Community-based approaches and civil society empowerment at the heart of democratic resilience.
On 4 February 2026, ALDA contributed to the consultation on the EU Democracy Shield, bringing forward perspectives rooted in local democracy, civil society empowerment, and community-based resilience.
ALDA thanks Elena Yoncheva for the invitation to take part in the consultation. The contribution also built on ALDA’s participation in several consultation processes involving Civil Society Europe and the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD).
Democracy under pressure and the need for solidarity
Secretary General Antonella Valmorbida confirmed that ALDA members and constituencies across Europe and beyond are witnessing increasing pressure on European democracy and the European project. These challenges are often driven by narratives detached from factual evidence and by cognitive manipulation repeatedly amplified through social media.
Such dynamics risk undermining solidarity — not only between countries, but also within societies — at a time when democratic cooperation and mutual trust are more necessary than ever. In this context, Antonella expressed satisfaction with the current direction of the Democracy Shield, which goes beyond a purely defensive approach. The framework increasingly focuses on strengthening democracy internally, particularly by empowering civil society, local communities, and democratic participation.
Local democracy as a space of resilience
ALDA underlined that local democratic spaces are key environments for building resilience. As an organisation composed of both civil society organisations and local authorities, ALDA operates at the intersection of these two dimensions and advocates for their close cooperation.
The local level offers specific advantages: it is more accessible, often less polarised, more pragmatic, and better suited to inclusive dialogue.
Proximity-based actions and community engagement allow democratic practices to be rooted in people’s daily lives rather than remaining abstract or confined to online environments.
ALDA’s Secretary General stressed the importance of a granular territorial approach, moving beyond capital cities and large urban centres to focus on secondary cities and rural areas. These territories are often more exposed to information scarcity and digital manipulation, making targeted actions on literacy, offline dialogue, exchanges, and lived experiences particularly relevant.
She highlighted the need to invest in critical thinking and democratic literacy, combining online and offline approaches. Face-to-face meetings, exchanges between communities, and shared experiences play a crucial role in contesting polarising narratives, including those targeting migrants and other groups for political purposes. Building democratic resilience requires long-term engagement aimed at restoring trust at the community level and demonstrating the tangible value of democracy and deliberation, countering feelings of alienation and exclusion.
Neighbourhoods, candidate countries, and shared responsibility
ALDA also drew attention to the critical situation in the EU neighbourhood and candidate countries, where democratic actors often lack basic instruments and resources while facing overwhelming hostile narratives. Civil society organisations and municipalities in these contexts require sustained and structured support. The contribution stressed the importance of closely linking neighbourhood policies with the Democracy Shield and ensuring that civil society and pro-democracy actors are fully included. In this regard, ALDA highlighted the role of Local Democracy Agencies, with fifteen currently operational in the neighbourhood, as well as the broader network of members working with local authorities and civil society.
Finally, ALDA called for a proactive Democracy Shield, capable not only of connecting existing initiatives but also of actively stimulating collective action. A genuine whole-of-society approach — bringing together public authorities, civil society, and European partners — remains essential to breaking silos and strengthening democratic resilience across Europe and beyond.