2024, the super election year is a significant test case for democracies facing new challenges: study by Edoardo Bressanelli, associate professor of Political Science, Sant'Anna School, for the European Parliament
The paper, authored with the support of Samuele Bernardi, honor student political science at the Sant'Anna School, provides recommendations on sensitive issues, such as critically examining European Union measures to counter disinformation and foreign interference
"Resilience of Democracy and European Elections against New Challenges" is the headline of a study for the European Parliament carried out by Edoardo Bressanelli, associate professor of Political Science at Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, with the support of Samuele Bernardi, a Sant'Anna School political science honor student, now at the College of Europe in Bruges.
Indeed, 2024 represents a significant test case for democracies. In the "super election year," more than 60 countries and about a quarter of the world's population go to the polls to choose Parliaments or Presidents. In the European Union, a new European Parliament is chosen between June 6 and June 9, 2024. These elections are taking place as democracy is being challenged in many parts of the world. In the European Union, challenges to democracy come both from outside and from within, in the member states themselves, and these challenges are often interconnected.
"Resilience of Democracy and European Elections against New Challenges," commissioned by the Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs thematic department of the European Parliament at the request of the LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice, Home Affairs) Commission, identifies the main challenges for the European Union, assesses its institutional and policy responses, and provides recommendations on various sensitive issues. The study critically examines EU measures to counter disinformation and foreign interference, ensure greater cybersecurity, regulate online platforms, political marketing, and European political parties. Special attention is paid to the Defense of Democracy package recently presented by the European Commission. These are salient issues, as highlighted by the latest political developments, including the "Russia gate."
Cover photo: the European Parliament (Fonte: www.europarl.europa.eu).
