Democratic Resilience

Investing in Our Common Democratic Future

About the Program

As a core initiative of the most powerful voice in Washington on transatlantic affairs, the Center for European Policy Analysis Democratic Resilience program aims to support policymakers – in government, civil society, business, and the media, in North America and in Europe – in achieving three vital aims:

Countering authoritarian threats to democracy.
Responding to democratic backsliding.
Bolstering established democracies.

To help transatlantic policymakers succeed in the goals of countering authoritarian threats, responding to democratic backsliding and bolstering established democracies, the Democratic Resilience program brings to bear cutting-edge research and actionable, evidence-based analysis on the causes and effects of democratic breakdown and resilience.

Countering authoritarian threats to democracy. Resurgent autocratic regimes in Russia, China, and elsewhere seek to bolster their political dominance at home and project their power abroad by subverting democratic institutions and undermining faith in democratic practice. To mitigate these threats, policymakers will need effective strategies for strengthening institutional resilience, supporting independent civic and journalistic voices, responding to rising digital authoritarianism, and supporting democratic openings in authoritarian states themselves.
Responding to democratic backsliding. Societies across Europe and elsewhere are struggling to defend the hard-won achievements of post-communist democratization and liberalization against expanding authoritarian influence and anti-democratic interests at home. Reversing this dynamic will require pro-democracy forces in governments, civil societies, and media throughout the transatlantic space to find common cause in restoring commitment to representative, accountable, and transparent government.
Bolstering established democracies. The US and many of its allies are facing growing challenges to the functioning of core institutions of democratic governance. These challenges can be neither assumed away, nor seen off in isolation. To ensure the resilience of the democratic model globally, transatlantic leaders and societies will need to take a hard look at their own vulnerabilities and to learn lessons from those on the front lines of the struggle for democracy.

Ukrainian Resilience

What new support does Ukraine need to persevere?

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Latest Analysis

Read the latest analysis from the Democratic Resilience team

War in Ukraine: Russia the Loser, the US a Winner

March 20, 2023 | By Timothy Ash

The economic fallout from the war in Ukraine has been mixed. A strange mix of countries have benefitted.

Ammunition Hunger Games in Bakhmut

March 20, 2023 | By Lera Burlakova

Ukrainian journalist and former infantrywoman Lera Burlakova says the besieged eastern town of Bakhmut is now held by largely unsupported infantry. But Ukrainian soldiers want to fight on.

Putin Becomes a Global Outlaw

March 17, 2023 | By Sam Greene

The ICC’s decision means the status quo is dead. Russia’s leader now faces an uncertain future.

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Featured Content

Dreams Amid the Rubble — Rebuilding Ukraine’s Schools

The towns near Kyiv which bore the brunt of Russia’s war of aggression are starting to work on reconstruction.

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Photo: A woman passes by a billboard depicting Chinese President Xi Jinping as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Belgrade, Serbia, April 1, 2020. The text on the billboard reads "Thanks, brother Xi". Picture taken April 1, 2020. Credit: REUTERS/Djordje Kojadinovic

Chinese Influence in Central and Eastern Europe

Edward Lucas | September 18, 2022

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Featured Reports

Understanding Islamic Education in Russia: The Struggle over Identity and Belonging in Russia’s Muslim-Majority Regions Tracking Chinese Online Influence in Central and Eastern Europe Getting Ahead of the Curve: Chinese Influence in Central and Eastern Europe Russian Cyberwarfare: Unpacking the Kremlin’s Capabilities Chinese Influence in Bosnia and Herzegovina Chinese Influence in Serbia

Featured Events

From combating authoritarian threats to ensuring free and fair elections, the Democratic Resilience program gathers thought leaders from both sides of the Atlantic to cover the pressing issues of today.

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