On the 7 April the Club of Madrid organised a Conference to discuss the following topics: What are the implications of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine for the future of Democracy in the region, in Europe and the world? How can we strengthen democracy’s system of checks and balances and improve early-warning mechanisms both in the EU and abroad to prevent our democracies from backsliding and drifting into more autocratic forms of government? What are the lessons learned from emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic and what needs to change to allow us to act effectively in future emergencies/crises both within the EU and globally?
During the press conference, Mr Danilo Türk, President of Slovenia (2007-2012), President of Club de Madrid and recently appointed member of the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Advisory Board and Mr Leterme Prime Minister of Belgium (2008,2009-2011) and Member of Club de Madrid discussed all these burning issues through a dynamic exchange whilst sharing recommendations of Club de Madrid´s work on:
Ukraine: Several Members of Club de Madrid have signed statements supporting diplomatic efforts and calling for cease fire. Moreover, Club de Madrid and the European Partnership for Democracy members have come together to call on EU institutions and European governments to respond to the Ukrainian crisis with a democracy-focused approach in the short term while developing a far more strategic approach to supporting democracy globally in the long term. To this end, please see here its 10 recommendations for a European response to the Ukraine invasion
Multilateralism and Global Cooperation: Given the recent appointment of President Türk as a Member of the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Advisory Board, he will share an overview of Club de Madrid’s contribution towards UN75, Our Common Agenda Report and the President of the General Assembly’s consultation process. Special attention will be placed on the multilateral architecture for peace and security. Does the war in Ukraine make Our Common Agenda Report obsolete? What needs to change to make the UN more effective in preventing and responding to conflict?
Rethinking Democracy: Democracy is in decline around the globe and authoritarian tendencies are in the rise as tragically reflected in the war in Ukraine. What does this war mean for democracy? How can democracies confront authoritarianism?
Digitalisation and Good Governance: Technology must be human centered if it is to contribute to the advancement of Shared Societies, human rights and development. What international guardrails must be in place to contain disinformation as a weapon of warfare? How can a global digital compact be promoted?
Global Commission on Democracy and Emergencies: We must take stock of the COVID-19 crisis in order to strengthen democratic resilience for future crises. What are the most important criteria and characteristics for effective leadership in crises/emergencies? How can we better assess states’ crises/emergencies preparedness capacities?