Young local leaders call for stronger democratic protections at CoR Consultation on the European Democracy Shield

On 24–26 March 2026, 35 members of the Young Elected Politicians (YEP) Programme from 14 EU Member States and Ukraine gathered in Brussels for the third edition of the Winter School, a three‑day capacity‑building programme focused on citizen engagement and local democracy.

A central highlight of this year's programme was a dedicated consultation on the European Democracy Shield (EUDS), during which YEPs voiced concrete concerns about disinformation, foreign interference, and the rising fragility of democracy at local level.

While the YEPs contributed local experiences and real‑world challenges, rapporteur for the CoR opinion on the EUDS,Stephen De Ron (LU/Greens+PRO) distilled their input into the central principle that citizen participation and democratic protection must be real, not rhetorical. If institutions ask for citizens' input, they must show what they do with it, otherwise trust erodes instead of growing.

"Local governments are the heart of democracy"

Opening the discussion, George Papandreou, General Rapporteur on Democracy of the of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and former Greek Prime Minister, linked ancient democratic origins with today's digital challenges. He called for European digital sovereignty, the development of new democratic infrastructures, and the strengthening of local authorities' capacities, as they are "the heart of democracy."

Highlighting the risks of the current information environment, he insisted on the need for Europe to regain control of its digital public sphere; "We have to really rethink how we create an infrastructure which is actually European, which is actually owned by us."

YEPs' contributions on the EUDS

YEPs delivered some of the strongest messages of the day, making clear that democratic vulnerabilities are already felt in towns, cities, and regions across Europe.

Many highlighted the growing impact of foreign interference on local political life. Several representatives, including Federico Bennardo, Local Councillor of Ragusa in Italy, and Ladislav Točka, District Councillor Bratislava-Petržalka in Slovakia, pointed to Russia‑linked manipulation, including coordinated disinformation channels and documented cases affecting elections and political discourse in their respective countries. Edoardo Arcidiacono, Municipal Councillor in Milan, stressed that interference is shifting into physical spaces, raising concerns about the lack of legal instruments to counter foreign‑funded disinformation events in his country.

YEPs highlighted also the structural problem of how algorithm‑driven virality accelerates the spread of harmful content. Georgiana Sima, City Councillor of Cluj in Romania, talked about the rapid spread of AI-generated content and fake accounts, noting that even when reported, "very often nothing happens." The local representatives described an increase in online intimidation, hate campaigns and personal attacks, including in small municipalities. "These are the same tools that make people think twice before running for office", warned Cesare Spinelli, Councillor in Tuscany, Italy.

The need for trust-building capacities through meaningful participation and not just "symbolic events" was raised by Bridget Afor, City Councillor of Ronneby in Sweden. Her call for authentic, follow‑up‑driven participation was strongly echoed by the rapporteur. Hendrik Jensen, City Councillor of Hamburg Wandsbek District Assembly, noted that citizens' mistrust grows when everyday problems remain unresolved. However, with faster delivery of local solutions, confidence in democracy can be restored; "we will not need a Democracy Shield because people believe in democracy again."

Finally, the need to strengthen youth participation was acknowledged. Claudiu Constantin, the Mayor of Lopătari in Romania, drew attention to legal age restrictions in some countries that prevent young people from entering politics.

Overall, YEPs called for an EUDS that is practical, protective, and grounded in the realities of local governance.

Citizen engagement at the core of EU Policy

Speaking for the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, Angela Guimarães‑Pereira, Head of Sector of the Competence Centre on Participatory and Deliberative Democracy, underlined that citizen participation has become a central element of EU democratic initiatives. "It is the first time I see real policy on citizen participation, and this is in the European Democracy Shield."

She highlighted the importance of civic education and new EU‑level initiatives, including the Civic Tech Hub, national participation networks, and new funding instruments designed to help public administrations engage citizens in policymaking.

About the YEP Winter School

The YEP Winter School has become a flagship programme equipping young local and regional leaders with practical tools to strengthen citizen participation, rebuild trust, and enhance democratic engagement.

Organised with partners including Bertelsmann Stiftung, the Federation for Innovation in Democracy - Europe, the European Commissions' Joint Reseach Center, and the Council of Europe, the Winter School has welcomed around 100 YEPs so far.

Beyond training, it fosters a dynamic ecosystem of collaboration. This year’s edition involved experts from Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), and offered complementary activities such as joint social‑media actions on the MFF, contributions to the 8th CIVEX meeting, and exposure to innovative policy work, including the OECD’s project on citizen participation in cohesion policy.

Each edition also sparks new initiatives; the latest being a research project on challenges faced by young women in local politics, launched with the University of Warsaw after the 2025 Winter School.

Useful links:

-EU's 'democracy shield' needs local action against disinformation and hate speech | European Committee of the Regions

-From learning to leading: Empowering young leaders to transform citizen engagement – Insights from YEPs | European Committee of the Regions

This news item was written in framework of the CoR Young Elected Politician Programme.

Contact

Evangelia Tomara
Email:yep-programme@cor.europa.eu
Tel: +3222822125