Theme: Defending Democracy in the Age of AI: Protecting Electoral Integrity Across Europe
Date: 19 May 2026
Location: Prague, Czech Republic and Online via Zoom
Co-Host: European Democracy Youth Network (EDYN)
*The GDC Regional Forums 2026 are sponsored by the Charles F. Kettering Foundation.
Background and Regional Context
Europe is entering a defining moment for democracy. Between 2026 and 2027, we will see a dense sequence of national, presidential, parliamentary, and municipal elections across the continent, facing heightened risks of political polarisation, democratic backsliding, as well as foreign and domestic disinformation. The concentration of elections within this short period increases the vulnerability of the European information space to coordinated, cross-border, and AI-enabled interference.
These elections will unfold in an information environment fundamentally reshaped by artificial intelligence. AI-generated deepfakes, synthetic audio and video, micro-targeted disinformation campaigns, and coordinated cross-border interference are no longer emerging risks. They are already shaping voter behavior, campaign dynamics, and public trust across Europe.
Elections are the cornerstone of democracy. When disinformation and AI-generated manipulation influence voters’ opinions, voters’ ability to make informed choices is compromised and the credibility of democratic institutions is fundamentally undermined. Yet responses often remain fragmented across European countries and sectors.
Pre-Forum Webinars:
Prior to every GDC Regional Forum 2026, the GDC Secretariat hosted 2 webinars designed to introduce the main topics that would be discussed during the forum. During the month of May, the GDC organized the following 2 panels:
GDC Europe Pre-Forum Webinar: Governing Democracy in the Age of AI: Open Questions and Emerging Tensions in Europe
Rather than focusing on solutions, this webinar creates space to reflect on the unresolved tensions and open questions that are emerging at the intersection of AI and democracy in Europe. It invites perspectives from across sectors, civil society, public institutions, tech, and research, to better understand where current approaches may be falling short, where new risks are emerging, and what questions require deeper exploration.
GDC Europe Pre-Forum Webinar: Between Fragmentation and Coordination: Navigating Cross-Border Democratic Challenges in Europe
This webinar explores this tension without presuming a single solution. It brings together perspectives from across sectors to reflect on where coordination is working, where it is not, and what barriers continue to limit more effective collective responses.
Programme:
Expected Outcomes
- Strengthened cross-border coordination among European policymakers, civil society, media, technology experts, and youth leaders to counter AI driven electoral interference.
- A shared, evidence based understanding of how AI generated deepfakes, synthetic media, and coordinated disinformation are undermining electoral integrity across Europe.
- Practical, practitioner oriented recommendations on preventing, detecting, and responding to AI enabled election interference, including crisis response during election periods.
- Improved alignment between electoral realities and existing regulatory frameworks, with concrete guidance on implementing and enforcing instruments such as the EU Digital Services Act.
- Tested crisis communication and rapid response protocols through scenario based simulations of viral disinformation and deepfake incidents.
- Increased preparedness of election authorities, civil society, and media actors for high risk elections in 2026–2027, particularly in contexts vulnerable to polarisation and democratic backsliding.
- Meaningful integration of youth leadership into election integrity efforts, positioning young democracy actors as operational partners in safeguarding democratic processes.
- An actionable regional briefing feeding into the Global Democracy Coalition Forum 2026 report and supporting global discussions on democratic resilience in the age of AI.
Panelist and Speaker Profiles
Co-Hosts and Opening Speakers
Keynote Speaker
Moderators
Panelists
