Date/Time
Date(s) - 04/02/2026
14:00 - 18:00
Location
Press Club Brussels Europe
Categories
As democratic institutions worldwide brace against rising polarization, identity-driven divides, and unseen digital pressures, a deeper question emerges: can our democracies still hold?
From manipulated information flows to shrinking civic spaces, societies across regions are confronting forces that erode trust, fracture communities, and leave citizens vulnerable to influence and exclusion. These challenges may look different in Brussels, New York, New Delhi, or Bamako—but their impact is strikingly similar: a democratic fabric stretched thin.
On 4 February 2025, at Press Club, Brussels, this high-level panel brings together Members of the European Parliament, leading scholars, and civil-society practitioners to reflect on these shared pressures—and to identify what truly strengthens democratic resilience in an age of uncertainty and political divide.
Confirmed Speakers: Prof. Dr. Rahul Mukherji, Head of the Department of Political Science at the South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University and Lena Slachmuijlder, Senior Advisor on Digital Peacebuilding at Search for Common Ground
The discussion will be started by a presentation from Prof. Dr. Rahul Mukherji, Head of the Department of Political Science at the South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University. Prof. Mukherji brings deep expertise on institutional strength, identity politics, and democratic resilience in South Asia. His recent research examines how democratic resilience emerges from the interaction between political parties and civic spaces—including the rise of alternative media ecosystems, community-driven communication strategies, and grassroots mobilization that have countered authoritarian tendencies in several Indian states. His work provides valuable comparative insights for European democracies grappling with polarization, digital manipulation, and declining public trust.
Secondly, Lena Slachmuijlder, Senior Advisor on Digital Peacebuilding at Search for Common Ground, will explore how technology can both intensify conflict dynamics and serve as a tool for strengthening peace and democratic resilience. She will examine how harmful platform architectures—such as polarization, disinformation, and manipulative design—undermine democratic processes, while also highlighting how civic-tech initiatives and pro-social digital tools can rebuild trust and enhance citizen–government engagement. Drawing on her extensive experience across West Africa, the Sahel, Nigeria, Kenya, and Senegal, she will discuss how civil society and peacebuilding actors are responding to digital harms in fragile democracies. She will also reflect on global regulatory trends, contrasting U.S. resistance to platform regulation with the EU’s systemic-risk approach.
The panel discussion will be followed by a Q&A session and networking drinks.
Please register at the following event link: