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Defend Democracy Dispatch
for democracy defenders
Elections are over and it's almost summer...

...but no break for Defend Democracy. Because democracy is as much, or even more, about what happens in between elections. As we often say: "Democracy is like a marriage. You need to work on it every day to keep it healthy."
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Defending Democracy

How the next EU Commission can improve its defence of democracy

The day after the European elections, Defend Democracy sent an open letter to the President of the European Commission. Together with 15 other civil society organisations, we call on President Von der Leyen to:

1) install a dedicated VP or Commissioner for Democracy with a dedicated DG Democracy;

2) create an independent EU Democracy Fund;

3) invest in stronger democracy, societal resilience and civil preparedness.

Defending Democracy in an Age of Sharp Power

On 29 May, Defend Democracy kicked of its flagship program Coalition for Democratic Resilience (C4DR), bringing together governments and civil society from current and future EU and NATO countries to build resilience to hybrid and technological threats to democracy. Representatives from the European institutions, NATO HQ, EU and NATO member states, and civil society organisations joined C4DR's international conference Defending Democracy in an Age of Sharp Power for lively and constructive exchanges on countering hybrid and technological threats to democracy. Highlights in this thread. The event was co-organised with Belgium’s EU Presidency, in partnership with the European External Action Service.

#DemocracyDrinks

On 14 May, Defend Democracy hosted a special edition of our monthly #DemocracyDrinks. Our guest was Ivana Dragicevic, Croatia's N1 Television executive producer international news and Europa Award winner for TV journalism.

Check out our upcoming events in this newsletter.
Defend Democracy in the news
Brussels corridors

In a podcast series with Dutch Brussels insiders, Defend Democracy founder and director Alice Stollmeyer calls for a tougher approach to foreign interference and Big Tech.

"Create a European alternative: a public, non-profit platform designed in such a way that it does not polarise and that it serves our democracy and our security."
Read & listen
Your Europe, Your Say

Ahead of the European elections, the European Economic and Social Committee invited Defend Democracy to kick off their annual 'Your Europe, Your Say' event, with youth from all over Europe gathering in Brussels to discuss their wishes and ideas for shaping our common future. Inspiring!
Watch
"Repairing a plane while flying"

Recently, our Executive Director was interviewed by the Polish Press Agency. Is the European Union ready to tackle disinformation in the European elections?

"Unfortunately, most measures focus on treating symptoms, not on preventing the disease."
In Polish
Events

20 June: #DemocracyDrinks - with Delphine Colard, Deputy spokesperson EU Parliament

25 June: Transatlantic Democracy Dialogue (invitation only)

11 July: #DemocracyDrinks - with Meredith Whittaker, President of Signal
Action
Stop Chat Control

Urge your government to vote against the introduction of mass surveillance of our private chats. "Whether you call it backdoor, front door or 'upload moderation': it undermines encryption and creates significant vulnerabilities." (Signal)

"By making the internet less secure, the proposed law will harm everyone, including those it wants to protect."
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