Three important reports by Freedom House, the Economist, and V-Dem, an institute associated with Sweden’s Gutenberg University, have found disturbing patterns associated with the state of democracy around the world last year. Research from all three reports suggests that autocracy, in the form of right-wing populism, has developed into a credible threat to democracy.
A democracy based on providing the “rights and liberties to all citizens” depends on a nexus of three crucial dimensions of democratic governance: checks and balances in governmental power; political norms that are accepted and practised by all political actors; and institutions that are separate and independent of governmental influence.
The contemporary spiritual decay of the West appears due to the rise of an illiberal, populist and nationalist camp within the Western world. This shift is clear even in the European Union. Liberal democrats should find a new and attractive way for narrating their liberal vision of the future. A story about freedom, personal responsibility and rule of law, which will respond to the challenges of the 21st century as the decline of voter turnout, apathy of civil society or national chauvinism. For securing minimal standards of democracy in the EU, European Commission’s Vice-President, Ms Věra Jourová, was given a portfolio that is focused on the rule of law and includes issues such as fake news and hate speech.
The Institute for Politics and Society has long been interested in the topic of democracy as a concept and the real functioning of this type of regime in Europe (and in the world). Therefore, together with our speakers, we offer professional expertise in ELF’s Expert Forum on Democracy and Rule of Law for how a liberal Europe should look like in 2030.

Welcome & Presentation of the Liberal White Book Europe 2030 project
Daniel Kaddik, Executive Director, European Liberal Forum

Introduction of the Expert Forum
Valentin Kreilinger, PhD, Policy and Research Coordinator, European Liberal Forum
Šárka Prát, PhD, Executive Director, Institute for Politics and Society

Patron
Moritz Körner, Member of the European Parliament, Renew Europe Group

Keynote Speech
Ondřej Kovařík, Member of the European Parliament, Renew Europe Group

Discussion: State of Democracy
Anna Shavit, Head of Department, Charles University
Jacques Rupnik, Director of Research, CERI, National Foundation for Political Sciences
Staffan Lindberg, Director, V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
Moderator: Karel Sál, Analyst, Institute for Politics and Society

Discussion: The Rule of Law in the EU
Laurent Pech, Professor of European Law, Middlesex University of London
Anna Donáth, Member of the European Parliament, Renew Europe Group
Nedim Hogic, PhD Researcher in anti-corruption, Scuola Superiore Sant Anna
Kristina Arakelova, President, Youth for Diplomatic Engagement (Georgia)
Moderator: Anas Zaza, External Analyst and Independent Researcher

Discussion: Fake News and Disinformation
Anneli Ahonen, Head of East Stratcom Task Force, European External Action Service
Scott Griffen, Deputy Director, International Press Institute
Péter Krekó, Executive Director, Political Capital
Liubov Tsybulska, Strategic Communication Advisor, Hybrid Warfare Analytical Group (Ukraine)
Moderator: Roman Maca, Analyst, Institute for Politics and Society

Conclusions
Magda Arsenyan, Executive Head, Institute of Liberal Politics
Tigran Gasparyan, Deputy Head, Institute of Liberal Politics