On the International Day of Democracy, France underscored its commitment to combating democratic erosion, warning of setbacks unseen in half a century and highlighting initiatives like the Marianne Initiative to protect human rights activists. The event coincided with a high-level dialogue in Brussels, organized by the UNDP and the City of Brussels, which brought together global stakeholders to explore how democratic innovation could strengthen citizen-state relationships.
Brussels Hosts Dialogue on Democratic Innovation
The City of Brussels and the UNDP convened a high-level dialogue to examine how democratic practices could evolve to meet 21st-century challenges. Philippe Close, Mayor of City of Brussels, emphasized the city’s role in promoting a society based on solidarity and cooperation, citing partnerships with Panzi Hospital in eastern Congo and Ukrainian cities as examples of democratic engagement beyond borders. The event, held ahead of Brussels’ designation as European Capital of Democracy in 2027, focused on turning democratic innovation into practice through civic engagement and institutional experimentation.
Defending democracy also means defending a model of society based on solidarity and cooperation. Through Eurocities or the Pact of Free Cities, Brussels stands up for a society where people are protected and where we build peace rather than war. And this also means relying on our public hospitals. Through our partnerships with Ukrainian cities and with Panzi Hospital in eastern Congo, we put our expertise and resources at the service of people facing genuine human tragedies, Philippe Close
International Day of Democracy
Camilla Brückner, Director of the UN/UNDP Office in Brussels, highlighted the organization’s global efforts to rethink governance by connecting public institutions with new ideas and experimentation in civic engagement. UNDP’s work includes supporting 40 to 50 countries annually, facilitating over 78 elections across 51 countries between 2022 and 2025, and advancing participatory approaches in regions like Africa and Latin America. Across the world, we see a profound need to innovate democratic practice—to rethink how governance can give people greater opportunities to participate and influence the decisions that shape their lives,
said Brückner.
UNDP is also the world’s largest provider of parliamentary strengthening support, working with parliaments in approximately 60 countries through national, regional and multi-country programmes. Between 2022 and 2025, we helped more than 911 million registered voters participate in 78 elections across 51 countries. In Asia and the Pacific, UNDP is using deep-listening methodologies to ensure development interventions are informed by communities’ lived experiences. In Latin America and the Caribbean, participatory foresight is helping facilitate intergenerational dialogue in contexts marked by high polarization. In Africa, participatory approaches are helping shape just energy transitions.
In Armenia, public-opinion polling brings citizens’ feedback into parliament. In partnership with People Powered, UNDP recently released guidance on digital participation in the age of artificial intelligence, which will soon be rolled out in 10 countries. Together, these experiences reflect a growing recognition that while representative institutions remain the foundation of democracy, they must continuously adapt to meet rising expectations for participation, voice, and influence.
France’s Commitment to Democratic Resilience
France’s diplomatic statement condemned the global decline of democracy, citing threats to independent judiciaries, political pluralism, and information integrity. The country reiterated its support for multilateral frameworks like the European Democracy Shield and the Council of Europe’s New Democratic Pact. A key focus was the Marianne Initiative, which offers support to human rights activists who are threatened because of their work, aligning with France’s broader efforts to safeguard democratic institutions worldwide.
The French government also stressed the importance of trust, vigilance, and election integrity, framing these as pillars of resilient democracies. This stance reflects a broader European Union strategy to counter authoritarian trends and reinforce democratic norms through collective action, as noted in the European Democracy Shield initiative. France and its partners speak with one voice, particularly within the European Union, through the establishment of the European Democracy Shield, and within the Council of Europe, which is creating a New Democratic Pact.
Future of democracy
Global Democratic Innovation in Practice
The dialogue showcased concrete examples of democratic innovation, including UNDP’s Global Academy of Deliberative Democracy, which aims to promote learning and collaboration on participatory governance. The event also introduced the Global Academy of Deliberative Democracy, a new UNDP initiative developed with key partners to promote learning, collaboration and knowledge exchange on participatory and deliberative governance across regions.
UNDP’s approach underscores the need for new ways to give people a greater voice, a sentiment echoed by participants from civil society, academia, and youth-led movements. The organization’s work includes supporting an average of 40 to 50 countries every year, facilitating over 78 elections across 51 countries between 2022 and 2025, and advancing participatory approaches in regions like Africa and Latin America. In Armenia, public-opinion polling brings citizens’ feedback into parliament, while in Asia and the Pacific, deep-listening methodologies ensure development interventions are informed by communities’ lived experiences.
Unresolved Challenges and the Path Forward
The dialogue acknowledged persistent challenges: polarization, declining public trust, and the far-reaching impact of technological and socio-economic change.
As Brussels prepares to become European Capital of Democracy in 2027, the dialogue highlighted the tension between aspirational goals and practical implementation. With global democratic backsliding continuing, the next steps will depend on whether innovations like deliberative democracy and digital participation can translate into sustained institutional reforms.