Research and innovation funding for democracy and governance

Current research examines the pressures undermining the future of liberal democracy in Europe, focusing on the intersection of internal political shifts, systemic corruption, and external geopolitical threats. Projects investigate how extremist discourses promote visions that challenge the rule of law, the separation of powers, and minority rights. Research seeks to understand why these narratives gain legitimacy during crises and how they are amplified by non-liberal global players to undermine our democratic systems.

Research develops new approaches for combatting corruption (including “state capture”) by focusing on its cross-border nature and the role of data analytics in transforming international jurisdictions. By leveraging technologies like AI and blockchain, the aim is to create transparent tools for detecting illicit influence while strengthening investigative journalism to ensure institutional accountability.

Moreover, research explores the interrelation between social, cultural and political identities, as well as the sense of belonging, and democracies. These projects address barriers faced by marginalised groups (including youth, migrants, and LGBTIQ+ communities) and examines how participatory processes can promote democratic accountability. By employing an intersectional and historical perspective, this research translates its findings into policy strategies that improve resilience, strengthen pluralism, and safeguard fundamental rights.

Understanding the diversity of our society is key to creating a system where everyone's voice is heard and represented. These efforts are all part of the Union of Equality agenda, which aims to create a more just, equitable, and democratic society for all. Horizon Europe is contributing to this goal in several key areas:

• gaining knowledge on social movements and their impact on democracy (see research calls on feminisms for a new age of democracy, gender-roles in extremist movement, and the emotional politics of democracies)
• understanding how inequalities undermine democracy (see research calls on the impact of inequalities on democracy and economic inequalities and their impact on democracy)
• achieving an inclusive society: to enhance inclusive democratic participation and social cohesion by addressing intersecting barriers linked to gender, age, migration background, disability, education and other social characteristics
• tackling disadvantage and exclusion: to help representative democracy in flux to identify and address the root causes of social and economic disparities, and explore new ways to represent citizens' interests

Current research focuses on detecting, analysing, and countering foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) – the coordinated actions by foreign actors to distort or restrict information to influence public opinion and democratic processes. By examining how these operations exploit digital ecosystems to amplify divisive narratives, the research aims to protect institutional trust and civic participation.

A central priority is developing a better understanding of information suppression by state authorities as an example of foreign information manipulation and interference. This research investigates deliberate actions (such as censorship, intimidation, and economic coercion) designed to silence independent voices and reduce democratic accountability. By improving transparent, privacy-preserving methods for attribution, the work maps systemic vulnerabilities to create practical tools and policy strategies. Ultimately, these efforts strengthen democratic resilience and support independent media without compromising freedom of expression.

A free, independent and transparent media landscape serves as the essential ‘fourth pillar’ of a functioning democracy, ensuring rigorous external accountability while encouraging pluralism and inclusion. However, traditional systems of media accountability are at a pivotal juncture, challenged by growing market concentration and rapid technological developments, such as AI-driven content selection and other new disruptive technologies. 

To safeguard free and independent media for a vibrant democracy, Horizon-funded research examines how the new and traditional media influence citizens and journalism. Projects analyse the intersection of economic pressures and digital transformations, specifically addressing how the increased polarisation and automated processes affect democratic discourse.

Education should equip people – young and old – with competences for their personal lives, as well as for their civic engagement, enabling them to contribute to and have their voices heard in our democracies.  That is why EU-funded research is examining how best to shape active, engaged and creative citizens, who are aware of their shared values and able to improve their living environment. Projects funded under Horizon Europe explore the role of education in and for our democracies: such as effective, innovative methods of civic education, critical thinking and media literacy, democratic culture in schools and universities, or citizen engagement through lifelong learning.

Observatory for Public Sector Innovation

The extraordinary pace, complexity and diversity of challenges and changes faced by governments today requires radical, transformative innovations in the public sector. The current polycrisis greatly impacts how government administrations are built, how they work with other ecosystem players and how they are resourced and managed. They will need to use internal innovation agendas effectively to deal with the challenges ahead, all while building trust and democratic legitimacy within their constituents.

Since 2015, the OECD, through its Observatory for Public Sector Innovation  team, has worked with the financial support of the European Commission to drive innovation learning and lead the development of numerous tools and resources for such innovation. 

