Global democracy crisis, local resilience: An international panel

Democracy is in retreat globally — according to V-Dem’s latest report, only 7% of the world’s population now lives in a liberal democracy, the lowest level in over 50 years. Even long-established democracies are affected — including, for the first time, the United States.

The European Commission has responded with its “European Democracy Shield,” aimed at countering disinformation, AI-driven manipulation, and declining institutional trust across the EU.

Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Latvia are among the strongest democracies in the world today. But strong is not the same as immune. A new survey shows that half of all people under 50 in Sweden hold back from expressing their views on society, out of fear of the consequences — a quiet warning sign that shows up long before it would ever register in an institutional index.

Join this international panel to hear what it actually takes to keep a strong democracy strong: what works, what doesn’t, and what Sweden can learn from communities already doing this work across Europe.