Europe's democracies face mounting pressure from both external and internal sources. Polarization is growing, Russia conducts targeted influence campaigns through disinformation and hybrid attacks, and the rule of law in several European nations including Germany and France is increasingly questioned.
In Germany, the intelligence services have classified Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) as partially right-wing extremist, yet the party has gained substantial voter support. In France, Marine Le Pen of the far-right Rassemblement National fights both a presidential campaign and a trial over misuse of EU funds. How resilient is European democracy, and what strategies must we employ at home to protect our own democratic order?
This debate evening brings together three experts to explore these questions. Moritz Schramm, who lectures in German studies at the University of Southern Denmark and has authored work on German politics, is joined by Regitze Rohlfing from the think tank Nyt Europa and Marie Louise Albers from the EUROPA institute, formerly a correspondent in France. The event is free with an invitation; you may also extend the evening with a shared dinner before the discussion.