Research actions are dedicated to exploring the role of private companies and economic actors in democratic governance, particularly in response to the pressures of the expansion of global finance and reduced market regulation. This work examines how corporate power, from large multinational companies to new digital firms, interacts with political decision making. It aims to identify the main ways economic interests influence democratic processes.

The research explores the effects of corporate lobbying, political funding, and capital concentration on social fairness, with particular attention to protecting fundamental rights and maintaining institutional integrity against pressures that push politics to conform to market interests.

In the current digital landscape, the intersection of Artificial intelligence, big data and democracy offer transformative potential for enhancing public services and fostering participative engagement, while simultaneously challenging fundamental European values through the ‘privatisation’ of data and opaque governance of the algorithms.

Research seeks to analyse the ethical, legal, and philosophical implications of datafication, proposing regulatory innovations that move beyond GDPR to ensure neutrality and explainability in machine learning. Central to this inquiry is the study of politics and the impact of online social networks and new media, specifically analysing how web-based platforms shape exposure to news. By investigating the proliferation of ideological "echo-chambers," disinformation, and the covert manipulation of political behaviour, projects build robust evidence on how these shifts affect diverse demographics, including women and vulnerable populations.

Moreover, by using Computational Social Science, Horizon Europe research uses computational methods to study democratic behaviours and practices within the digital sphere. This methodology is essential for detecting, analysing and countering information manipulation by identifying how web-based platforms shape news exposure and political behaviour.

These initiatives reflect the EU’s broader strategy under Cluster 2 of Horizon Europe to safeguard European values, adapt democratic practices to digital transformations, and ensure that technological innovation contributes to resilient, participatory governance rather than exacerbating fragmentation, bias, or exclusion.

Crises rarely happen in isolation – in our increasingly interconnected world, one crisis can easily have cascading effects across various domains. In what we can refer to as an ‘era of polycrisis’, interconnected global risks simultaneously amplify one another – from the climate crisis and loss of biodiversity, the refugee crisis and COVID-19 pandemic, open war and geopolitical conflict, economic instability, to the ongoing profound shift to the rules-based international order.

Whether it is examining the nexus between the Climate imperative and democracy, finding new ways to adapt governance to face the digital and climate transitions, or addressing democratic resilience in times of a pandemic or other crises, Horizon Europe research is developing democratic solutions in the face of the polycrisis, with recommendations for today’s policymakers on democratic innovation for crisis management. It addresses issues such as how government responses during a crisis affect public trust in authorities, looks into the interaction between international, national and local governments during crises, and develops models for legitimate crisis-management.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a driver for the evolution of political extremism and its influence on contemporary social and political dialogue, deepening protectionist discourses and xenophobic sentiments. This shift is not isolated but belongs to a global trend toward authoritarianism and populism, in contexts where conspiracy theories and a dismissal of liberties fuel anti-democratic movements and political agendas. This research is aimed to analyse the disruptive potential of these narratives, particularly how they spread through and radicalise mainstream political discourses.

Over these past decades, EU democracy support has undergone significant changes, and now faces the reality that democratic advances coexist with continuing authoritarian practices. To understand democratic politics in the EU’s neighbourhood, research must critically assess the EU’s influence on political governance, bridging the gap between intentions and country-level results. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the emphasis has moved from slow-paced reform to the urgent challenge of state survival, necessitating a review of enlargement strategies considering military aggression and economic vulnerability.

Projects research the success factors and barriers within regional contexts, specifically analysing the impact of third-country actors (like China and Russia, but also Iran or the UAE). It is essential to explore political perspectives for the Eastern Neighbourhood and the Western Balkans, focusing on the interplay between security, stability, and democratisation.

Moreover, research considers the socio-economic dimensions of the accession process, such as social cohesion and ’brain drain’, to ensure compliance with the EU acquis. By integrating historical perspectives with forward-looking scenarios, the projects aim to strengthen the EU’s resilience and diplomatic capabilities, providing evidence-based policy options to adapt to a potential new era of military intervention and systemic geopolitical rivalry in the European neighbourhoods.

Watch the webinar on ‘Democracy in the Neighbourhood: Horizon Europe Research Insights’ for more information