https://globaldemocracycoalition.org/event/gdc-europe-forum-2026/
https://edyn.eu/gdc-europe-forum-2026/
Location: Prague, Czech Republic and Online via Zoom
Co-Host: European Democracy Youth Network (EDYN)
*The GDC Regional Forums 2026 are sponsored by the Charles F. Kettering Foundation.
Background and Regional Context
Europe is entering a defining moment for democracy. Between 2026 and 2027, we will see a dense sequence of national, presidential, parliamentary, and municipal elections across the continent, facing heightened risks of political polarisation, democratic backsliding, as well as foreign and domestic disinformation. The concentration of elections within this short period increases the vulnerability of the European information space to coordinated, cross-border, and AI-enabled interference.
These elections will unfold in an information environment fundamentally reshaped by artificial intelligence. AI-generated deepfakes, synthetic audio and video, micro-targeted disinformation campaigns, and coordinated cross-border interference are no longer emerging risks. They are already shaping voter behavior, campaign dynamics, and public trust across Europe.
Elections are the cornerstone of democracy. When disinformation and AI-generated manipulation influence voters’ opinions, voters’ ability to make informed choices is compromised and the credibility of democratic institutions is fundamentally undermined. Yet responses often remain fragmented across European countries and sectors.
GDC Europe Pre-Forum Webinar: Governing Democracy in the Age of AI: Open Questions and Emerging Tensions in Europe
Rather than focusing on solutions, this webinar creates space to reflect on the unresolved tensions and open questions that are emerging at the intersection of AI and democracy in Europe. It invites perspectives from across sectors, civil society, public institutions, tech, and research, to better understand where current approaches may be falling short, where new risks are emerging, and what questions require deeper exploration.
GDC Europe Pre-Forum Webinar: Between Fragmentation and Coordination: Navigating Cross-Border Democratic Challenges in Europe
This webinar explores this tension without presuming a single solution. It brings together perspectives from across sectors to reflect on where coordination is working, where it is not, and what barriers continue to limit more effective collective responses.
