The challenges facing democracy today are multifaceted and urgent. On October 21st and 22nd, 2024, Re-Imagine Europa joined prominent international figures at the OECD Global Forum on Democracy in Milan. This participation underscored our organisation’s commitment to depolarisation, emphasising the critical role narratives play in shaping public discourse, and the importance of deliberative approaches in restoring a more cohesive and constructive public debate.
The OECD’s 2024 Global Forum themed “Building Trust and Reinforcing Democracy. Breaking New Ground for the Future of Democracy” addressed key trends for global democracy. Panel discussions centered around the evolving landscape of voter participation, governance, and the inclusiveness of political processes. Notably, the Forum placed great emphasis on the digital ecosystem, acknowledging the significant role of countering polarisation and disinformation in this context.
Experts called attention to the fast-changing information environment shaped by digitalisation and the increasing use of AI. They stressed the importance of promoting information integrity as a pivotal pillar of democracy. While misinformation may not directly influence election outcomes, it fosters extreme polarisation, undermines social trust, and feeds populist rhetoric. To combat these issues, the forum underscored the necessity of safeguarding democracies from foreign interference while upholding civic freedoms, human rights, and the rule of law.
Moreover, in a climate of extreme inequality and weakened leadership, trust in democratic institutions continues to waver, risking democratic integrity. The Forum encouraged introspection within democracies to meet rising citizen expectations and rebuild trust—crucial for social cohesion. This trust can be restored through transparent governance, responsive public services, and a commitment to serving the public interest. By actively showing competence, inclusion, and a commitment to people’s interests, leaders can rebuild the credibility of institutions.
In a world increasingly affected by disinformation and misinformation, Re-Imagine Europa’s mission has become more essential than ever. While traditional approaches—such as fact-checking, content moderation, and legal frameworks— are necessary, it is evident that more must be done as disinformation continues to proliferate. The research conducted under the Narratives Observatory combatting Disinformation in Europe Systemically (NODES), has shown that the fight against disinformation is not merely a battle over facts but a deeper struggle over how we perceive and engage with the world around us. Disinformation manipulates the narratives and cognitive frameworks through which people interpret information, underscoring the need for a more systemic approach.
Harnessing Technology for Good
As technology and digital platforms increasingly shape public opinion, power is concentrating within large tech companies, gaining control over vast amounts of personal data. The solution, Re-Imagine Europa proposes, lies in rebalancing this power, ensuring ethical oversight and human supervision in the deployment of digital tools. By leveraging these technologies responsibly, they could be powerful assets for improving democracy—facilitating transparency, connecting citizens, and supporting innovative, deliberative initiatives at both local and global levels.
Collective Efforts for Democratic Resilience
Holistic approaches and cross-borders cooperation will be essential to counter these modern challenges, as the Forum highlighted. With a commitment to strengthening democratic resilience, Re-Imagine Europa calls for a concerted effort among governments, institutions, civil society organisations and the public to innovate solutions that safeguard democratic values in Europe. Instead of fearing the diversity of voices that disinformation and polarisation seek to exploit, we can seize this moment of profound democratic renewal—a chance to rediscover the values that we hold dear as Europeans and distinguish our societal model, making us who we are, and allowing us to reshape our collective narrative accordingly, towards a more hopeful and optimistic vision of the future.
