EUROPEAN DEMOCRACY: BETWEEN CHALLENGES AND COUNTERMEASURES
RRSS 2026 No. 29 - Romanian Review of Social Sciences
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Authors:
• Andra DIPRATU, Elena NEDELCU -
Keywords: democracy, perceptions, assessments, European values, national values, evolution
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Abstract:
We set out to analyse the future of democracy worldwide, and particularly in Europe, given that over the past decade it has experienced a clear decline on a global scale. Reports from the most renowned intergovernmental institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and academic institutes that measure the quality of political life, elections, civil liberties, and the rule of law point to an increase in the number of dictatorial regimes, a decrease in the number of countries undergoing democratization, and even a decline in democracy in some countries with a long history of democracy. This situation is causing serious concerns among the majority of European citizens. This paper seeks to determine whether and to what extent the way democracy is perceived and evaluated by European citizens has influenced and continues to influence its evolution. We were interested in finding answers to the following questions: Do citizens, particularly Europeans, still believe in democracy? Do they still feel committed to democracy? What is their level of satisfaction with the EU, both generally and regionally? Is there a significant difference between the values promoted by the EU and those shared by European citizens in its various regions? If so, what are the implications? The paper includes several conclusions regarding the EU’s ability to protect its democracy, to successfully manage potential internal conflicts of values, and to address current challenges, namely the rise of illiberal (autocratic) regimes and illegitimate external interference in European politics.