How Europe Wins on Democracy: Renewing trust, delivery and democratic infrastructure
European democracy is under growing pressure as illiberalism, weak political delivery, socioeconomic insecurity and declining trust reinforce one another. Defending democratic institutions and the rule of law remains essential, but protecting the status quo will not be sufficient if citizens increasingly perceive that democratic politics does not work for them.
Drawing on discussions at the European Forum Alpbach 2026, this report identifies four closely connected challenges. First, illiberal actors have moved from shaping political narratives to exercising power from within democratic institutions, increasing their capacity to weaken checks and balances and democratic safeguards. Second, a widening delivery gap separates ambitious political commitments from citizens’ everyday experience, reflecting not only implementation problems but also a lack of political leadership willing to set priorities, confront trade-offs and sustain difficult choices. Third, rising living costs, unaffordable housing, inequality and intergenerational insecurity are weakening the social contract and creating fertile ground for political disengagement and support for anti-system forces. Finally, declining trust is concentrated less in democracy as a system than in political actors and parties, shaped by perceptions of weak delivery, socioeconomic insecurity and a lack of meaningful political voice.
Winning on democracy therefore requires rebuilding a wider democratic infrastructure. Institutions must be resilient against political capture but also capable of delivering; citizens need meaningful opportunities to shape decisions; and economic security, civic space, independent media, democratic education and locally rooted participation must form part of democratic renewal. Ultimately, Europe needs a renewed political contract connecting democratic rights and participation with institutional capacity, socioeconomic security and shared responsibility across society. Political leadership will be central to turning that contract into practice and rebuilding a democracy that protects freedom and pluralism while giving citizens both meaningful agency and confidence that institutions can deliver.
Download the full report here.
Johannes Greubel is Senior Policy Analyst, Head of Programme and ‘Connecting Europe’ Project Lead at the EPC.
Berta López Domènech is a Policy Analyst in the European Politics and Institutions Programme at the European Policy Centre.
Liza Saris is a Project Manager and Policy Analyst at the European Policy Centre.
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