contributing to the debate on the European Democracy Shield, which is due to be published shortly, the study analyses the current legislative and policy framework of the Union for the protection of democracy in light of growing external and internal challenges, which are often interconnected. Disinformation, manipulation of information and interference by foreign actors, cyber attacks, deepfakes and growing polarisation of the electorate are just some of the main threats to the proper functioning of democratic processes considered in the research.

Although the measures implemented by the EU in this area are numerous and far-reaching, the study highlights further lines of action to be considered as a priority. These include the need to rapidly approve certain legislative texts still under discussion in the chamber, the importance of timely implementation of the Union's acquis in this area – starting with the regulation on digital services – and the need to provide for a streamlined governance structure, free of functional duplication and with specific financial allocations. Further policy recommendations focus on the Union's external action, social resilience and the media and digital literacy of the younger generations.

"Ultimately - explains Bressanelli - it will be important to find a balance between the need to protect democratic processes in the Union and the need to maintain the active participation and civic engagement of citizens".

Freely available online, the study explores issues addressed in a previous study entitled ‘Resilience of Democracy and European Elections against New Challenges’, conducted by the same authors at the request of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).