“As the European Union begins a new political cycle, the fight against disinformation demands a strategic shift to focus on the highly polarising narratives that dominate the public sphere. Fact-checking, media literacy and regulation of social media platforms are not enough anymore. Unlocking resilience in Europe’s democracy will require mastering the narratives that shape our collective reality, and this is something that we should address urgently”, said Erika Staël von Holstein, co-founder and Chief Executive of Re-Imagine Europa, during the presentation of the White Paper The Power of Narratives A Strategic Approach to Combatting Disinformation in Europe – Key Findings from the First European Narratives Observatory (NODES).
Harnessing the latest advances in psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral science, the European Narrative Observatory has analysed dominant narratives on climate, migration, and COVID-19 across four languages. According to Staël von Holstein, “narrative communities interpret the world through similar frameworks, sharing fundamental thinking patterns, heroes and villains, and a common narrative language. Understanding this diversity is crucial as disinformation exploits diverse narrative languages in very sophisticated ways, by targeting audiences with codes that are often misinterpreted by other communities”. The European Narrative Observatory “alerts us of the dangers of a growing dissemination of polarised narratives that is deepening societal division across Europe and weakening the foundations of the democratic dialogue”, she added.
The White Paper was presented at an expert roundtable hosted by Brando Benifei MEP, featuring contributions from prominent European figures and experts, including Ivo Belet, Deputy Head of Cabinet of European Commission Vice President Dubravka Šuica, Klára Dobrev MEP, Alexandra Geese MEP, Krisztina Stump, Head of Unit Media Convergence and Social Media at DG CNECT, Paolo Cesarini, Chair of the Executive Board of the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO), Jacob Tamm, Deputy Head of Information Integrity at the European External Action Service (EEAS), Juliette Montesse, Head of Digital Investigations for Europe at Agence France Presse (AFP).
“The eruption of generative AI and its combination with digital platform are impacting negatively our democracy”, alerted Brando Benifei, co-raporteur of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act
Ivo Belet highlighted that “during this mandate, the Commission has come forward with a wide range of tools to improve our democratic ecosystem. A key achievement has been to put citizens at the centre of the discussions on the future of the European Union. President-elect von der Leyen has called for ‘a new era of dialogue with citizens and stakeholders’. Looking to the future, the Democracy Shield will be a key priority in the next mandate. The NODES White Paper can certainly inspire that work. Projects like NODES contribute greatly to our shared endeavour of fighting disinformation and building democratic resilience”.
Brando Benifei, co-rapporteur of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act, alerted that “the eruption of generative AI and it’s combination with digital platforms is impacting negatively our democracy”, emphasising the importance of the work on narratives developed by organisations like Re-Imagine Europa and the NODES Project as an important tool for policymakers to address these challenges effectively.
Erika Staël von Holstein presented a concrete set of policy recommendations developed through the European Narratives Observatory to effectively combat disinformation campaigns that thrive on emotional resonance and deep-seated psychological biases, exploiting the narratives that define our worldviews. Key recommendations include:
- Establishing an Expert Group on Narratives to support the European Commission with evidence-based guidance on how narrative structures could be used to foster a more cooperative and constructive public discourse.
Use Case: Farmers’ Protests and the Farm to Fork Strategy The farmers’ protests around the Farm to Fork Strategy highlighted how differing narratives can deepen polarisation and escalate conflict. A key issue was the framing of the strategy, which was perceived as a “people vs. planet” battle. This narrative reinforced divisions between stakeholders who, in reality, share many goals—such as sustainability and economic stability—but prioritise them differently. Using tools like narrative maps and bridges, policymakers could have fostered more productive engagement, helping to reframe the debate emphasising common ground.
- Supporting the Development of European Narratives Observatories, to effectively tackle disinformation and its role in polarising public discourse. Employing advanced data analysis techniques, including AI and big data, these observatories can map out the diverse and evolving narratives across the EU, providing crucial insights to policymakers.
Use Case: AI Narratives in Europe. The current debate around AI is often dominated by sensational narratives about Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and global competition. This framing, while attention-grabbing, is not particularly helpful in fostering a nuanced understanding of AI. The terminology itself—”Artificial Intelligence”— leads people to either fear or idealise AI. These narratives risk deepening societal divisions, especially for communities that already feel alienated by technological advances. Insights from narrative analysis could help reframe the AI discussion, emphasising its role as a tool that can enhance healthcare, education, and other public services, rather than as an existential threat.
- Ensuring Access to Data on Public Discourse for European Researchers. To fully realise the potential of the Digital Services Act (DSA), the European Commission must ensure that researchers across Europe can effectively access and analyse this data, while adhering to GDPR and other European data protection regulations.
Use Case: Real-Time Data Access in Crisis Situations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, disinformation narratives linking public health measures to government overreach spread rapidly across online platforms. Had researchers been granted real-time access to data on these emerging narratives, they could have provided policymakers with insights on how to adjust their communication strategies, potentially preventing the escalation of mistrust.
- Integrating Citizen Dialogues and Deliberative Democracy with Narrative Analysis. Citizen dialogues present a powerful avenue for democratic renewal. By integrating narrative analysis methodologies, these initiatives can move beyond binary “either/or” debates and explore more inclusive framings. With public engagement platforms like the European-funded ORBIS project, there is potential to scale these dialogues across Europe.
Use Case: Public discourse around migration. Migration remains one of the most polarising issues in Europe, with narratives often detached from reality. Narrative tools can be used to craft new, more inclusive narratives that reflect the complexities of migration and foster mutual understanding across communities.
- Fostering International Collaboration on Narrative Analysis. Disinformation networks do not respect national borders, and combatting them effectively requires a coordinated effort to share best practices, research, and insights on how narratives shape public discourse. Europe can play a critical role in uniting global efforts to combat disinformation and strengthen the resilience of democratic societies worldwide.
“Building on the research developed by the European Narrative Observatory NODES, the European Commission has the opportunity to implement practical measures that will not only enhance resilience against disinformation but also strengthen democratic processes and foster a more cohesive society”, concluded Staël von Holstein.
The consortium will present preliminary findings on its Climate Narratives Report at an Exhibition at the European Parliament in Strasbourg (26th – 28th November).
To join the Depolarisation Exhibition and/or the Expert Roundtable on New Narratives for Climate Action, you can register here.
