Shortly after our 6th anniversary, Defend Democracy is excited to launch a new phase. Six years of our mission about hybrid threats and technological threats to democracy brought much awareness, action and collaboration. Although successful, it was not enough for our governments to stop these trends, which now converge and accelerate. Our work significantly contributed to…
Defend Democracy founder Alice Stollmeyer examines how converging foreign, domestic, and technological threats test the EU’s democratic resilience – and its policy choices. Like the climate crisis, the democracy crisis didn’t happen overnight. Rather than a single tipping point, democracy dies by a thousand cuts. And until recently, European institutions and democracies stood by and…
Is Europe ready for the era of hybrid warfare? To defend against hybrid attacks, we must urgently build civil preparedness and societal resilience. When updating security assets, we must not only invest in hardware and software but also in ‘wetware’. When Defend Democracy started, ‘hybrid threats’ was still a niche concept. Today, you only need…
“We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to [American and Chinese] social networks, whose interests are not at all the survival or proper functioning of our democracies.” From a speech by President Macron on the occasion of German Unity Day, 3 October 2025 “Finally, it is up to us Europeans to take…
Today, 23 April 2025, the European Commission fined Meta and Apple for breaching EU law. After months of investigation and fruitless dialogue, the tech firms now have 60 days to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act. Defend Democracy comments: “It is great that the European Union is leading the governance of digital technologies and…
Today, Defend Democracy co-organised the first in a series of ‘HandsOFF Our Democracy‘ protests. Our founder and executive director gave the following speech. A few months before I launched Defend Democracy*, just 50 meters from here we organised a peaceful protest in solidarity with the American ‘March for Truth’. That was in June 2017. We…
All around the globe, democracy is under threat and authoritarianism on the rise. The Trump/Musk regime openly states that the terms for global trade and exchange shall be dictated by the United States. They are aiming a big bazooka at the European standards of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights. In other words:…
An umbrella does not shield against flooding. For the European Democracy Shield to do what it says, it must encompass the full spectrum of hybrid threats, not only foreign disinformation. Like any shield, it is only as strong as its bearer. If it is to be more than a fig leaf, our work to defend…
Defend Democracy is excited to welcome former Member of European Parliament Sophie In ‘t Veld to its Advisory Board. In ‘t Veld is a leading voice on democracy with 30 years experience in European politics. Sophie In ‘t Veld: “I am very pleased and honoured to join Defend Democracy, a young and visionary organisation. We…
How the next European Commission can improve its defence of democracy Given the results of the European elections, the EU should urgently improve its defence of democracy. Today, 16* civil society organisations sent EU Commission President Von der Leyen the following letter: Dear President Von der Leyen, In your bid for a second mandate as…
