Policy Brief: Time to connect the dots

European democracy is under mounting pressure. But the real danger is not any single threat — it is the convergence of foreign interference, domestic backsliding and unregulated tech power, argues Alice Stollmeyer.

For too long, European institutions have responded too slowly and too timidly. Rather than acting decisively as Guardian of the Treaties, the European Commission and Member States have allowed democratic erosion to deepen — both from within and beyond Europe’s borders.

This has created a dangerous dynamic:

1. Authoritarian regimes such as Russia and China deploy hybrid threats — cyberattacks, disinformation, economic coercion — to destabilise democracies and erode trust.

2. Inside the EU, democratic backsliding, radicalisation and the rise of the far right weaken institutions from within.

3. At the same time, tech monopolies exploit weak regulation, weaponise digital platforms and amplify polarisation, while resisting meaningful oversight.

4. These three forces reinforce one another — foreign actors weaponise digital platforms, far-right movements thrive online, and Big Tech profits from division — creating a systemic threat to European democracy.

Yet the EU’s proposed “Democracy Shield” fails to connect these dots. Instead of firm enforcement and structural reform, it relies on soft measures such as coordination, fact-checking and media literacy. It focuses heavily on external threats while sidestepping internal vulnerabilities and the structural risks posed by platform design and AI.

By fighting yesterday’s battles, Europe risks losing tomorrow’s democracy.

The task now is not incremental adjustment but systemic defence: linking democracy, security and tech sovereignty into a coherent strategy before the convergence of these pressures becomes irreversible.

Read the full policy brief to understand why Europe must act now — and how it can still defend its democracy before it is too late.