In recent years, there have been important societal transformations sweeping through Europe. On the one hand, a new deliberative-collaborative e-democracy model is emerging worldwide. This model can contribute to a more open and inclusive form of policy-making by involving citizens through the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). On the other hand, we are confronted with increasing threats that undermine the foundations and institutions of our democratic societies, such as populism and online disinformation. There is an urgent need to develop a more precise understanding of how these new trends affect our societies and to encourage civic engagement to increase the resilience of our democracy.
ECAS activities in the framework of its European Democracy focus area aim at three objectives: