What the EU does
Democracy is one of the founding values of the European Union. The EU is committed to protecting and strengthening democratic principles across its Member States and empowering Europeans to exercise their rights and participate in public life.
The European Commission works to safeguard the foundations of democracy: free and fair elections, an independent judiciary, a free press, and a vibrant civil society. At the same time, democratic backsliding, disinformation, and foreign interference pose growing threats that require coordinated European action.
The EU acts across several fronts to uphold and promote democracy, including by
- protecting the integrity of elections and political processes
- defending media pluralism and supporting independent journalism
- countering disinformation and foreign information manipulation
- strengthening civic participation and citizens' engagement in policymaking
- promoting democratic governance through international partnerships and the EU enlargement process.
Key figures
Areas of action
How the EU works to defend free elections, support independent media and counter foreign interference
Identifying disinformation and information manipulation and enhancing societal resilience against these threats
EU rules protecting media independence and pluralism, banning spyware against journalists and ensuring transparency in media ownership
EU rules protecting people who speak out on matters of public interest from abusive lawsuits designed to silence them
Rules ensuring sponsored political content is clearly labelled and its funding disclosed
A hub for sharing expertise and coordinating responses to common threats
Giving EU citizens a direct say in Commission policymaking, with recommendations feeding into legislation
Enabling citizens to call directly on the Commission to propose new legislation
Key achievements
- EU countries consistently rank among the world's most democratic across leading global indices, reflecting the quality of democratic institutions that EU membership both requires and reinforces.
- The European Media Freedom Act has introduced EU-wide restrictions on the use of spyware against journalists for the first time, reinforcing press freedom and democratic accountability.
- The Political Advertising Regulation has made the EU one of the first jurisdictions in the world to require full transparency on who funds sponsored political content online, giving citizens the right to know when and why they are being targeted with political messages.
- Celebrating 15 years of impact in 2026, the European Citizens’ Initiative has empowered citizens to turn their ideas into real EU laws, with over 120 initiatives launched and more than 20 million signatures collected.
- The EU enlargement process has driven democratic reforms in candidate countries and potential candidates across Europe, including in the areas of rule of law, judicial independence, electoral processes, and the fight against corruption.
- Since 2000, EU election observation missions have monitored democratic processes in over 65 countries worldwide, supporting democracy far beyond Europe's borders.
In focus
From scrolling through the news to streaming your favourite shows or debating with friends in the bar, democracy in the EU makes our everyday freedoms possible.
Today, democratic principles are under increasing pressure, including in Europe. Our freedoms and way of life are at stake. But together we can stem the tide.
Discover how the EU is stepping up to protect democracy, and what you can do to help.
This page was last updated on 29 June 2026