Two participants, Karina Mross and Julia Leininger, both members of the network, took part in the expert exchange meeting titled “Democracy Protection in the Global North(s) and Global South(s): Strategies, Effectiveness, and Challenges” organized by IDOS on 28 November. The meeting explored the guiding questions of how to best protect democracy against worldwide autocratization tendencies and how to improve mutual learning and exchange across different communities and perspectives.

Karina and Julia contributed to the discussions that brought together experts from a variety of backgrounds, including government and donor representatives, business associations, researchers, and pro-democracy activists from Germany and the so-called Global South. The meeting addressed strategies to protect democracy, focusing on political parties, elections, democratic culture, civic education, and the rule of law. It also covered how to combat misinformation and the integrity of the information ecosystem, with a focus on media literacy campaigns and innovative AI solutions.

Throughout the meeting, differences between contexts were discussed, along with the varying strategies needed depending on whether democracy is challenged from within (by ruling elites consolidating power through legal or violent means) or from outside (by extremist groups or transnational influences). Despite these differences, similarities were also evident, particularly a common frustration with the functioning of democratic systems, which erodes trust in political institutions and fosters the spread of disinformation.

In their participation, Karina Mross and Julia Leininger contributed to the conversation on the importance of rebuilding a shared understanding of democracy and creating a democratic civil culture that can support a cohesive society. The Polarisation and Democracy team at IDOS extends their gratitude to all panellists and participants, including Karina Mross and Julia Leininger, for their valuable contributions to the event.