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.
Latest Analysis
Read the latest analysis from the Democratic Resilience team
Stick, Carrot and More Stick: The Kremlin and Russian Youth
The Russian regime is battling to keep young people on its side and at home, as its own analysts admit many want to leave.
On Once-Bloodied Streets, Georgians Dream of Freedom from Russia
Night after night, tens of thousands of Georgians are flooding the streets to protest restrictions on their freedom, and Russia’s continuing influence.
Putin’s Propagandists Rage Against the Republican ‘Betrayal’
Kremlin mouthpieces are having a hard time explaining why a supposedly sympathetic US Congress has just passed a huge military aid package for Ukraine.
Featured Content
Needed Now: A Crash Program for US Defense Production
Just as in 1941, the US is unprepared for war. We must change that, and fast.
Read NowFeatured Reports
Leadership in Action: Six Priorities for the Transatlantic Alliance in 2024
Containing Russia, Securing Europe
In From the Cold: The Struggle for Russia’s Exiles
A New Vision for the Transatlantic Alliance: The Future of European Security, the United States, and the World Order after Russia’s War in Ukraine
Preparing for a Successful Peace: Consolidating Corporate Governance in Ukraine’s Energy State-Owned Enterprises
A European Home for Ukraine: Perspectives on the EU’s Enlargement Challenge from Berlin, Paris, and Warsaw
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.
Browse All Events
Event
Ukraine’s Gas Transit Dilemma
April 18, 2024
at 10:00 am to 11:00 am
Event
Ukraine: The Path Ahead
April 10, 2024
at 10:00 am to 11:00 am
Event
Liberating Crimea
March 19, 2024
at 10:00 am to 11:00 am
Event
Understanding Ukraine: The Minefield of Wartime Elections
October 31, 2023
at 10:00 am to 10:30 am
Event
CEPA Forum Highlights
How can to ensure global food security and rebuild Ukraine.
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Related Issues
Learn more about the Democratic Resilience's Program's key issues.
Authoritarian Threats
Authoritarianism is a persistent threat to democracy and the transatlantic alliance.
Democracy
Democratic values and principles are the foundation of the transatlantic alliance.